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Communications internship salary
Average communications internship salary
$16.09
Average Communications Internship Salary
The salary for a Communications Internship averages around $33,458 per year or $16.09 per hour. Many factors influence this figure, including geographic location, industry type, and level of experience. For instance, interns in metropolitan areas or high-demand fields may earn higher wages compared to those in smaller markets.
Where Can a Communications Intern Earn More?
Geographical disparities play a significant role in salary variations. States such as California, New York, and Texas often offer higher compensation due to their larger market sizes and higher living costs. Additionally, industries like technology, public relations, and media typically provide better pay for interns.
Estimated Salaries by State
- California: $35,000
- New York: $34,500
- Texas: $32,000
Understanding these factors can help aspiring communications professionals set realistic salary expectations and identify opportunities that align with their career goals.
Let Zippi find your next communications internship job
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Where can a Communications Internship earn more?
Communications internship salary estimates from across the web
Average communications internship salary by state
The average communications internship salary in New Jersey, Washington, and Alaska are the highest in the U.S. The lowest average communications internship salary states are Missouri, Alabama, and Kansas.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for communications interns
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alaska | $42,541 | $20.45 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $42,384 | $20.38 |
| 3 | Rhode Island | $39,566 | $19.02 |
| 4 | North Dakota | $37,101 | $17.84 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $42,212 | $20.29 |
| 6 | Delaware | $38,100 | $18.32 |
| 7 | New Jersey | $44,923 | $21.60 |
| 8 | Washington | $43,746 | $21.03 |
| 9 | New Hampshire | $36,765 | $17.68 |
| 10 | New York | $39,315 | $18.90 |
| 11 | Massachusetts | $38,976 | $18.74 |
| 12 | Maryland | $39,107 | $18.80 |
| 13 | Nevada | $36,961 | $17.77 |
| 14 | Idaho | $34,289 | $16.49 |
| 15 | West Virginia | $32,910 | $15.82 |
| 16 | Oregon | $36,760 | $17.67 |
| 17 | Virginia | $37,086 | $17.83 |
| 18 | Vermont | $33,444 | $16.08 |
| 19 | California | $39,203 | $18.85 |
| 20 | Minnesota | $36,138 | $17.37 |
| 21 | Hawaii | $38,153 | $18.34 |
| 22 | New Mexico | $33,907 | $16.30 |
| 23 | Pennsylvania | $35,732 | $17.18 |
| 24 | Wisconsin | $34,440 | $16.56 |
| 25 | Colorado | $35,270 | $16.96 |
| 26 | Utah | $32,040 | $15.40 |
| 27 | Nebraska | $30,828 | $14.82 |
| 28 | Ohio | $33,500 | $16.11 |
| 29 | Kentucky | $31,649 | $15.22 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $29,213 | $14.04 |
| 31 | North Carolina | $32,824 | $15.78 |
| 32 | Tennessee | $31,780 | $15.28 |
| 33 | Maine | $29,623 | $14.24 |
| 34 | South Dakota | $28,579 | $13.74 |
| 35 | Michigan | $30,136 | $14.49 |
| 36 | Illinois | $32,367 | $15.56 |
| 37 | Arkansas | $29,392 | $14.13 |
| 38 | Montana | $29,168 | $14.02 |
| 39 | Oklahoma | $29,396 | $14.13 |
| 40 | Iowa | $28,583 | $13.74 |
| 41 | Texas | $30,506 | $14.67 |
| 42 | Arizona | $30,042 | $14.44 |
| 43 | Georgia | $30,107 | $14.47 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $24,838 | $11.94 |
| 45 | Kansas | $25,582 | $12.30 |
| 46 | Indiana | $27,891 | $13.41 |
| 47 | Florida | $28,292 | $13.60 |
| 48 | Louisiana | $24,801 | $11.92 |
| 49 | Alabama | $26,162 | $12.58 |
| 50 | Missouri | $27,256 | $13.10 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $25,098 | $12.07 |
Highest paying cities for communications interns
The highest-paying cities for communications interns are Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ, San Francisco, CA, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Parsippany-Troy Hills, NJ | $44,948 | $21.61 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $42,323 | $20.35 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $42,218 | $20.30 |
| 4 | New York, NY | $39,459 | $18.97 |
| 5 | Arlington, VA | $39,221 | $18.86 |
| 6 | Boston, MA | $38,860 | $18.68 |
| 7 | Bismarck, ND | $36,876 | $17.73 |
| 8 | Portland, OR | $36,686 | $17.64 |
| 9 | Minneapolis, MN | $36,141 | $17.38 |
| 10 | Philadelphia, PA | $36,123 | $17.37 |
| 11 | Loveland, CO | $35,479 | $17.06 |
| 12 | Durham, NC | $33,321 | $16.02 |
| 13 | Columbus, OH | $32,920 | $15.83 |
| 14 | Chicago, IL | $32,567 | $15.66 |
| 15 | Salt Lake City, UT | $32,005 | $15.39 |
| 16 | Austin, TX | $30,710 | $14.76 |
| 17 | Lincoln, NE | $30,683 | $14.75 |
| 18 | Lawrenceville, GA | $30,106 | $14.47 |
| 19 | Phoenix, AZ | $30,016 | $14.43 |
| 20 | Ann Arbor, MI | $29,916 | $14.38 |
Communications Interns are the most in-demand in these five cities:
Communications internship salary details
A communications internship's salary ranges from $24,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $45,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a communications internship's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $45,000 | $3,750 | $22 |
| 75th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
| Average | $33,458 | $2,788 | $16 |
| 25th Percentile | $28,000 | $2,333 | $13 |
| 10th Percentile | $24,000 | $2,000 | $12 |
Highest paying communications internship jobs
The highest paying types of communications interns are communications consultant, senior communications specialist, and photography internship.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marketing And Event Planning Internship | $28,412 | $2,368 | $13.66 | 131,730 |
| Photography Internship | $67,376 | $5,615 | $32.39 | 52,675 |
| Digital Media Internship | $32,033 | $2,669 | $15.40 | 72,449 |
| Internship | $35,254 | $2,938 | $16.95 | 51,064 |
| Marketing Communications Coordinator | $49,151 | $4,096 | $23.63 | 96,492 |
| Social Media Internship | $31,145 | $2,595 | $14.97 | 79,411 |
How would you rate the starting salaries for communications internships, as well as the prospects for salary advancement?
Michael Riecke
Assistant Professor, State University of New York at Oswego
They may not openly admit it, but many employers see the first job as a test of who has the stamina, talent, and passion for succeeding. If a new employee puts in the effort, doesn't balk at long hours, and gets the job done well without a sizeable financial reward, it's generally interpreted by the employer as a sign of commitment. That display of commitment typically gets rewarded.
Top companies hiring communications interns now:
Which companies pay communications interns the most?
Communications internship salaries at The Aspen Institute and Legal Services are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average communications internship salary at companies like Salesforce and St. Louis Symphony Orchestra are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Aspen Institute | $56,284 | $27.06 |
| 2 | Legal Services | $56,039 | $26.94 |
| 3 | Salesforce | $52,645 | $25.31 |
| 4 | St. Louis Symphony Orchestra | $50,227 | $24.15 |
| 5 | Democracy Fund | $50,002 | $24.04 |
| 6 | SAP | $49,622 | $23.86 |
| 7 | CBIZ | $49,480 | $23.79 |
| 8 | APCO Worldwide | $49,401 | $23.75 |
| 9 | University of San Diego | $49,032 | $23.57 |
| 10 | Wpp Us Holdings Inc | $49,019 | $23.57 |
| 11 | Stimson Center | $48,972 | $23.54 |
| 12 | National Renewable Energy Laboratory | $48,684 | $23.41 |
| 13 | Save the Children US | $47,320 | $22.75 |
| 14 | American Water | $46,783 | $22.49 |
| 15 | Alliant Energy | $46,629 | $22.42 |
| 16 | Ball | $46,536 | $22.37 |
| 17 | Johnson Controls | $45,715 | $21.98 |
| 18 | Univ Of Colorado-Colorado Spgs | $45,443 | $21.85 |
| 19 | Point72 | $44,894 | $21.58 |
| 20 | Vital Voices | $44,713 | $21.50 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Communications Internship salary by industry
The average communications internship salary varies across industries:
- The average communications internship salary in the professional industry is $38,090, the highest of any industry.
- The average communications internship salary in the finance industry is $35,817.
- Communications interns in the retail industry earn an average salary of $31,106, the lowest of any industry.
Highest paying industries for communications interns
| Rank | Industry | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Professional | $38,090 | $18.31 |
| 2 | Government | $35,817 | $17.22 |
| 3 | Non Profits | $35,657 | $17.14 |
| 4 | Education | $34,986 | $16.82 |
| 5 | Media | $33,395 | $16.06 |
| 6 | Retail | $31,106 | $14.95 |
High paying communications internship jobs
Communications internship salary trends
The average communications internship salary has risen by $5,125 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average communications internship earned $28,333 annually, but today, they earn $33,458 a year. That works out to a 8% change in pay for communications interns over the last decade.
Compare communications internship salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average communications internship salary over time
Compare communications internship salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Communications internship salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $33,500 | $16.09 | +2.6% |
| 2024 | $32,600 | $15.66 | +1.9% |
| 2023 | $32,000 | $15.37 | +1.2% |
| 2022 | $31,600 | $15.19 | +2.2% |
| 2021 | $30,900 | $14.86 | +2.2% |
Recently added communications internship salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Origin | Spring 2026 Steam Communications & Outreach Intern-Undergraduate | Seattle, WA | 06/30/2025 | $58,436 |
| Century Aluminum | Communications Intern | Robards, KY | 06/29/2025 | $41,740 |
| Get It-Marketing | (Hybrid) June 2025-May 2026 Strategic Communications Internship-Remote | WFH | Chicago, IL | 06/29/2025 | $41,740 |
| Volvo Group | Intern: Communications (Fall 2025) | Greensboro, NC | 06/25/2025 | $33,392 |
| City of Long Beach (Ca | Communications Intern (Senior Administrative Intern) | Long Beach, CA | 06/25/2025 | $50,255 |
| BMW of North America LLC | Intern, Brand Communications & Strategy-Fall/Winter | Woodcliff Lake, NJ | 06/23/2025 | $52,801 |
| Ohio Department of Education | Alumni Services Communication Intern | Columbus, OH | 06/19/2025 | $31,305 |
| Central Hudson Gas & Electric Corporation | Corporate Communications Intern | Poughkeepsie, NY | 06/18/2025 | $43,827 |
| Carroll County, Md | Communications Intern | Westminster, MD | 06/18/2025 | $31,305 |
| Central Hudson | Corporate Communications Intern | Poughkeepsie, NY | 06/17/2025 | $43,827 |
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