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College program internship salary
Average college program internship salary
$16.73
Understanding College Program Internship Salaries
As of October 2025, college program interns earn an average salary of $34,803 per year. This figure can vary based on factors such as location, industry, and the intern's level of experience. For instance, interns in tech and finance typically command higher salaries than those in non-profit sectors.
Average Salary by State
Interns in states like California and New York often see the highest salaries, reflecting the cost of living and demand for skilled interns. In contrast, states with lower living costs may offer salaries closer to the national average.
Top Paying Cities
Major cities like San Francisco and New York City are known for offering competitive intern pay, often exceeding $20 per hour. However, it's important for interns to consider the cost of living in these areas.
Career Growth Opportunities
Participating in a college program internship not only provides financial benefits but also invaluable experience. Interns can network with industry professionals and gain skills that enhance employability after graduation.
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Where can a College Program Internship earn more?
Average college program internship salary by state
The average college program internship salary in Alaska, North Dakota, and New Hampshire are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average college program internship salary states are Oklahoma, Kentucky, and South Carolina.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for college program interns
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | $45,316 | $21.79 |
| 2 | New Hampshire | $44,250 | $21.27 |
| 3 | New York | $40,193 | $19.32 |
| 4 | New Jersey | $41,450 | $19.93 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $39,639 | $19.06 |
| 6 | West Virginia | $37,916 | $18.23 |
| 7 | Oregon | $37,864 | $18.20 |
| 8 | Connecticut | $37,891 | $18.22 |
| 9 | Delaware | $36,146 | $17.38 |
| 10 | Alaska | $46,268 | $22.24 |
| 11 | Colorado | $36,439 | $17.52 |
| 12 | Wisconsin | $35,522 | $17.08 |
| 13 | Arizona | $34,887 | $16.77 |
| 14 | South Dakota | $33,430 | $16.07 |
| 15 | Vermont | $38,595 | $18.56 |
| 16 | California | $43,276 | $20.81 |
| 17 | Washington | $39,364 | $18.93 |
| 18 | Idaho | $33,606 | $16.16 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $42,357 | $20.36 |
| 20 | Maine | $33,560 | $16.13 |
| 21 | Michigan | $33,568 | $16.14 |
| 22 | Indiana | $34,180 | $16.43 |
| 23 | Texas | $33,722 | $16.21 |
| 24 | Iowa | $33,505 | $16.11 |
| 25 | Illinois | $34,103 | $16.40 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $34,474 | $16.57 |
| 27 | New Mexico | $32,599 | $15.67 |
| 28 | Utah | $32,195 | $15.48 |
| 29 | Nebraska | $31,557 | $15.17 |
| 30 | Montana | $31,040 | $14.92 |
| 31 | Nevada | $32,765 | $15.75 |
| 32 | Ohio | $32,057 | $15.41 |
| 33 | Massachusetts | $35,234 | $16.94 |
| 34 | Rhode Island | $30,246 | $14.54 |
| 35 | Virginia | $34,669 | $16.67 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $29,350 | $14.11 |
| 37 | Kansas | $31,694 | $15.24 |
| 38 | Wyoming | $32,134 | $15.45 |
| 39 | Arkansas | $30,171 | $14.51 |
| 40 | Missouri | $32,431 | $15.59 |
| 41 | Mississippi | $30,501 | $14.66 |
| 42 | Georgia | $31,291 | $15.04 |
| 43 | Alabama | $29,166 | $14.02 |
| 44 | Tennessee | $29,988 | $14.42 |
| 45 | Oklahoma | $28,950 | $13.92 |
| 46 | Maryland | $31,709 | $15.24 |
| 47 | Kentucky | $28,719 | $13.81 |
| 48 | Florida | $28,324 | $13.62 |
| 49 | South Carolina | $28,688 | $13.79 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $27,418 | $13.18 |
| 51 | North Carolina | $25,994 | $12.50 |
Highest paying cities for college program interns
The highest-paying cities for college program interns are Oakland, CA, Washington, DC, and Jersey City, NJ.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Oakland, CA | $44,892 | $21.58 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $42,382 | $20.38 |
| 3 | Jersey City, NJ | $41,648 | $20.02 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $40,102 | $19.28 |
| 5 | Seattle, WA | $39,430 | $18.96 |
| 6 | South Windsor, CT | $38,132 | $18.33 |
| 7 | Valparaiso, IN | $35,124 | $16.89 |
| 8 | El Paso, TX | $35,069 | $16.86 |
| 9 | Phoenix, AZ | $34,928 | $16.79 |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $34,574 | $16.62 |
| 11 | Chicago, IL | $34,227 | $16.46 |
| 12 | East Lansing, MI | $33,664 | $16.18 |
| 13 | Warren, OH | $32,927 | $15.83 |
| 14 | Kansas City, MO | $32,574 | $15.66 |
| 15 | Kansas City, KS | $31,733 | $15.26 |
| 16 | Omaha, NE | $31,612 | $15.20 |
| 17 | Atlanta, GA | $31,439 | $15.11 |
| 18 | Huntsville, AL | $29,475 | $14.17 |
| 19 | Tampa, FL | $28,545 | $13.72 |
| 20 | Charlotte, NC | $25,882 | $12.44 |
College program internship salary details
A college program internship's salary ranges from $25,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $47,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a college program internship's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $47,000 | $3,917 | $23 |
| 75th Percentile | $40,000 | $3,333 | $19 |
| Average | $34,803 | $2,900 | $17 |
| 25th Percentile | $29,000 | $2,417 | $14 |
| 10th Percentile | $25,000 | $2,083 | $12 |
Highest paying college program internship jobs
The highest paying types of college program interns are education consultant, program advisor, and admissions advisor.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Evaluator | $50,338 | $4,195 | $24.20 | 1,601 |
| Admissions Counselor | $39,298 | $3,275 | $18.89 | 43,413 |
| Admissions Advisor | $54,192 | $4,516 | $26.05 | 55,433 |
| School Counselor | $49,904 | $4,159 | $23.99 | 91,275 |
| Academic Adviser | $46,729 | $3,894 | $22.47 | 23,208 |
| Student Advisor | $41,418 | $3,452 | $19.91 | 56,492 |
Top companies hiring college program interns now:
Which companies pay college program interns the most?
College program internship salaries at Los Alamos National Laboratory and ALDI USA are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average college program internship salary at companies like Huitt-Zollars and Northwestern Mutual are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Alamos National Laboratory | $54,941 | $26.41 |
| 2 | ALDI USA | $44,196 | $21.25 |
| 3 | Huitt-Zollars | $43,280 | $20.81 |
| 4 | Northwestern Mutual | $42,845 | $20.60 |
| 5 | Northrop Grumman | $40,340 | $19.39 |
| 6 | Erickson Senior Living | $40,295 | $19.37 |
| 7 | United States Courts | $40,089 | $19.27 |
| 8 | Grow Financial Federal Credit Union | $39,822 | $19.15 |
| 9 | International Rescue Committee | $39,572 | $19.02 |
| 10 | BayCare Health System | $39,364 | $18.93 |
| 11 | Oakland County, Michigan Government | $38,396 | $18.46 |
| 12 | Salt River Project | $38,308 | $18.42 |
| 13 | Mercy Corps | $38,095 | $18.31 |
| 14 | Carnegie Mellon University | $38,091 | $18.31 |
| 15 | Boston Scientific | $37,900 | $18.22 |
| 16 | JBS USA | $37,572 | $18.06 |
| 17 | T. Rowe Price | $37,530 | $18.04 |
| 18 | Franklin & Marshall College | $37,464 | $18.01 |
| 19 | Teledyne Technologies Incorporated | $37,451 | $18.01 |
| 20 | M.C. Dean | $37,327 | $17.95 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
College program internship salary trends
The average college program internship salary has risen by $2,389 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average college program internship earned $32,414 annually, but today, they earn $34,803 a year. That works out to a 7% change in pay for college program interns over the last decade.
Compare college program internship salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average college program internship salary over time
Compare college program internship salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
College program internship salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $34,800 | $16.73 | +1.9% |
| 2024 | $34,200 | $16.42 | +1.3% |
| 2023 | $33,700 | $16.21 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | $33,200 | $15.95 | +1.5% |
| 2021 | $32,700 | $15.71 | +1.6% |
Recently added college program internship salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The New York Foundling | Intern-College Choice Program Fcsi | New York, NY | 06/27/2025 | $31,305 |
| Oakton Community College | Trio Graduate Intern (Temporary)-Oakton College | Des Plaines, IL | 06/27/2025 | $45,914 |
| The Pennsylvania State University | Career Services Specialist (Internship Coordinator), College of The Liberal Arts | University Park, FL | 06/22/2025 | $51,000 |
| Penn State University | Career Services Specialist (Internship Coordinator), College of The Liberal Arts | Parkesburg, PA | 06/20/2025 | $51,000 |
| Lewis & Clark College | College Outdoors Trip Staff | Portland, OR | 06/18/2025 | $20,870 |
| District 08 | Fall 2025 Paid College Internship-District 8 Capital Program Administration (Construction, Design | Lebanon, OH | 06/18/2025 | $40,697 |
| Pacific Northwest National Laboratory | DOE CCI Internship Program (Fall) | Bismarck, ND | 06/17/2025 | $34,769 |
| Pacific Northwest National Laboratory | DOE CCI Internship Program (Fall) | Washington, DC | 06/17/2025 | $34,769 |
| Pacific Northwest National Laboratory | DOE CCI Internship Program (Fall) | Tallahassee, FL | 06/17/2025 | $34,769 |
| Pacific Northwest National Laboratory | DOE CCI Internship Program (Fall) | Carson City, NV | 06/17/2025 | $34,769 |
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