Are internships important for an MBA?

Yes, an internship is important for an MBA. MBA internships allow students to apply classroom knowledge in real-world situations before graduation and develop important professional networks.

How do I get an MBA internship?

You get an MBA internship by taking what experience you have -- education, extra-curricular activities, and any prior work experience -- and showing how that will make you a qualified intern through your personal statement.

How do I get the most out of an MBA internship?

The best ways to get the most out of an MBA internship are to know the company and industry well and spend significant time networking. Good internships for MBA students will allow them to gain experience in the industry and develop connections for their future careers.

How much do MBA interns make?

An MBA intern typically makes over $30,000 during their internship. These internships are typically full-time and last for about 10 to 12 weeks. This means that for the time of the internship, a person can easily make between $20,000 to $50,000.

How To Become A Mba Internship: What It Is and Career Path

What is a mba internship and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

Amy Ruffus-Doerr Ph.D.

If you want to advance your career opportunities and knowledge in business and marketing, an MBA internship should be one of the best options for you. You can explore areas like IT, insurance agencies, investment brokerages, or marketing companies for internships that ideally suit you according to the specialization degree you are pursuing and your future aspirations.

While pursuing your MBA degree, you should apply for internships during your summer breaks. This adds a great detail to your resume and helps you get first-hand knowledge of what business and marketing is really about. Full-time internships take about 10-12 weeks. However, part-time internships can last longer and vary.

You will be expected to make analytical strategies for the company and its products, both short and long term. You will also be handling partnerships, business management, and company development using your business ethics and skills. Speaking of pay, it varies as the average salary is about $6,000 to $8,000 and can go up to $15,000 per month. You should definitely not miss out on the opportunity.

What general advice would you give to a mba internship?

Amy Ruffus-Doerr Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Fontbonne University

Well two disparate things come to mind. First, hustle. I feel like the beginning of your career is like going on a series of blind dates. You want to make that amazing first impression, but you don't want your employer (or other employees for that matter) to take advantage of you. It's an incredibly fine line to walk. Second, if you don't have a lot of experience with money get educated. There are a lot of free resources out there that can help with debt (student or other), investing retirement ect. If you know someone you trust a financial advisor is a great option too. Most graduates will have student debt and this will be their first salaried or high paying jobs. Even if it is a job making $30,000 a year they can start making healthy financial decisions. It may be difficult to think that far out, but if they take control of their finances now, they may be able to take a job they love over one they need in the future.

ScoreMba InternshipUS Average

Salary

3.9

Avg. Salary $49,768

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

4.9

Growth rate 19%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

3.0

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.13%

Asian 14.01%

Black or African American 4.68%

Hispanic or Latino 11.13%

Unknown 4.87%

White 65.17%

Gender

female 32.72%

male 67.28%

Age - 34

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 34

Stress level

4.9

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.2

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance

4.6

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a mba internship

Explore mba internship education requirements

Most common mba internship degrees

Bachelor's

71.3 %

Master's

26.6 %

Doctorate

0.8 %

Start to develop specific mba internship skills

Skills	Percentages
Analytics	11.19%
Internship Program	10.90%
Project Management	6.65%
Healthcare	5.63%
Develop Recommendations	4.65%

Complete relevant mba internship training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New mba interns learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a mba internship based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real mba internship resumes.

Research mba internship duties and responsibilities

Achieve record-setting accuracy for inventory planning through regression modeling.
Audit marketing strategy and deliver prioritized recommendations that lead to increases in KPIs as well as improved operational efficiencies.
Use of market research and analytics to determine optimal market positioning and differentiation strategy.
Conduct primary and secondary research in the healthcare industry to develop deep customer insights.

Prepare your mba internship resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your mba internship resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a mba internship resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable mba internship resume templates

Build a professional mba internship resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your mba internship resume.