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The differences between interns and volunteers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become an internship, becoming a volunteer takes usually requires 6-12 months. Additionally, an internship has an average salary of $35,254, which is higher than the $31,227 average annual salary of a volunteer.
The top three skills for an internship include powerpoint, financial statements and C++. The most important skills for a volunteer are child care, patient charts, and patient care.
| Internship | Volunteer | |
| Yearly salary | $35,254 | $31,227 |
| Hourly rate | $16.95 | $15.01 |
| Growth rate | -5% | 12% |
| Number of jobs | 51,064 | 9,583 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Average age | 47 | 43 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 12 |
Interns are trainees who are engaged by a company to work for them for a brief period. Interns usually use this opportunity to gain actual work experience, fulfill university or college requirements, and ensure that they are working towards the right career path for them. They sign on for a fixed amount of time. The responsibilities of interns depend on the company and the department that handles them. They do a variety of tasks that exposes them to the type of work that the company is engaged in and to the different aspects of the professional world.
Volunteers are usually unpaid individuals who render their service to a company or organization. Most of the time, volunteers are skilled in specific areas needed by the organization but prefer to provide free service. They may be employed in another organization, but they lend their time and talent to another organization or company to give back to the community. They raise funds, create awareness, and work on the ground. Volunteers usually choose a cause or advocacy close to their heart, such as teaching children, taking care of the elderly, coaching sports teams, cleaning up communities, and caring for animals.
Interns and volunteers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Internship | Volunteer | |
| Average salary | $35,254 | $31,227 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $49,000 | Between $23,000 And $41,000 |
| Highest paying City | San Francisco, CA | - |
| Highest paying state | Alaska | - |
| Best paying company | Qorvo | - |
| Best paying industry | Telecommunication | - |
There are a few differences between an internship and a volunteer in terms of educational background:
| Internship | Volunteer | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 68% | Bachelor's Degree, 61% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | Western Carolina University | California State University - Fullerton |
Here are the differences between interns' and volunteers' demographics:
| Internship | Volunteer | |
| Average age | 47 | 43 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 42.0% Female, 58.0% | Male, 36.0% Female, 64.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 9.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.1% Asian, 10.3% White, 56.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 13.2% Unknown, 5.2% Hispanic or Latino, 19.5% Asian, 7.3% White, 52.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 2.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 11% |