Best states for a student internship

Q: What is the best state for student interns?

The best state to be a student internship is Alaska based on student internship salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for student interns?

The highest paying state for student interns is South Carolina based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for student interns?

The worst state for student interns is South Carolina, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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It seems like student interns are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for student interns aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. Although there are abundant student internship jobs in the United States, a large number of them are in the South. Alaska is the best state in the country for student internship jobs.

In order to get you the best states for student interns, we looked at our data on jobs and wages -- specifically the average annual wage and the number of available jobs per capita.We found that the South is best for student interns, and the Northeast is the worst. Boston, MA is the best city in the country for student internship jobs, where as Alaska is the best state in the country.

10 best states for student interns in 2025

1. Alaska
Total student internship jobs: 72
Average annual salary: $46,851
Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $58,000
Location Quotient:
1.62
Student internship jobs in Alaska
2. Rhode Island
Total student internship jobs: 103
Average annual salary: $40,178
Lowest 10 percent earn: $26,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $60,000
Location Quotient:
1.6
Student internship jobs in Rhode Island
3. Maine
Total student internship jobs: 118
Average annual salary: $36,586
Lowest 10 percent earn: $25,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $52,000
Location Quotient:
1.67
Student internship jobs in Maine
4. Vermont
Total student internship jobs: 98
Average annual salary: $35,687
Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000
Location Quotient:
2.4
Student internship jobs in Vermont
5. Montana
Total student internship jobs: 103
Average annual salary: $35,583
Lowest 10 percent earn: $24,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $51,000
Location Quotient:
1.68
Student internship jobs in Montana
6. Massachusetts
Total student internship jobs: 536
Average annual salary: $40,309
Lowest 10 percent earn: $27,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $59,000
Location Quotient:
1.1
Student internship jobs in Massachusetts
7. North Dakota
Total student internship jobs: 99
Average annual salary: $32,805
Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $46,000
Location Quotient:
2
Student internship jobs in North Dakota
8. New Hampshire
Total student internship jobs: 125
Average annual salary: $34,640
Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000
Location Quotient:
1.35
Student internship jobs in New Hampshire
9. Connecticut
Total student internship jobs: 227
Average annual salary: $35,382
Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $53,000
Location Quotient:
1.29
Student internship jobs in Connecticut
10. Oregon
Total student internship jobs: 293
Average annual salary: $34,231
Lowest 10 percent earn: $23,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $50,000
Location Quotient:
1.33
Student internship jobs in Oregon

Student internship jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a student internship

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a student internship

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	Alaska	$46,851	$37,000	739,795	72
2	Rhode Island	$40,178	$26,000	1,059,639	103
3	Maine	$36,586	$25,000	1,335,907	118
4	Vermont	$35,687	$24,000	623,657	98
5	Montana	$35,583	$24,000	1,050,493	103
6	Massachusetts	$40,309	$27,000	6,859,819	536
7	North Dakota	$32,805	$23,000	755,393	99
8	New Hampshire	$34,640	$23,000	1,342,795	125
9	Connecticut	$35,382	$23,000	3,588,184	227
10	Oregon	$34,231	$23,000	4,142,776	293
11	New Jersey	$38,235	$25,000	9,005,644	421
12	Washington	$38,592	$26,000	7,405,743	308
13	Hawaii	$37,879	$32,000	1,427,538	78
14	Delaware	$31,006	$20,000	961,939	130
15	District of Columbia	$34,783	$23,000	693,972	132
16	Minnesota	$33,533	$23,000	5,576,606	342
17	Arizona	$32,018	$21,000	7,016,270	335
18	Mississippi	$30,002	$20,000	2,984,100	137
19	Michigan	$30,514	$20,000	9,962,311	448
20	New York	$33,177	$21,000	19,849,399	826
21	Tennessee	$30,393	$20,000	6,715,984	332
22	California	$35,649	$23,000	39,536,653	1,372
23	Maryland	$34,318	$22,000	6,052,177	348
24	South Dakota	$27,701	$19,000	869,666	111
25	West Virginia	$30,529	$20,000	1,815,857	74
26	New Mexico	$29,378	$19,000	2,088,070	123
27	Colorado	$30,712	$20,000	5,607,154	350
28	Wisconsin	$30,062	$20,000	5,795,483	279
29	Nevada	$30,353	$19,000	2,998,039	98
30	Illinois	$30,274	$20,000	12,802,023	631
31	Kentucky	$28,426	$19,000	4,454,189	207
32	Idaho	$27,587	$18,000	1,716,943	144
33	Nebraska	$27,540	$18,000	1,920,076	169
34	Georgia	$30,103	$20,000	10,429,379	391
35	Pennsylvania	$28,556	$18,000	12,805,537	646
36	Arkansas	$26,592	$17,000	3,004,279	199
37	Iowa	$26,200	$17,000	3,145,711	286
38	Wyoming	$24,828	$16,000	579,315	82
39	Utah	$26,452	$17,000	3,101,833	184
40	Virginia	$28,560	$19,000	8,470,020	489
41	Alabama	$25,873	$17,000	4,874,747	245
42	Oklahoma	$25,087	$16,000	3,930,864	192
43	Louisiana	$26,094	$17,000	4,684,333	152
44	Ohio	$25,817	$17,000	11,658,609	366
45	North Carolina	$25,903	$17,000	10,273,419	397
46	Kansas	$24,066	$16,000	2,913,123	190
47	Texas	$25,626	$17,000	28,304,596	815
48	Florida	$26,162	$17,000	20,984,400	565
49	Indiana	$24,998	$16,000	6,666,818	303
50	Missouri	$24,860	$16,000	6,113,532	320
51	South Carolina	$23,304	$15,000	5,024,369	181

Highest paying states for student interns

Rank	State	Avg. Student Internship Salary
1	Alaska	$46,851
2	Rhode Island	$40,178
3	Maine	$36,586
4	Vermont	$35,687
5	Montana	$35,583
6	Massachusetts	$40,309
7	North Dakota	$32,805
8	New Hampshire	$34,640
9	Connecticut	$35,382
10	Oregon	$34,231
11	New Jersey	$38,235
12	Washington	$38,592
13	Hawaii	$37,879
14	Delaware	$31,006
15	District of Columbia	$34,783
16	Minnesota	$33,533
17	Arizona	$32,018
18	Mississippi	$30,002
19	Michigan	$30,514
20	New York	$33,177
21	Tennessee	$30,393
22	California	$35,649
23	Maryland	$34,318
24	South Dakota	$27,701
25	West Virginia	$30,529
26	New Mexico	$29,378
27	Colorado	$30,712
28	Wisconsin	$30,062
29	Nevada	$30,353
30	Illinois	$30,274
31	Kentucky	$28,426
32	Idaho	$27,587
33	Nebraska	$27,540
34	Georgia	$30,103
35	Pennsylvania	$28,556
36	Arkansas	$26,592
37	Iowa	$26,200
38	Wyoming	$24,828
39	Utah	$26,452
40	Virginia	$28,560
41	Alabama	$25,873
42	Oklahoma	$25,087
43	Louisiana	$26,094
44	Ohio	$25,817
45	North Carolina	$25,903
46	Kansas	$24,066
47	Texas	$25,626
48	Florida	$26,162
49	Indiana	$24,998
50	Missouri	$24,860
51	South Carolina	$23,304

Student internship best states FAQs

What is the best state for student interns?

What is the highest paying state for student interns?

What is the worst state for student interns?

Have more questions? See all answers to common education, training, and library questions.

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Best states for Student Interns

Updated January 8, 2025

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Total student internship jobs:	72
Average annual salary:	$46,851
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$37,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$58,000
Location Quotient:	1.62

Best states for a student internship

10 best states for student interns in 2025

1. Alaska

2. Rhode Island

3. Maine

4. Vermont

5. Montana

6. Massachusetts

7. North Dakota

8. New Hampshire

9. Connecticut

10. Oregon