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Job outlook for economic development interns in the United States
Economic development internship job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected economic development internship job growth rate is 6% from 2018-2028.
About 1,000 new jobs for economic development interns are projected over the next decade.
Economic development internship salaries have increased 7% for economic development interns in the last 5 years.
There are over 5,847 economic development interns currently employed in the United States.
There are 92,622 active economic development internship job openings in the US.
The average economic development internship salary is $37,977.
Are economic development internship jobs in demand?
Economic development internship job and salary trends over time
Economic development internship jobs over time
Economic development internship job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 5,847 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 6,550 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 7,103 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 6,972 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 7,309 | 0.00% |
Average economic development internship salary over time
Economic development internship salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $37,977 | $18.26 | +3.2% |
| 2024 | $36,809 | $17.70 | +0.7% |
| 2023 | $36,571 | $17.58 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $35,923 | $17.27 | +1.4% |
| 2021 | $35,418 | $17.03 | +1.9% |
Economic development internship jobs by state
Most common states for economic development interns
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 2,230 | 19% |
| 2 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 213 | 16% |
| 3 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 171 | 16% |
| 4 | Alaska | 739,795 | 115 | 16% |
| 5 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 116 | 15% |
| 6 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 125 | 14% |
| 7 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 247 | 12% |
| 8 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 239 | 12% |
| 9 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 1,131 | 11% |
| 10 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 778 | 11% |
| 11 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 325 | 11% |
| 12 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 554 | 10% |
| 13 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 313 | 10% |
| 14 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 302 | 10% |
| 15 | Texas | 28,304,596 | 2,433 | 9% |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,136 | 9% |
| 17 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 875 | 9% |
| 18 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 622 | 9% |
| 19 | Missouri | 6,113,532 | 559 | 9% |
| 20 | Vermont | 623,657 | 58 | 9% |
Most common cities for economic development interns
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bloomington | 1 | 1% | $31,213 |
| 2 | Silver Spring | 1 | 1% | $40,735 |
| 3 | Chicago | 3 | 0% | $38,825 |
| 4 | Los Angeles | 1 | 0% | $39,754 |
| 5 | Miami | 1 | 0% | $25,261 |
| 6 | San Francisco | 1 | 0% | $43,328 |
| 7 | Washington | 1 | 0% | $53,793 |
Economic Development Internship job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of economic development internship experts
Ohio University
West Virginia State University
University of Houston-Downtown
The University of Texas at Arlington
Baker University
University of Redlands
University of Nevada - Las Vegas
What general advice would you give to an Economic Development Internship?
Chad Miller Ph.D.: The study of economics and the practice of economic development are different. Economic developers need to understand how a local economy operates and basic macro/micro economics, but business and finance are more important skills than understanding economics. Economic developers typically work for local or state government organizations, chambers of commerce, or regional public-private partnerships marketing to attract business investment, retain and expand existing industry, or conduct small and entrepreneurial development programs in order create quality jobs, wealth, increase the tax base, and improve quality of life of a community. Economic developers need to be a 'jack of all trades' as they need to understand marketing, real estate development, public financing, business decision making, politics, as well as, other academic areas. Since so much different expertise is required, the ability to network is essential in order to utilize specific expertise needed to make the business investment happen.
What Economic Development Internship skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Chad Miller Ph.D.: For those entering the field having GIS mapping skills and graphic design/data visualization skills are great assets to get your foot in the door. Typically, salaries and opportunities increase dramatically with 2-3 years of economic development experience.
What will help Economic Development Interns increase their earning potential?
Chad Miller Ph.D.: The practice of economic development is becoming more data-driven so understanding labor market and other data platforms (e.g., JobsEQ, EMSI/Lightcast, IMPLAN, ESRI Community Analyst, Placer.AI, etc.) is becoming more important.
Brian Collins Ph.D.
Associate Professor, Chair & Drs. Ram and Sushila Gawande Chair in Indian Religion and PhilosophyOhio University
College of Arts and Sciences
What soft skills should all Economic Development Interns possess?
Brian Collins Ph.D.: Intercultural competency and critical thinking are absolutely essential to dealing with our increasingly diverse and fragmented society.
Dr. Mark Wilson
Associate Professor of EconomicsWest Virginia State University
Economics Department
What skills stand out on Economic Development Internship resumes?
Dr. Mark Wilson: Job skills that stand out: two skills that every job seeker should now cultivate are: proficiency with spreadsheets and proficiency with online conferencing (e.g., Zoom, Skype). Most graduates have low skills in spreadsheets and will be trying to learn these skills on-the-fly. Proficient spreadsheet users are able to take their skills to the next level. As for teleconferencing, we are just scratching the surface of what COVID has taught us about online meetings. Newbies in the job market should be skilled enough in teleconferencing that they can share screens, do hosting, and know etiquette of conference calling.
What experience really stands out on Economic Development Internship resumes?
Rob Austin McKee Ph.D.: We have established that internships are scarce, and the job market is dismal. In this environment, applicants must demonstrate that they were not complacent while they were unemployed or underemployed. They can rise above the applicant pool and impress potential employers by showing that they used any time spent unemployed or underemployed building or refining the knowledge, skills, and abilities of value to prospective hiring firms.
Beyond the resume, applicants should master the virtual interview process and realize that some underappreciated factors may influence their success. Good lighting, a clean and quiet environment, and a stable internet connection are all important. Any student taking virtual classes knows how easy it is to lose focus or become distracted by their phones, pets, family members, etc. Realize that any person(s) remotely interviewing them may have the same distractions present, especially if they are conducting the interview from home. So, interviewees must be able to provide an engaging interview. So, practice!
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Economic Development Internship job market given the pandemic?
Michael Ward: The skills learned in most economics degree programs are becoming even more important. The most important are critical thinking, familiarity with data, and, believe it or not, storytelling. Economics courses train students to examine all the consequences of an action, especially the unintended consequences. Not all implications are equally important, so we have developed ways of analyzing information to weigh these consequences. Much of our reasoning is by analogy where we can show that a particular consequence "is just like" a familiar lesson from a shared story. These skills have extremely wide applicability across many industries and job titles.
The pandemic has reduced job opportunities for economists about as much as most business professionals but nowhere near as much as, say, those in entertainment or tourism. Our skills remain highly sought across a wide spectrum of employers. The economics major remains the highest compensated degree outside of engineering. For example, among people with the job title "Manager", compensation of economics majors exceeds that of management majors precisely because these skills allow them to address challenges more creatively.
What skills stand out on Economic Development Internship resumes?
Michael Ward: Doing well in coursework is great, but what sells a job candidate is the initiative in an activity that shows that you have synthesized and applied what you have learned across multiple courses. This is a big ask but, there are plenty of ways to do this. You can join an extra-curricular club, but better is providing the leadership to enhance the club experience. You can take a part-time job, but better is founding a small entrepreneurial business that fills an unmet need. You can write term papers for classes, but better is helping draft and implement action plans for, say, a non-profit. If you have an interest in a hobby, a sport, or an industry, show that you have developed it into an expertise. All resumes include coursework, but activities that demonstrate initiative will stand out.
Narbeli Galindo
Mealman Chair in Business Leadership and Innovation/ Associate Professor of Business and EconomicsBaker University
Business and Economics
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Economic Development Interns in the next 5 years?
Narbeli Galindo: It is my prediction that in the next few years some of the companies, in the industries I have mentioned above, will have high demand for graduates, who are creative, eager to learn and ready to be train, so they can start to make a difference. As the economy improves and the virus is under control, more companies in industries that were affected, will start looking to hire graduates, who have innovative ideas, so they can help those companies overcome the recent economic downturn.
Johannes Moenius Ph.D.
William R. and S. Sue Johnson Endowed Chair of Spatial Economic Analysis and Regional Planning and Director of the Institute for Spatial Economic Analysis (ISEA) at the University of Redlands School of BusinessUniversity of Redlands
School of Business
What experience really stands out on Economic Development Internship resumes?
Johannes Moenius Ph.D.: Employers I talked to always tell me as their number one item that they look for graduates who have demonstrated skills and experiences that make them productive from day one. So everything that indicates that a graduate can be gainfully employed right away without much extra training and explanations - things that reduce employers' efforts - is helpful. Complementary to that, our research shows that engagements that show dependability, integrity, and cooperation remain high on the list of signals that employers look for.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Economic Development Internship job market given the pandemic?
C. Jeffrey Waddoups Ph.D.:
The absolute collapse in demand for workers in the hospitality sector, in other sectors where in-person services are provided, and the accompanying economic hardships these workers face.
Also, the change to remote work will permanently alter the way many of us do our jobs.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Economic Development Interns to find work opportunities?
C. Jeffrey Waddoups Ph.D.: The demand for graduates in economics will remain as long as employers need intelligent analytical workers with good communication skills. There is no place in particular where such skills are needed more than any other site.