What is a computer science internship and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

5 min read

Quoted experts

Mario Bkassiny Ph.D.,

Oriehi Destiny Anyaiwe

A computer science internship allows students or recent graduates to gain practical experience in the field. Interns work under the guidance of experienced professionals on real-world projects in software development, network administration, database management, or cybersecurity. Through this hands-on experience, interns learn skills and gain exposure to the latest technologies and trends. In addition to technical work, interns may attend meetings, workshops, and company events to network with other professionals and build their portfolio.

What general advice would you give to a computer science internship?

Mario Bkassiny Ph.D.

Associate Professor, SUNY Oswego

Young graduates should continuously seek every learning opportunity to enhance their professional skills. With the fast growth of engineering technology, it is important for engineers to remain up to date with the most recent innovations in their fields. The learning process does not stop at graduation, but instead, it extends beyond college to the workplace where engineers can gain expert knowledge in their fields.

ScoreComputer Science InternshipUS Average

Salary

2.7

Avg. Salary $34,749

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.7

Growth rate 10%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.41%

Asian 14.84%

Black or African American 10.82%

Hispanic or Latino 14.82%

Unknown 5.28%

White 53.82%

Gender

female 26.76%

male 73.24%

Age - 41

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 41

Stress level

6.7

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

6.5

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.4

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a computer science internship?

Pros

Opportunity to apply theoretical knowledge to real-world problems
Learn new skills and technologies
Potential for a job offer after completion of the internship
Earn academic credit or monetary compensation
Develop a strong professional portfolio

Cons

Long hours and demanding workloads
Competitive job market
Limited opportunities for advancement within the company
Possible lack of recognition for work done during the internship
Limited flexibility in terms of work hours or location

Key steps to become a computer science internship

Explore computer science internship education requirements

Most common computer science internship degrees

Bachelor's

56.9 %

Associate

25.0 %

Master's

7.9 %

Start to develop specific computer science internship skills

Skills	Percentages
Python	24.19%
C++	14.56%
Java	10.24%
Visualization	4.42%
Linux	4.11%

Complete relevant computer science internship training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New computer science interns learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a computer science internship based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real computer science internship resumes.

Research computer science internship duties and responsibilities

Repair laptops, PCs, install and maintain WIFI networks, resolve issues, manage and install wireless printers.
Manage the day to day operation of the company; troubleshooter for defective printers, computers and computer accessories.
Develop Perl scripts to automate debugging processes
Manage encryption key using common asymmetric algorithms and distribute mechanism.

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