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Programming internship salary
Average programming internship salary
$15.33
Average Programming Internship Salary
The average salary for programming internships across the United States stands at $31,896 per year. The hourly wage typically hovers around $15, making this a competitive entry-level position in the technology sector.
How Much Does a Programming Internship Make?
Factors influencing salary include geographical location, the specific industry, and the intern's level of experience. For instance, interns in tech hubs like San Francisco or New York may earn significantly more than those in smaller markets.
Where Can a Programming Internship Earn More?
Interns can find higher compensation in large technology companies, financial services, and software development firms. Regions with a high demand for tech talent, such as Silicon Valley, also offer increased pay rates.
Highest Paying Cities for Programming Interns
- San Francisco, CA
- New York, NY
- Seattle, WA
- Boston, MA
- Washington, D.C.
To maximize salary potential, interns should explore opportunities in these cities and consider industries that are known for their competitive pay structures.
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Where can a Programming Internship earn more?
Average programming internship salary by state
The highest-paying states for programming interns are Washington, New York, and New Jersey. The lowest average programming internship salary states are West Virginia, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for programming interns
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Dakota | $33,111 | $15.92 |
| 2 | Idaho | $33,359 | $16.04 |
| 3 | Montana | $34,021 | $16.36 |
| 4 | Oregon | $35,461 | $17.05 |
| 5 | Washington | $40,557 | $19.50 |
| 6 | Vermont | $32,997 | $15.86 |
| 7 | New Hampshire | $33,471 | $16.09 |
| 8 | Minnesota | $35,126 | $16.89 |
| 9 | Rhode Island | $33,106 | $15.92 |
| 10 | Delaware | $33,620 | $16.16 |
| 11 | Iowa | $32,600 | $15.67 |
| 12 | Michigan | $32,732 | $15.74 |
| 13 | Wisconsin | $33,396 | $16.06 |
| 14 | South Dakota | $31,071 | $14.94 |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $34,303 | $16.49 |
| 16 | Utah | $32,253 | $15.51 |
| 17 | Maine | $31,211 | $15.01 |
| 18 | Nevada | $33,012 | $15.87 |
| 19 | Nebraska | $31,287 | $15.04 |
| 20 | New Jersey | $35,563 | $17.10 |
| 21 | Pennsylvania | $33,531 | $16.12 |
| 22 | New York | $36,356 | $17.48 |
| 23 | Connecticut | $33,930 | $16.31 |
| 24 | Illinois | $33,498 | $16.10 |
| 25 | California | $34,785 | $16.72 |
| 26 | Alaska | $31,459 | $15.12 |
| 27 | District of Columbia | $33,791 | $16.25 |
| 28 | Colorado | $33,234 | $15.98 |
| 29 | Ohio | $32,153 | $15.46 |
| 30 | Arkansas | $29,438 | $14.15 |
| 31 | Maryland | $32,980 | $15.86 |
| 32 | Hawaii | $30,915 | $14.86 |
| 33 | Wyoming | $29,156 | $14.02 |
| 34 | Texas | $31,294 | $15.05 |
| 35 | Kansas | $30,153 | $14.50 |
| 36 | Virginia | $32,003 | $15.39 |
| 37 | Arizona | $31,217 | $15.01 |
| 38 | Indiana | $30,306 | $14.57 |
| 39 | Missouri | $31,131 | $14.97 |
| 40 | New Mexico | $28,837 | $13.86 |
| 41 | West Virginia | $27,919 | $13.42 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $29,231 | $14.05 |
| 43 | Kentucky | $28,403 | $13.66 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $27,611 | $13.27 |
| 45 | North Carolina | $29,517 | $14.19 |
| 46 | Tennessee | $28,435 | $13.67 |
| 47 | Louisiana | $27,681 | $13.31 |
| 48 | Georgia | $28,751 | $13.82 |
| 49 | Alabama | $27,041 | $13.00 |
| 50 | South Carolina | $26,890 | $12.93 |
| 51 | Florida | $26,723 | $12.85 |
Highest paying cities for programming interns
The highest-paying cities for programming interns are Shoreline, WA, New York, NY, and Fairfield, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Shoreline, WA | $40,623 | $19.53 |
| 2 | New York, NY | $36,358 | $17.48 |
| 3 | Fairfield, CA | $36,185 | $17.40 |
| 4 | Elizabeth, NJ | $35,683 | $17.16 |
| 5 | Saint Paul, MN | $35,118 | $16.88 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $34,285 | $16.48 |
| 7 | Hartford, CT | $33,796 | $16.25 |
| 8 | Washington, DC | $33,744 | $16.22 |
| 9 | Chicago, IL | $33,612 | $16.16 |
| 10 | Milwaukee, WI | $33,294 | $16.01 |
| 11 | Denver, CO | $33,252 | $15.99 |
| 12 | Arlington, VA | $33,246 | $15.98 |
| 13 | Cleveland, OH | $33,143 | $15.93 |
| 14 | Silver Spring, MD | $32,706 | $15.72 |
| 15 | Logan, UT | $32,544 | $15.65 |
| 16 | El Paso, TX | $32,070 | $15.42 |
| 17 | Mishawaka, IN | $31,528 | $15.16 |
| 18 | Omaha, NE | $31,400 | $15.10 |
| 19 | Phoenix, AZ | $31,289 | $15.04 |
| 20 | Springfield, MO | $30,671 | $14.75 |
Programming Interns are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Programming internship salary details
A programming internship's salary ranges from $23,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $42,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a programming internship's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| 75th Percentile | $37,000 | $3,083 | $18 |
| Average | $31,896 | $2,658 | $15 |
| 25th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $23,000 | $1,917 | $11 |
Highest paying programming internship jobs
The highest paying types of programming interns are senior software engineer, software engineer, and developer.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SQL Server Developer | $90,179 | $7,515 | $43.36 | 135,285 |
| Developer | $100,076 | $8,340 | $48.11 | 262,570 |
| Software Developer | $87,521 | $7,293 | $42.08 | 294,329 |
| Applications Developer | $89,205 | $7,434 | $42.89 | 279,877 |
| Software Engineer | $100,260 | $8,355 | $48.20 | 339,938 |
| Internship Coordinator | $42,446 | $3,537 | $20.41 | 82,957 |
Top companies hiring programming interns now:
Which companies pay programming interns the most?
Programming internship salaries at Inland Empire Utilities Agency and Democracy Fund are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average programming internship salary at companies like Sinclair Broadcast Group and Mercy Corps are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Inland Empire Utilities Agency | $46,369 | $22.29 |
| 2 | Democracy Fund | $44,045 | $21.18 |
| 3 | Sinclair Broadcast Group | $42,226 | $20.30 |
| 4 | Mercy Corps | $41,590 | $20.00 |
| 5 | Tech Data | $40,300 | $19.38 |
| 6 | National Railroad Passenger Corporation | $39,649 | $19.06 |
| 7 | Student Conservation Association | $38,348 | $18.44 |
| 8 | Associated Electric Cooperative, Inc Recruiting | $38,339 | $18.43 |
| 9 | SAP | $38,121 | $18.33 |
| 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 |
| 16 | CRISTA Ministries | $33,508 | $16.11 |
| 17 | Modern Technology Solutions | $33,163 | $15.94 |
| 18 | ManTech | $33,065 | $15.90 |
| 19 | Scientific Research | $33,048 | $15.89 |
| 20 | International Rescue Committee | $32,864 | $15.80 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Programming Internship salary by industry
The average programming internship salary varies across industries:
- The average programming internship salary in the government industry is $36,248, the highest of any industry.
- The average programming internship salary in the finance industry is $33,831.
- Programming interns in the education industry earn an average salary of $31,848, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for programming interns
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Government | $36,248 | $17.43 |
| 2 | Non Profits | $33,831 | $16.26 |
| 3 | Media | $33,801 | $16.25 |
| 4 | Professional | $33,533 | $16.12 |
| 5 | Finance | $33,145 | $15.94 |
| 6 | Health Care | $32,498 | $15.62 |
| 7 | Education | $31,848 | $15.31 |
High paying programming internship jobs
Programming internship salary trends
The average programming internship salary has risen by $5,921 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average programming internship earned $25,975 annually, but today, they earn $31,896 a year. That works out to a 10% change in pay for programming interns over the last decade.
Compare programming internship salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average programming internship salary over time
Compare programming internship salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Programming internship salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $31,900 | $15.33 | +3.3% |
| 2024 | $30,800 | $14.83 | +2.3% |
| 2023 | $30,100 | $14.49 | +1.8% |
| 2022 | $29,600 | $14.24 | +1.7% |
| 2021 | $29,100 | $14.00 | +1.8% |
Recently added programming internship salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Trust for Public Land | Program Intern | Chicago, IL | 06/19/2025 | $52,175 |
| Menards, Inc. | Internship-Programming Intern | Eau Claire, WI | 06/15/2025 | $41,218 |
| Chicken & Egg Films | Program Intern | New York, NY | 05/17/2025 | $37,566 |
| Carrington | Intern Program | Anaheim, CA | 04/10/2025 | $52,175 |
| Harlingen Consolidated Independent School District (Tx | ACE Intern/Mentor-Hook EM Here Program | Harlingen, TX | 03/28/2025 | $25,044 |
| Astranis | Commercial Programs Intern | San Francisco, CA | 03/26/2025 | $60,523 |
| Xifin, Inc. | Python Programming Intern | San Diego, CA | 03/20/2025 | $41,740 |
| Safe Place for Youth | Programs Intern (SMC Internship) | Los Angeles, CA | 03/14/2025 | $41,740 |
| Edwards Lifesciences | Statistical Programming Internship, Summer 2025 | Irvine, CA | 03/12/2025 | $54,000 |
| The Walt Disney Company | FX Original Programming Intern, Summer/Fall 2025 | Los Angeles, CA | 02/27/2025 | $45,914 |
Programming internship salary FAQs
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