Research Internship Salary By State: Highest-Paid Research Interns by State [2026]
Research Summary. After thorough analysis by the Zippia data science team, we have compiled the latest information on research internship salaries by state across the United States in 2026:
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New Jersey offers the highest research internship salary at $58,529.
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Wyoming has the lowest research internship salary, recorded at $24,108.
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The national average salary for research interns is $39,573.
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On an hourly basis, research interns earn an average of $19.03.
For further details on our methodology, click here.
Background
Consistently, salary remains the top priority for job seekers across various demographics. Many individuals are keenly interested in understanding how much research interns are compensated in their local area.
While individual expectations can vary based on numerous factors, reliable data exists on average salaries for research internships by state, categorized by experience level. Although specific city wages may deviate from state averages, these figures provide a useful benchmark for salary expectations.
Currently, the state offering the most competitive salary for research interns is New Jersey.
Here’s a brief overview of the top ten states for research internship salaries:
Now, let’s explore the full ranking of all states.
Highest-Paid Research Interns By State
| Rank | State | Average Research Internship Salary | 10th Percentile | 90th Percentile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Jersey | $58,529 | $36,000 | $94,000 |
| 2 | Washington | $55,734 | $36,000 | $86,000 |
| 3 | California | $53,525 | $33,000 | $84,000 |
| 4 | New York | $50,519 | $31,000 | $81,000 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $50,322 | $32,000 | $78,000 |
| 6 | Texas | $49,418 | $32,000 | $75,000 |
| 7 | Delaware | $48,614 | $30,000 | $78,000 |
| 8 | Alaska | $47,793 | $33,000 | $69,000 |
| 9 | Virginia | $47,031 | $29,000 | $74,000 |
| 10 | Connecticut | $46,388 | $29,000 | $73,000 |
| 11 | Illinois | $45,715 | $29,000 | $70,000 |
| 12 | Rhode Island | $45,218 | $28,000 | $71,000 |
| 13 | Maine | $44,911 | $29,000 | $68,000 |
| 14 | Oregon | $43,501 | $28,000 | $67,000 |
| 15 | Vermont | $43,399 | $28,000 | $67,000 |
| 16 | New Hampshire | $43,143 | $27,000 | $67,000 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $42,709 | $27,000 | $66,000 |
| 18 | Pennsylvania | $42,207 | $26,000 | $68,000 |
| 19 | Maryland | $41,626 | $25,000 | $66,000 |
| 20 | Arizona | $40,984 | $26,000 | $63,000 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $40,843 | $26,000 | $62,000 |
| 22 | Colorado | $40,296 | $27,000 | $59,000 |
| 23 | Minnesota | $40,208 | $26,000 | $61,000 |
| 24 | Hawaii | $39,360 | $29,000 | $53,000 |
| 25 | North Carolina | $38,192 | $25,000 | $58,000 |
| 26 | Nevada | $37,150 | $23,000 | $58,000 |
| 27 | Michigan | $36,996 | $23,000 | $58,000 |
| 28 | Ohio | $36,975 | $23,000 | $58,000 |
| 29 | Iowa | $36,447 | $24,000 | $54,000 |
| 30 | Florida | $35,747 | $23,000 | $53,000 |
| 31 | Missouri | $35,563 | $23,000 | $53,000 |
| 32 | Georgia | $35,440 | $23,000 | $52,000 |
| 33 | Idaho | $35,316 | $23,000 | $53,000 |
| 34 | Arkansas | $34,997 | $23,000 | $52,000 |
| 35 | Kentucky | $34,354 | $22,000 | $52,000 |
| 36 | Oklahoma | $34,261 | $23,000 | $50,000 |
| 37 | Utah | $33,440 | $22,000 | $50,000 |
| 38 | Tennessee | $33,362 | $22,000 | $49,000 |
| 39 | South Dakota | $33,087 | $22,000 | $49,000 |
| 40 | Alabama | $32,630 | $21,000 | $48,000 |
| 41 | Indiana | $32,560 | $21,000 | $49,000 |
| 42 | New Mexico | $31,953 | $20,000 | $48,000 |
| 43 | South Carolina | $31,582 | $21,000 | $47,000 |
| 44 | Kansas | $31,388 | $21,000 | $46,000 |
| 45 | Louisiana | $30,711 | $20,000 | $46,000 |
| 46 | Nebraska | $29,727 | $20,000 | $44,000 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $29,203 | $19,000 | $43,000 |
| 48 | Montana | $29,118 | $19,000 | $43,000 |
| 49 | North Dakota | $28,981 | $19,000 | $43,000 |
| 50 | Wyoming | $24,108 | $16,000 | $35,000 |
Methodology: Research Internship Salary By State
To gain insights into research internship salaries by state, Zippia compiled data from various reliable sources, including the BLS, FLC, and OPM. We further supplemented this data with actual salary listings from job postings. Our data science team then calculated a weighted average of these inputs to establish the average pay for research interns by state.
We assessed the average annual salary data for research interns based on these estimates and ranked all states accordingly, identifying the state with the highest salary as having the most competitive average for research internships.
Research Internship Salary By State FAQs
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What is the highest-paid state for research interns?
The highest-paid state for research interns is New Jersey, with an average salary of $58,529 per year.
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What city pays research interns the most?
Newark, NJ tops the list, offering research interns an average salary of $58,588 per year.
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What is the worst state for research interns?
The lowest-paying state for research interns is Wyoming, with an average salary of $24,108 per year.
Author
Chris Kolmar is a co-founder of Zippia and the editor-in-chief of the Zippia career advice blog. He has hired over 50 people in his career, been hired five times, and wants to help you land your next job. His research has been featured on the New York Times, Thrillist, VOX, The Atlantic, and a host of local news. More recently, he's been quoted on USA Today, BusinessInsider, and CNBC.
