How to hire a programming internship

How to hire a programming internship, step by step

Here's a step-by-step programming internship hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a programming internship job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new programming internship
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a programming internship do?

Post a programming internship job for free, promote it for a fee

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you post your programming internship job, you should take the time to determine what type of worker your business needs. While certain jobs definitely require a full-time employee, it's sometimes better to find a programming internship for hire on a part-time basis or as a contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   A programming internship's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, programming interns from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   Here's a comparison of programming internship salaries for various roles:

   Type of Programming Internship	Description	Hourly rate
   Programming Internship	Software developers are the creative minds behind computer programs. Some develop the applications that allow people to do specific tasks on a computer or another device... Show more	$11-20
   SQL Server Developer	A structured query language (SQL) server developer is a specialist who is tasked to develop and maintain systems to store, organize, and access databases. With their experience in data architect and management, SQL server developers can develop and scale SQL databases based on the needs of their organization... Show more	$34-54
   Developer	Developers are usually system or application developers in a company who work on specific projects related to networks or applications from conception to implementation. They attend planning sessions to ensure that the program is feasible... Show more	$36-62

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Internship Program
   • Python
   • PowerPoint
   • C++
   • Data Analysis
   • Professional Development
   • SQL
   • Data Collection
   • Community Outreach
   • Program Intern
   • HTML
   • HR
   • Twitter
   • Group Therapy

   Check all skills

   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.
   • Develop a PowerPoint presentation that would be used to solicit possible investors and stakeholders.
   • Investigate provider complaints to determine Medicaid contractor compliance with contracts, certification requirements, law, regulations, policies and procedures.

   More programming internship duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in the programming internship job description is a good way to get more applicants. A programming internship salary can be affected by several factors, such as the location of the job, the level of experience, education, certifications, and the employer's prestige.

   For example, the average salary for a programming internship in West Virginia may be lower than in Washington, and an entry-level engineer typically earns less than a senior-level programming internship. Additionally, a programming internship with lots of experience in the field may command a higher salary as a result.

   Average programming internship salary

   $15.33hourly

   $31,896 yearly

   ---

   Entry-level programming internship salary

   $23,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 14, 2025

   Average programming internship salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$40,623	$20
   2	New York	$36,358	$17
   3	California	$36,185	$17
   4	New Jersey	$35,683	$17
   5	Minnesota	$35,118	$17
   6	Massachusetts	$34,285	$16
   7	Connecticut	$33,796	$16
   8	District of Columbia	$33,744	$16
   9	Illinois	$33,612	$16
   10	Wisconsin	$33,294	$16
   11	Colorado	$33,252	$16
   12	Virginia	$33,246	$16
   13	Ohio	$33,143	$16
   14	Maryland	$32,706	$16
   15	Utah	$32,544	$16
   16	Texas	$32,070	$15
   17	Indiana	$31,528	$15
   18	Nebraska	$31,400	$15
   19	Arizona	$31,289	$15
   20	Missouri	$30,671	$15

   Average programming internship salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Inland Empire Utilities Agency	$46,369	$22.29
   2	Democracy Fund	$44,045	$21.18
   3	Sinclair Broadcast Group	$42,226	$20.30	26
   4	Mercy Corps	$41,590	$20.00	3
   5	Tech Data	$40,300	$19.38
   6	National Railroad Passenger Corporation	$39,649	$19.06	1
   7	Student Conservation Association	$38,348	$18.44	1
   8	Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc Recruiting	$38,339	$18.43
   9	SAP	$38,121	$18.33	28
   10	American Enterprise Institute	$37,663	$18.11
   11	Wisconsin Community Services	$37,393	$17.98
   12	El Paso Electric	$37,108	$17.84
   13	Edelman Financial Engines	$36,260	$17.43
   14	Year Up	$35,010	$16.83
   15	Turner Construction	$33,632	$16.17	24
   16	CRISTA Ministries	$33,508	$16.11	1
   17	Modern Technology Solutions	$33,163	$15.94	4
   18	ManTech	$33,065	$15.90	1
   19	Scientific Research	$33,048	$15.89
   20	International Rescue Committee	$32,864	$15.80

4. Writing a programming internship job description

   A good programming internship job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a programming internship job description:

   Programming internship job description example

   Job Title: Youth Futures Program Intern
   
   Sector: Youth Services
   
   Employment Category: Unpaid Intern
   
   Employment Type: Fixed term
   
   Open to Expatriates: n/a
   
   Location: Atlanta, Georgia
   
   BACKGROUND:
   
   The International Rescue Committee (IRC) responds to the world's worst humanitarian crises and helps people to survive and rebuild their lives. At work in over 40 countries and 26 U.S. cities to restore safety, dignity and hope, the IRC leads the way from harm to home. The IRC in Atlanta office was established in 1979 and has resettled over 27,000 refugees from 50 countries into the Greater Atlanta area. As the largest refugee resettlement agency in Georgia, the IRC in Atlanta resettles an average of 1,000 refugees into Georgia annually and provides additional services and assistance to another 2,500 refugees and asylees.
   
   SCOPE OF NEW YOUTH FUTURES PROGRAM INTERN WORK:
   
   The IRC's Youth Futures Program addresses specific social and academic needs surrounding refugee and asylee youth through an after-school program and summer camp. Focused on academics, the after-school program helps students with their homework and school projects every school day. During summer break, the youth program offers a summer camp, which provides cultural, learning, social, and specific skill-building opportunities. This position generally requires a minimum of 15 hours a during the summer. The hours for this position are between 10:00am and 5:00pm during the summer with a minimum commitment of two days per week to assist with summer camp starting June 6, 2022, and ending July 29, 2022.
   
   RESPONSIBILITIES:
   
   Support Youth Futures staff in summer academic enrichment activities including reviewing core subjects like English and Math.
   
   Assist Youth Futures staff with summer programming logistics and planning.
   
   Assist youth with college applications, searching for scholarships, and reviewing college essays.
   
   Regularly update the Youth Futures website and social media to show accurate information, dates, and upcoming programming activities.
   
   Provide general administrative support as needed, such as documentation and file maintenance.
   
   REQUIREMENTS:
   
   Excellent communication and writing skills
   
   Organizational skills with attention to detail
   
   Ability to work independently and take initiative in a fast-paced environment
   
   An interest in international and refugee issues
   
   Experience working with youth and/or young adults is preferred
   
   Creativity and initiative to follow through on projects
   
   Strong desire to help people and enthusiasm for working in a multi-cultural setting
   
   Computer literacy, preferably with PC systems
   
   A valid driver's license and reliable vehicle is beneficial
   
   COVID-19 Vaccination Requirement: In accordance with IRC's duty to provide and maintain a workplace that is free of known hazards and our commitment to safeguard the health of our employees, clients, and communities, IRC requires candidates who are selected for interview to furnish proof of vaccination against COVID-19 in order to be considered for this position.

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   There are a few common ways to find programming interns for your business:

   • Promoting internally or recruiting from your existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals from friends, family members, and current employees.
   • Attend job fairs at local colleges to meet candidates with the right educational background.
   • Use social media platforms like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter to recruit passive job-seekers.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your programming internship job on Zippia to find and recruit programming internship candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites such as dice, engineering.com, stack overflow, it job pro.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   To successfully recruit programming interns, your first interview needs to engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. You can go into more detail about the company, the role, and the responsibilities during follow-up interviews.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   Sometimes, it's not enough to interview programming internship candidates, so you can ask them to do a test project. If you are not a technical person and don't know what a test project should be, you can use these websites:

   • TestDome
   • CodeSignal
   • Testlify
   • BarRaiser
   • Coderbyte

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new programming internship

   Once you've decided on a perfect programming internship candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   To prepare for the new programming internship first day, you should share an onboarding schedule with them that covers their first period on the job. You should also quickly complete any necessary paperwork, such as employee action forms and onboarding documents like I-9, benefits enrollment, and federal and state tax forms. Finally, Human Resources must ensure a new employee file is created for internal record keeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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How much does it cost to hire a programming internship?