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What is a programming internship and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted expert
Jeremy St. John
introduction image

Programming internships have become popular, only because so much of how we operate our lives is built by programmers. So in the spirit of programming, we shall dive into the early life of one of the most celebrated programmers who changed personal computing; Bill Gates. At an early age, around 11, he/she spent most of his/her time reading reference books. His/Her mom was, in fact, quite worried over his/her behavior and thought it might lead to him being a loner. While he/she was enrolled in Lakeside School, he/she wrote a tic-tac-toe program, using the BASIC programming language, at the age of 13. After graduating from Lakeside, he/she took the SAT and scored 1590 out of 1600 which is indeed an intellectual accomplishment.

Gates enrolled in Harvard and spent most of his/her time programming in the computer lab and did not really focus on his/her studies. After two years in college, Paul Allen, his/her best friend, approached him with a popular computer magazine that had an article about the Altair computer kit. They were excited about the potential of this computer and decided to create the BASIC software program that would run compatible with the Altair computer. The company that created Altair, MITS was interested in this proposition and gave them a chance. The software demonstration was successful and they got hired by MITS. Soon after, Bill and Paul named their business Microsoft a combination of "micro-computers" and "software".

These days, programming internships have become extremely in demand as programming is the essential skill in building the digital platforms that operate our world. A programming internship exposes an individual to tasks such as code generation, client consultation, and systems monitoring. This role requires some demonstrated experience in programming and an individual working toward attaining a STEM bachelor's degree.

What general advice would you give to a programming internship?

Jeremy St. John

Associate Professor of Management Information Systems and Department Chair of Accounting, Economics, and Finance, Angelo State University

Graduates beginning their career tend to lack experience and employers want to see experience. I encourage students to look for internships within their field before graduation. The internship is a chance for students to see if the company is a good fit for them and vice versa. Certainly, one hopes an internship pays well and develops into a full-time job offer, but the reference from the employer might be the most valuable part of an internship. For that reason, students working as interns should strive to demonstrate good work ethic, value, and reliability. Here at Angelo State University's Norris-Vincent College of Business our most recent program, a banking certificate program, has an internship as a required part of the class. We met with the local banks and had them promise to provide 35 ongoing internship positions for students in our banking certificate program. We are considering other ways in which to incorporate internships as a required part of curriculum, that is how important we think it is.
ScoreProgramming InternshipUS Average
Salary
2.5

Avg. Salary $31,896

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
4.0

Growth rate 21%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
4.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.17%

Asian 29.81%

Black or African American 4.58%

Hispanic or Latino 8.34%

Unknown 4.84%

White 52.26%

Gender

female 63.24%

male 36.76%

Age - 38
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 - 38
Stress level
4.0

Stress level is moderate

7.1 - high

Complexity level
7.9

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
6.6

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Programming internship career paths

Key steps to become a programming internship

  1. Explore programming internship education requirements

    Most common programming internship degrees

    Bachelor's

    74.1 %

    Master's

    10.5 %

    Associate

    8.3 %

  2. Start to develop specific programming internship skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Internship Program27.45%
    Python8.55%
    PowerPoint6.46%
    C++5.63%
    Data Analysis4.45%
    Show more

  3. Complete relevant programming internship training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New programming 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 programming internship based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real programming internship resumes.

  4. Research programming internship duties and responsibilities

    • Develop PowerPoint presentation summarizing accomplishments and present to managers and team leads from both QinetiQ and NASA.
    • Recruit, manage and motivate volunteers in public education, professional education, service and rehabilitation and tobacco control programs.
    • Plan cultural group events for volunteers and creating and promoting events utilizing the Facebook page.
    • Monitor and update social media daily, provide compelling content, specifically Facebook.

  5. Prepare your programming internship resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your programming 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 programming 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 programming internship resume templates

    Build a professional programming 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 programming internship resume.
    Programming Internship Resume
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    Programming Internship Resume
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    Programming Internship Resume
    Programming Internship Resume
    Programming Internship Resume
    Programming Internship Resume
    Programming Internship Resume
    Programming Internship Resume
    Programming Internship Resume

  6. Apply for programming internship jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a programming internship job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first programming internship job

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Average programming internship salary

The average programming internship salary in the United States is $31,896 per year or $15 per hour. Programming internship salaries range between $23,000 and $42,000 per year.

Average programming internship salary
$31,896 Yearly
$15.33 hourly
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Programming internship FAQs

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Updated January 8, 2025

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