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Best states for a hospitality internship
Quoted expert
Donna Albano
- Rank 1 - 10
- 11 - 20
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- 41 - 51
Are you wondering which place in the United States is the best state for hospitality interns? Knowing how challenging it is to figure out where to start your career or where to move to advance your career, we decided to bring you a list of best states for hospitality internship jobs.Our research found that Hawaii is the best state for hospitality interns, while Hawaii and Washington are ranked highest in terms of median salary. Hawaii has a median salary of $36,925 and Hawaii has the highest median salary among all 50 states for hospitality interns.
We figured that the best places for hospitality 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 the South is best for hospitality interns, and the Midwest is the worst. Mountain View, CA is the best city in the country for hospitality internship jobs, where as Hawaii is the best state in the country.
10 best states for hospitality interns in 2026
1. Hawaii
Total hospitality internship jobs: 77 Average annual salary: $36,925 Lowest 10 percent earn: $33,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 2.42
2. Wisconsin
Total hospitality internship jobs: 296 Average annual salary: $33,016 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Location Quotient: 1.41
3. Michigan
Total hospitality internship jobs: 364 Average annual salary: $32,766 Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $38,000 Location Quotient: 1.24
4. Wyoming
Total hospitality internship jobs: 60 Average annual salary: $29,955 Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Location Quotient: 2.64
5. South Dakota
Total hospitality internship jobs: 92 Average annual salary: $29,848 Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $35,000 Location Quotient: 2.27
6. Massachusetts
Total hospitality internship jobs: 341 Average annual salary: $34,189 Lowest 10 percent earn: $29,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $39,000 Location Quotient: 0.98
7. Rhode Island
Total hospitality internship jobs: 73 Average annual salary: $30,150 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $34,000 Location Quotient: 1.58
8. Nevada
Total hospitality internship jobs: 66 Average annual salary: $33,065 Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $40,000 Location Quotient: 0.83
9. Kansas
Total hospitality internship jobs: 151 Average annual salary: $29,408 Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $36,000 Location Quotient: 1.32
10. Washington
Total hospitality internship jobs: 190 Average annual salary: $34,468 Lowest 10 percent earn: $28,000 Highest 10 percent earn: $41,000 Location Quotient: 0.69
Hospitality internship jobsNear Columbus, OH
How Zippia determines the best states to be a hospitality internship
You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.
Detailed list of the best states for a hospitality internship
| Rank | State | Average salary | Lowest 10% earn | Population | Job count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $36,925 | $33,000 | 1,427,538 | 77 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | $33,016 | $27,000 | 5,795,483 | 296 |
| 3 | Michigan | $32,766 | $27,000 | 9,962,311 | 364 |
| 4 | Wyoming | $29,955 | $24,000 | 579,315 | 60 |
| 5 | South Dakota | $29,848 | $25,000 | 869,666 | 92 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $34,189 | $29,000 | 6,859,819 | 341 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $30,150 | $26,000 | 1,059,639 | 73 |
| 8 | Nevada | $33,065 | $26,000 | 2,998,039 | 66 |
| 9 | Kansas | $29,408 | $23,000 | 2,913,123 | 151 |
| 10 | Washington | $34,468 | $28,000 | 7,405,743 | 190 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $30,901 | $26,000 | 5,576,606 | 244 |
| 12 | Maine | $28,786 | $25,000 | 1,335,907 | 98 |
| 13 | Delaware | $29,645 | $24,000 | 961,939 | 89 |
| 14 | Illinois | $31,558 | $26,000 | 12,802,023 | 422 |
| 15 | Idaho | $28,669 | $23,000 | 1,716,943 | 126 |
| 16 | California | $34,079 | $27,000 | 39,536,653 | 1,036 |
| 17 | Indiana | $30,064 | $24,000 | 6,666,818 | 226 |
| 18 | Iowa | $29,273 | $23,000 | 3,145,711 | 162 |
| 19 | Tennessee | $29,156 | $23,000 | 6,715,984 | 209 |
| 20 | Oregon | $29,931 | $24,000 | 4,142,776 | 181 |
| 21 | Alaska | $28,983 | $26,000 | 739,795 | 59 |
| 22 | Kentucky | $28,284 | $22,000 | 4,454,189 | 165 |
| 23 | Connecticut | $29,246 | $25,000 | 3,588,184 | 181 |
| 24 | Vermont | $27,663 | $24,000 | 623,657 | 78 |
| 25 | New Jersey | $31,307 | $26,000 | 9,005,644 | 255 |
| 26 | Montana | $27,420 | $23,000 | 1,050,493 | 84 |
| 27 | New Hampshire | $27,656 | $24,000 | 1,342,795 | 100 |
| 28 | Maryland | $29,903 | $24,000 | 6,052,177 | 266 |
| 29 | North Dakota | $26,666 | $23,000 | 755,393 | 79 |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $27,585 | $21,000 | 3,930,864 | 137 |
| 31 | Utah | $27,926 | $22,000 | 3,101,833 | 142 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $26,950 | $21,000 | 2,088,070 | 87 |
| 33 | District of Columbia | $27,874 | $23,000 | 693,972 | 100 |
| 34 | West Virginia | $26,002 | $21,000 | 1,815,857 | 63 |
| 35 | Colorado | $27,540 | $22,000 | 5,607,154 | 226 |
| 36 | Virginia | $27,099 | $22,000 | 8,470,020 | 366 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $25,560 | $20,000 | 1,920,076 | 107 |
| 38 | Ohio | $26,536 | $21,000 | 11,658,609 | 256 |
| 39 | New York | $26,453 | $22,000 | 19,849,399 | 475 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $26,062 | $21,000 | 10,273,419 | 276 |
| 41 | Alabama | $25,104 | $19,000 | 4,874,747 | 162 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $23,209 | $18,000 | 3,004,279 | 127 |
| 43 | Arizona | $25,015 | $19,000 | 7,016,270 | 211 |
| 44 | Missouri | $25,637 | $20,000 | 6,113,532 | 179 |
| 45 | Florida | $26,039 | $21,000 | 20,984,400 | 440 |
| 46 | Pennsylvania | $24,812 | $20,000 | 12,805,537 | 415 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $22,518 | $17,000 | 2,984,100 | 105 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $24,838 | $20,000 | 5,024,369 | 137 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $22,934 | $18,000 | 4,684,333 | 122 |
| 50 | Texas | $23,383 | $18,000 | 28,304,596 | 607 |
| 51 | Georgia | $23,101 | $18,000 | 10,429,379 | 324 |
Highest paying states for hospitality interns
| Rank | State | Avg. Hospitality Internship Salary |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $36,925 |
| 2 | Wisconsin | $33,016 |
| 3 | Michigan | $32,766 |
| 4 | Wyoming | $29,955 |
| 5 | South Dakota | $29,848 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $34,189 |
| 7 | Rhode Island | $30,150 |
| 8 | Nevada | $33,065 |
| 9 | Kansas | $29,408 |
| 10 | Washington | $34,468 |
| 11 | Minnesota | $30,901 |
| 12 | Maine | $28,786 |
| 13 | Delaware | $29,645 |
| 14 | Illinois | $31,558 |
| 15 | Idaho | $28,669 |
| 16 | California | $34,079 |
| 17 | Indiana | $30,064 |
| 18 | Iowa | $29,273 |
| 19 | Tennessee | $29,156 |
| 20 | Oregon | $29,931 |
| 21 | Alaska | $28,983 |
| 22 | Kentucky | $28,284 |
| 23 | Connecticut | $29,246 |
| 24 | Vermont | $27,663 |
| 25 | New Jersey | $31,307 |
| 26 | Montana | $27,420 |
| 27 | New Hampshire | $27,656 |
| 28 | Maryland | $29,903 |
| 29 | North Dakota | $26,666 |
| 30 | Oklahoma | $27,585 |
| 31 | Utah | $27,926 |
| 32 | New Mexico | $26,950 |
| 33 | District of Columbia | $27,874 |
| 34 | West Virginia | $26,002 |
| 35 | Colorado | $27,540 |
| 36 | Virginia | $27,099 |
| 37 | Nebraska | $25,560 |
| 38 | Ohio | $26,536 |
| 39 | New York | $26,453 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $26,062 |
| 41 | Alabama | $25,104 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $23,209 |
| 43 | Arizona | $25,015 |
| 44 | Missouri | $25,637 |
| 45 | Florida | $26,039 |
| 46 | Pennsylvania | $24,812 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $22,518 |
| 48 | South Carolina | $24,838 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $22,934 |
| 50 | Texas | $23,383 |
| 51 | Georgia | $23,101 |
Expert opinions on the best states for hospitality interns
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for hospitality internships to find work opportunities?
Donna Albano
Associate Professor, Stockton University
New Jersey has always been a fertile employment landscape for hospitality graduates due to its rich hospitality and tourism industry. Because hospitality & tourism is a global employment opportunity, this answer is currently tied to how different states recover from COVID-19. Graduates can work anywhere in the world, in a plethora of industry segments.
Hospitality internship best states FAQs
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Updated January 8, 2025