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

What is a public policy internship and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted expert

David Cunningham

For those seeking a career in the public eye, a public policy internship will teach them the what, why, and how of a nation's laws and regulations. As a public policy intern, they will learn how the government addresses public issues by analyzing specific policies. Completed successfully, this internship will be the gateway to the political world.

Some of the functions that interns perform are helping with preparations to meet with various government officials, preparing and updating reports, analyzing current policies, researching and recommending new policies, and assisting with other administrative tasks. Essential skills required for the position include flexibility, organizational, communication, and computer skills. No formal educational requirements exist. Most individuals attend internships whilst in the process of completing their bachelor's degree. No prior work experience is required, as they will learn on the job.

Most internships pay next to nothing; however, this one is different. Not only will interns get to learn how politics, policy making, and other government functions work, but they will be paid $14.91 per hour. Moreover, such internships are projected to grow in the near future, resulting in more opportunities emerging all over the United States.

What's a day at work look like for a public policy internship?

David Cunningham

Professor, University of Maryland

A day at work for a recent graduate will still be structured similarly to how it would be before the pandemic; however, the location of that work might just take place remotely. I predict a typical day for many of our recent graduates will include research, quantitative/statistical analysis, writing reports, and engaging in public affairs activities.

ScorePublic Policy InternshipUS Average

Salary

3.3

Avg. Salary $41,773

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.3

Growth rate 8%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.6

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.59%

Asian 5.35%

Black or African American 10.38%

Hispanic or Latino 12.24%

Unknown 5.12%

White 66.32%

Gender

female 61.33%

male 38.67%

Age - 40

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 - 40

Stress level

7.3

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.8

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

3.8

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a public policy internship

Explore public policy internship education requirements

Most common public policy internship degrees

Bachelor's

79.6 %

Master's

12.9 %

Doctorate

3.4 %

Start to develop specific public policy internship skills

Skills	Percentages
Policy Intern	11.21%
Congressional Hearings	9.22%
Public Health	5.96%
Fact Sheets	4.51%
Press Releases	4.35%

Complete relevant public policy internship training and internships

Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New public policy 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 public policy internship based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real public policy internship resumes.

Research public policy internship duties and responsibilities

Manage and write copy for client social media platforms and ECPR's social media deliverable, which involve SEO streamlining.
Create PowerPoint presentations for executive board meetings.
Develop all documents for events including e-invitations, programs, agendas, and PowerPoint presentations.
Conduct analysis of international climate change implications and participate in the selection of tools for government agencies to monitor climate change.

Prepare your public policy internship resume

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

Build a professional public policy 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 public policy internship resume.