Best cities for a business internship
The best cities for business interns are Madison, WI, Detroit, MI, and Philadelphia, PA, based on factors like average salary and job availability per capita. Jobs and pay for business interns vary across the country, but we've determined the ten best cities for business interns in the U.S.
Whether you're starting your career as a business internship or considering a move, this list of the best cities for business interns to live in will help you decide. These aren't just the best-paying cities for business interns. We also consider how easy it is to find work as a business internship. While the absolute best city for business interns is Madison, WI, there are plenty of other great places to consider.
Keep reading to learn more about the best cities for business interns in 2024.
If you're looking for a business internship job, here are five companies hiring now:
10 best cities for business interns in 2026
1. Madison, WI
Business internship jobs in MadisonTotal business internship jobs: 11 Average annual salary: $36,664 Lowest 10 percent warn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location quotient: 3.06 2. Detroit, MI
Business internship jobs in DetroitTotal business internship jobs: 8 Average annual salary: $36,384 Lowest 10 percent warn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000 Location quotient: 1.91 3. Philadelphia, PA
Business internship jobs in PhiladelphiaTotal business internship jobs: 20 Average annual salary: $39,776 Lowest 10 percent warn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Location quotient: 2.09 4. Boston, MA
Business internship jobs in BostonTotal business internship jobs: 41 Average annual salary: $38,651 Lowest 10 percent warn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location quotient: 2.90 5. Newark, NJ
Business internship jobs in NewarkTotal business internship jobs: 6 Average annual salary: $40,404 Lowest 10 percent warn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Location quotient: 2.60 6. Omaha, NE
Business internship jobs in OmahaTotal business internship jobs: 11 Average annual salary: $32,956 Lowest 10 percent warn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location quotient: 2.61 7. Jersey City, NJ
Business internship jobs in Jersey CityTotal business internship jobs: 16 Average annual salary: $40,408 Lowest 10 percent warn: $30,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000 Location quotient: 2.46 8. Pittsburgh, PA
Business internship jobs in PittsburghTotal business internship jobs: 9 Average annual salary: $38,519 Lowest 10 percent warn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $49,000 Location quotient: 1.50 9. Minneapolis, MN
Business internship jobs in MinneapolisTotal business internship jobs: 17 Average annual salary: $35,579 Lowest 10 percent warn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $45,000 Location quotient: 2.28 10. Mesa, AZ
Business internship jobs in MesaTotal business internship jobs: 5 Average annual salary: $33,637 Lowest 10 percent warn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Location quotient: 5.36
Choose from 10+ customizable business internship resume templates
Choose from a variety of easy-to-use business internship resume templates and get expert advice from Zippia’s AI resume writer along the way. Using pre-approved templates, you can rest assured that the structure and format of your business internship resume is top notch. Choose a template with the colors, fonts & text sizes that are appropriate for your industry.
Best cities for business interns
- Madison, WI
- Detroit, MI
- Philadelphia, PA
- Boston, MA
- Newark, NJ
- Omaha, NE
- Jersey City, NJ
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Minneapolis, MN
- Mesa, AZ
Detailed list of the best cities for a business internship
| Rank | City | Average salary | Lowest 10% Earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Madison, WI | $36,664 | $28,000 | 252,551 | 11 |
| 2 | Detroit, MI | $36,384 | $28,000 | 672,795 | 8 |
| 3 | Philadelphia, PA | $39,776 | $30,000 | 1,567,872 | 20 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $38,651 | $30,000 | 673,184 | 41 |
| 5 | Newark, NJ | $40,404 | $30,000 | 281,764 | 6 |
| 6 | Omaha, NE | $32,956 | $25,000 | 446,970 | 11 |
| 7 | Jersey City, NJ | $40,408 | $30,000 | 264,152 | 16 |
| 8 | Pittsburgh, PA | $38,519 | $29,000 | 303,625 | 9 |
| 9 | Minneapolis, MN | $35,579 | $28,000 | 413,651 | 17 |
| 10 | Mesa, AZ | $33,637 | $25,000 | 484,587 | 5 |
| 11 | Lincoln, NE | $32,807 | $25,000 | 280,364 | 5 |
| 12 | Chandler, AZ | $33,660 | $25,000 | 247,477 | 6 |
| 13 | Tucson, AZ | $33,405 | $25,000 | 530,706 | 7 |
| 14 | Toledo, OH | $32,920 | $25,000 | 278,508 | 1 |
| 15 | Greensboro, NC | $33,971 | $26,000 | 287,027 | 3 |
| 16 | Indianapolis, IN | $32,498 | $25,000 | 855,164 | 14 |
| 17 | Saint Paul, MN | $35,581 | $28,000 | 302,398 | 7 |
| 18 | Scottsdale, AZ | $33,664 | $25,000 | 246,645 | 5 |
| 19 | Phoenix, AZ | $33,710 | $25,000 | 1,615,017 | 27 |
| 20 | Chicago, IL | $40,291 | $31,000 | 2,704,958 | 27 |
| 21 | Seattle, WA | $39,586 | $30,000 | 704,352 | 22 |
| 22 | Memphis, TN | $31,671 | $24,000 | 652,717 | 5 |
| 23 | Garland, TX | $31,967 | $24,000 | 234,943 | 2 |
| 24 | Nashville, TN | $31,949 | $24,000 | 660,388 | 5 |
| 25 | Raleigh, NC | $34,054 | $26,000 | 458,880 | 6 |
| 26 | North Las Vegas, NV | $31,740 | $24,000 | 238,702 | 5 |
| 27 | Oklahoma City, OK | $32,095 | $24,000 | 638,367 | 6 |
| 28 | Charlotte, NC | $33,547 | $25,000 | 842,051 | 12 |
| 29 | Cleveland, OH | $33,187 | $25,000 | 385,809 | 1 |
| 30 | Milwaukee, WI | $36,923 | $28,000 | 595,047 | 1 |
| 31 | Durham, NC | $34,082 | $26,000 | 263,016 | 3 |
| 32 | Wichita, KS | $33,250 | $25,000 | 389,902 | 1 |
| 33 | Columbus, OH | $31,940 | $24,000 | 860,090 | 8 |
| 34 | Atlanta, GA | $32,806 | $25,000 | 472,522 | 34 |
| 35 | New Orleans, LA | $33,922 | $25,000 | 391,495 | 1 |
| 36 | Virginia Beach, VA | $35,600 | $27,000 | 452,602 | 4 |
| 37 | Louisville, KY | $32,048 | $24,000 | 597,337 | 2 |
| 38 | Sacramento, CA | $38,706 | $29,000 | 495,234 | 18 |
| 39 | Fort Wayne, IN | $33,500 | $26,000 | 264,488 | - |
| 40 | Anchorage, AK | $42,910 | $35,000 | 298,192 | - |
| 41 | Tulsa, OK | $32,171 | $25,000 | 403,090 | 1 |
| 42 | Dallas, TX | $31,976 | $24,000 | 1,317,929 | 16 |
| 43 | Kansas City, MO | $33,462 | $26,000 | 481,420 | 4 |
| 44 | Cincinnati, OH | $31,226 | $24,000 | 298,800 | 2 |
| 45 | Lexington, KY | $32,158 | $25,000 | 318,449 | - |
| 46 | Las Vegas, NV | $31,775 | $24,000 | 632,912 | 6 |
| 47 | Winston-Salem, NC | $33,912 | $26,000 | 242,203 | - |
| 48 | Saint Louis, MO | $33,463 | $26,000 | 311,404 | 4 |
| 49 | Reno, NV | $33,352 | $25,000 | 245,255 | - |
| 50 | New York, NY | $37,760 | $28,000 | 8,537,673 | 61 |
Highest paying cities for business interns
| Rank | City | Avg. business internship salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jersey City, NJ | $40,408 |
| 2 | Chicago, IL | $40,291 |
| 3 | Providence, RI | $39,869 |
| 4 | Philadelphia, PA | $39,776 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $39,586 |
| 6 | San Francisco, CA | $39,104 |
| 7 | Boston, MA | $38,651 |
| 8 | New York, NY | $37,760 |
| 9 | Madison, WI | $36,664 |
| 10 | McLean, VA | $36,648 |
| 11 | Minneapolis, MN | $35,579 |
| 12 | Wilmington, DE | $35,057 |
| 13 | Washington, DC | $34,169 |
| 14 | Phoenix, AZ | $33,710 |
| 15 | Charlotte, NC | $33,547 |
| 16 | Kansas City, KS | $33,539 |
| 17 | Reno, NV | $33,352 |
| 18 | Denver, CO | $33,284 |
| 19 | Omaha, NE | $32,956 |
| 20 | Atlanta, GA | $32,806 |
Business internship best cities FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common business and financial questions.
Search for business internship jobs
Updated January 8, 2025