Internship demographics and statistics in the US
Internship demographics research summary. Zippia estimates internship demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our internship estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about interns after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 1,188,666 interns currently employed in the United States.
- 58.0% of all interns are women, while 42.0% are men.
- The average internship age is 47 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of interns is White (56.1%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.1%), Asian (10.3%) and Black or African American (9.8%).
- In 2022, women earned 95% of what men earned.
- 6% of all interns are LGBT.
- Interns are 35% more likely to work at public companies in comparison to private companies.
On this page
Internship demographics by:
Internship gender statistics
58.0% of interns are women and 42.0% of interns are men.
- Female, 58.0%
- Male, 42.0%
Internship gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 58.0% |
| Male | 42.0% |
Internship gender pay gap
Women earn 95¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$37,767
Female income
$35,860
Internship gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in internship positions over time. Currently, 58.0% of interns are female.
Internship gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 40.47% | 59.53% |
| 2011 | 39.46% | 60.54% |
| 2012 | 38.99% | 61.01% |
| 2013 | 39.61% | 60.39% |
| 2014 | 41.57% | 58.43% |
| 2015 | 41.51% | 58.49% |
| 2016 | 41.48% | 58.52% |
| 2017 | 42.98% | 57.02% |
| 2018 | 43.04% | 56.96% |
| 2019 | 39.81% | 60.19% |
| 2020 | 42.95% | 57.05% |
| 2021 | 42.02% | 57.98% |
Internship related jobs gender ratio
We compared interns with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, blueprint reader and recovery operator have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Statistical Typist | 6% | 94% |
| Medical Typist | 7% | 93% |
| Insurance Biller | 7% | 93% |
| Internship | 42% | 58% |
| High Speed Printer Operator | 85% | 15% |
| Recovery Operator | 88% | 12% |
| Blueprint Reader | 95% | 5% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Internship demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among interns is White, which makes up 56.1% of all interns. Comparatively, 18.1% of interns are Hispanic or Latino and 10.3% of interns are Asian.
- White, 56.1%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.1%
- Asian, 10.3%
- Black or African American, 9.8%
- Unknown, 4.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
Internship race
| Internship race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 56.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.1% |
| Asian | 10.3% |
| Black or African American | 9.8% |
| Unknown | 4.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.0% |
Internship race and ethnicity over time
See how internship racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Internship race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 62.66% | 11.36% | 8.82% | 14.31% |
| 2011 | 61.26% | 11.84% | 8.37% | 15.14% |
| 2012 | 60.85% | 11.34% | 8.65% | 15.93% |
| 2013 | 60.94% | 11.03% | 8.57% | 15.89% |
| 2014 | 60.64% | 11.22% | 9.10% | 15.67% |
| 2015 | 60.70% | 10.52% | 9.03% | 16.32% |
| 2016 | 59.95% | 11.19% | 9.27% | 16.09% |
| 2017 | 60.66% | 10.06% | 9.15% | 16.63% |
| 2018 | 60.98% | 9.68% | 9.48% | 16.37% |
| 2019 | 58.53% | 10.45% | 9.84% | 17.74% |
| 2020 | 56.56% | 9.87% | 9.80% | 18.34% |
| 2021 | 56.09% | 9.83% | 10.31% | 18.12% |
Internship wage gap by race
According to our data, asian interns have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Unknown interns have the lowest average salary at $37,437.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $37,437 |
| White | $37,784 |
| Black or African American | $37,808 |
| Asian | $38,011 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $37,796 |
Average internship age
See how the average age of interns varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Internship age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 44 | 51 |
| Unknown | 39 | 45 |
| Asian | 42 | 49.5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 39 | 42 |
| White | 45 | 52.5 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 47 |
Internship age breakdown
The average age of interns is 40+ years years old, representing 70% of the internship population.
Internship age breakdown
| Internship Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 70% |
| 30-40 years | 18% |
| 20-30 years | 12% |
Internship educational attainment
The most common degree for interns is bachelor's degree, with 68% of interns earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 12% and associate degree degree at 8%.
- Bachelor's, 68%
- Associate, 12%
- Master's, 8%
- High School Diploma, 5%
- Other Degrees, 7%
Interns by degree level
| Internship degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 68% |
| Associate | 12% |
| Master's | 8% |
| High School Diploma | 5% |
| Other Degrees | 7% |
Internship jobs you might like
Internship wage gap by degree level
According to the data, interns with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $39,768 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, interns earn a median annual income of $38,803 compared to $37,203 for interns with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $39,768 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $36,143 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $38,803 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $37,203 |
Internship employment statistics
Most interns work for a public in the education industry.
Company size where interns work
Below, you can see the size of companies where interns work.
Internship jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 4% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 7% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 13% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 5% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 27% |
| > 10,000 employees | 45% |
Internship jobs by company type
Employees with the internship job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most interns prefer to work at public companies over private companies.
Internship jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 16% |
| Public | 35% |
| Private | 35% |
| Government | 15% |
Internship jobs by industry
The most common industries for interns are education, health care and government.
Internship industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Fortune 500 | 19% |
| Education | 12% |
| Health Care | 10% |
| Government | 9% |
| Finance | 8% |
| Media | 6% |
| Professional | 6% |
| Non Profits | 6% |
| Retail | 5% |
| Technology | 5% |
| Hospitality | 3% |
| Manufacturing | 2% |
| Insurance | 2% |
| Pharmaceutical | 1% |
| Transportation | 1% |
| Automotive | 1% |
| Telecommunication | 1% |
| Energy | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
Internship turnover and employment statistics
Internship unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for interns between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Internship unemployment rate by year
| Year | Internship unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 9.07% |
| 2011 | 8.89% |
| 2012 | 7.87% |
| 2013 | 6.76% |
| 2014 | 5.54% |
| 2015 | 4.73% |
| 2016 | 4.70% |
| 2017 | 3.88% |
| 2018 | 3.88% |
| 2019 | 3.74% |
| 2020 | 5.34% |
| 2021 | 5.84% |
Average internship tenure
The average internship stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 1,133,671 interns resumes in Zippia's database.
Internship tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 80% |
| 1-2 years | 12% |
| 3-4 years | 3% |
| 5-7 years | 4% |
| 8-10 years | 1% |
| 11+ years | 1% |
Internship LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of interns that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Data Entry/Receptionist | 4.67% | 99,028 |
| Internship | 5.99% | - |
| Press Clipper | 6.98% | 3,770 |
| Mailroom Assistant | 7.17% | 13,048 |
| Cancellation Clerk | 11.18% | 66,320 |
| Museum Informatics Specialist | 11.19% | 719 |
| Copy Machine Operator | 14.20% | 54,198 |
Similar internship jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Data Entry/Receptionist | 4.67% | 99,028 |
| Press Clipper | 6.98% | 3,770 |
| Mailroom Assistant | 7.17% | 13,048 |
| Cancellation Clerk | 11.18% | 66,320 |
| Museum Informatics Specialist | 11.19% | 719 |
| Copy Machine Operator | 14.20% | 54,198 |
Foreign languages spoken by interns
The most common foreign language among interns is Spanish at 45.3%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 12.3% and Chinese is the third-most popular at 6.7%.
- Spanish, 45.3%
- French, 12.3%
- Chinese, 6.7%
- Mandarin, 6.2%
- German, 4.0%
- Other, 25.5%
Internship languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 45.3% |
| French | 12.3% |
| Chinese | 6.7% |
| Mandarin | 6.2% |
| German | 4.0% |
| Other | 25.5% |
