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Best states for a design engineer internship
Quoted expert
Andy Gerrick
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
- 21 - 30
- 31 - 40
- 41 - 51
It seems like design engineer interns are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for design engineer interns aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. This way, if you are newly entering the job market, or you are looking to change jobs, you know which places are the best for design engineer internship jobs.
We figured that the best places for design engineer internship jobs has three things everyone would agree on. There would be high annual wages, good career prospects (no matter what phase of the career you are in), and a lot of job opportunities.We found that Washington is the best state for design engineer internship jobs, whereas Mississippi is the worst.
10 best states for design engineer interns in 2025
1. Washington
Total design engineer internship jobs: 1,678 Average annual salary: $67,780 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $103,000 Location Quotient: 1.54
2. Oregon
Total design engineer internship jobs: 958 Average annual salary: $62,627 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $95,000 Location Quotient: 1.55
3. California
Total design engineer internship jobs: 8,690 Average annual salary: $67,517 Lowest 10 percent earn: $44,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $102,000 Location Quotient: 1.99
4. Arizona
Total design engineer internship jobs: 1,153 Average annual salary: $61,280 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $89,000 Location Quotient: 1.32
5. Alaska
Total design engineer internship jobs: 138 Average annual salary: $65,377 Lowest 10 percent earn: $50,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $85,000 Location Quotient: 1.11
6. District of Columbia
Total design engineer internship jobs: 394 Average annual salary: $63,025 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $97,000 Location Quotient: 1.57
7. West Virginia
Total design engineer internship jobs: 132 Average annual salary: $62,400 Lowest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $95,000 Location Quotient: 0.58
8. New Mexico
Total design engineer internship jobs: 210 Average annual salary: $60,370 Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $87,000 Location Quotient: 0.72
9. Connecticut
Total design engineer internship jobs: 576 Average annual salary: $57,932 Lowest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $92,000 Location Quotient: 1.17
10. Texas
Total design engineer internship jobs: 2,911 Average annual salary: $55,606 Lowest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $81,000 Location Quotient: 0.96
Design engineer internship jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a design engineer internship
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a design engineer internship
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $67,780 | $44,000 | 7,405,743 | 1,678 |
| 2 | Oregon | $62,627 | $41,000 | 4,142,776 | 958 |
| 3 | California | $67,517 | $44,000 | 39,536,653 | 8,690 |
| 4 | Arizona | $61,280 | $41,000 | 7,016,270 | 1,153 |
| 5 | Alaska | $65,377 | $50,000 | 739,795 | 138 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $63,025 | $40,000 | 693,972 | 394 |
| 7 | West Virginia | $62,400 | $40,000 | 1,815,857 | 132 |
| 8 | New Mexico | $60,370 | $41,000 | 2,088,070 | 210 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $57,932 | $36,000 | 3,588,184 | 576 |
| 10 | Texas | $55,606 | $38,000 | 28,304,596 | 2,911 |
| 11 | Idaho | $56,776 | $38,000 | 1,716,943 | 213 |
| 12 | Virginia | $57,263 | $37,000 | 8,470,020 | 1,703 |
| 13 | South Dakota | $58,724 | $39,000 | 869,666 | 104 |
| 14 | Michigan | $54,557 | $35,000 | 9,962,311 | 1,189 |
| 15 | Utah | $54,098 | $37,000 | 3,101,833 | 520 |
| 16 | Colorado | $55,289 | $38,000 | 5,607,154 | 1,181 |
| 17 | Maryland | $58,196 | $37,000 | 6,052,177 | 1,033 |
| 18 | Delaware | $55,022 | $35,000 | 961,939 | 219 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $56,622 | $34,000 | 6,859,819 | 1,567 |
| 20 | Nevada | $55,978 | $37,000 | 2,998,039 | 223 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $55,519 | $34,000 | 1,059,639 | 151 |
| 22 | Alabama | $52,972 | $36,000 | 4,874,747 | 608 |
| 23 | North Dakota | $52,891 | $35,000 | 755,393 | 130 |
| 24 | New York | $56,741 | $35,000 | 19,849,399 | 1,817 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $53,510 | $36,000 | 1,920,076 | 239 |
| 26 | Hawaii | $60,846 | $47,000 | 1,427,538 | 112 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $54,988 | $37,000 | 4,684,333 | 234 |
| 28 | Illinois | $54,600 | $36,000 | 12,802,023 | 1,383 |
| 29 | Vermont | $53,002 | $31,000 | 623,657 | 129 |
| 30 | Maine | $54,259 | $31,000 | 1,335,907 | 147 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $53,448 | $36,000 | 6,715,984 | 418 |
| 32 | New Hampshire | $53,286 | $32,000 | 1,342,795 | 239 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $52,545 | $35,000 | 10,273,419 | 1,160 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $50,022 | $34,000 | 579,315 | 103 |
| 35 | Pennsylvania | $52,150 | $33,000 | 12,805,537 | 1,263 |
| 36 | Minnesota | $52,464 | $34,000 | 5,576,606 | 877 |
| 37 | Iowa | $51,743 | $34,000 | 3,145,711 | 406 |
| 38 | Ohio | $51,633 | $33,000 | 11,658,609 | 1,004 |
| 39 | Montana | $51,663 | $35,000 | 1,050,493 | 150 |
| 40 | Wisconsin | $50,927 | $33,000 | 5,795,483 | 708 |
| 41 | New Jersey | $53,993 | $34,000 | 9,005,644 | 810 |
| 42 | Indiana | $50,827 | $33,000 | 6,666,818 | 673 |
| 43 | Kansas | $50,455 | $34,000 | 2,913,123 | 292 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $50,980 | $34,000 | 3,930,864 | 232 |
| 45 | Missouri | $50,050 | $33,000 | 6,113,532 | 527 |
| 46 | Georgia | $48,519 | $32,000 | 10,429,379 | 1,110 |
| 47 | Florida | $47,772 | $32,000 | 20,984,400 | 1,790 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $46,219 | $30,000 | 4,454,189 | 268 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $43,857 | $30,000 | 3,004,279 | 249 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $45,471 | $30,000 | 5,024,369 | 424 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $45,017 | $30,000 | 2,984,100 | 146 |
Highest paying states for design engineer interns
| Rank | State | Avg. Design Engineer Internship Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington | $67,780 |
| 2 | Oregon | $62,627 |
| 3 | California | $67,517 |
| 4 | Arizona | $61,280 |
| 5 | Alaska | $65,377 |
| 6 | District of Columbia | $63,025 |
| 7 | West Virginia | $62,400 |
| 8 | New Mexico | $60,370 |
| 9 | Connecticut | $57,932 |
| 10 | Texas | $55,606 |
| 11 | Idaho | $56,776 |
| 12 | Virginia | $57,263 |
| 13 | South Dakota | $58,724 |
| 14 | Michigan | $54,557 |
| 15 | Utah | $54,098 |
| 16 | Colorado | $55,289 |
| 17 | Maryland | $58,196 |
| 18 | Delaware | $55,022 |
| 19 | Massachusetts | $56,622 |
| 20 | Nevada | $55,978 |
| 21 | Rhode Island | $55,519 |
| 22 | Alabama | $52,972 |
| 23 | North Dakota | $52,891 |
| 24 | New York | $56,741 |
| 25 | Nebraska | $53,510 |
| 26 | Hawaii | $60,846 |
| 27 | Louisiana | $54,988 |
| 28 | Illinois | $54,600 |
| 29 | Vermont | $53,002 |
| 30 | Maine | $54,259 |
| 31 | Tennessee | $53,448 |
| 32 | New Hampshire | $53,286 |
| 33 | North Carolina | $52,545 |
| 34 | Wyoming | $50,022 |
| 35 | Pennsylvania | $52,150 |
| 36 | Minnesota | $52,464 |
| 37 | Iowa | $51,743 |
| 38 | Ohio | $51,633 |
| 39 | Montana | $51,663 |
| 40 | Wisconsin | $50,927 |
| 41 | New Jersey | $53,993 |
| 42 | Indiana | $50,827 |
| 43 | Kansas | $50,455 |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $50,980 |
| 45 | Missouri | $50,050 |
| 46 | Georgia | $48,519 |
| 47 | Florida | $47,772 |
| 48 | Kentucky | $46,219 |
| 49 | Arkansas | $43,857 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $45,471 |
| 51 | Mississippi | $45,017 |
Expert opinions on the best states for design engineer interns
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for design engineer internships to find work opportunities?
Andy Gerrick
Associate Professor and Chair, Embry-Riddle, Prescott
Mechanical engineering is the most general field of engineering. Any industry that designs or produces physical products, from toys to spacecraft, hires mechanical engineers. The aerospace industry, where I spent 35 years as a mechanical engineer, hires many more mechanical engineers than aerospace engineers.
Design engineer internship best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025