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Job outlook for student interns in the United States
Student internship job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected student internship job growth rate is 4% from 2018-2028.
About 55,400 new jobs for student interns are projected over the next decade.
Student internship salaries have increased 14% for student interns in the last 5 years.
There are over 156,785 student interns currently employed in the United States.
There are 55,578 active student internship job openings in the US.
The average student internship salary is $31,256.
Are student internship jobs in demand?
Student internship job and salary trends over time
Student internship jobs over time
Student internship job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 156,785 | 0.05% |
| 2020 | 167,538 | 0.05% |
| 2019 | 176,070 | 0.05% |
| 2018 | 160,885 | 0.05% |
| 2017 | 157,781 | 0.05% |
Average student internship salary over time
Student internship salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $31,256 | $15.03 | +3.5% |
| 2024 | $30,186 | $14.51 | +3.4% |
| 2023 | $29,187 | $14.03 | +2.7% |
| 2022 | $28,418 | $13.66 | +3.3% |
| 2021 | $27,499 | $13.22 | +2.0% |
Student internship jobs by state
Most common states for student interns
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 132 | 19% |
| 2 | Vermont | 623,657 | 98 | 16% |
| 3 | Delaware | 961,939 | 130 | 14% |
| 4 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 82 | 14% |
| 5 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 111 | 13% |
| 6 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 99 | 13% |
| 7 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 103 | 10% |
| 8 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 103 | 10% |
| 9 | Alaska | 739,795 | 72 | 10% |
| 10 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 286 | 9% |
| 11 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 169 | 9% |
| 12 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 125 | 9% |
| 13 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 118 | 9% |
| 14 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 536 | 8% |
| 15 | Idaho | 1,716,943 | 144 | 8% |
| 16 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 293 | 7% |
| 17 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 199 | 7% |
| 18 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 190 | 7% |
| 19 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 342 | 6% |
| 20 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 227 | 6% |
Most common cities for student interns
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Garden City | 4 | 15% | $30,416 |
| 2 | Springfield | 3 | 5% | $25,001 |
| 3 | New Orleans | 16 | 4% | $26,100 |
| 4 | Lake Charles | 3 | 4% | $26,405 |
| 5 | Ankeny | 2 | 3% | $26,022 |
| 6 | Glen Burnie | 2 | 3% | $34,454 |
| 7 | Jonesboro | 2 | 3% | $26,557 |
| 8 | Detroit | 11 | 2% | $30,561 |
| 9 | Little Rock | 4 | 2% | $26,545 |
| 10 | Worcester | 3 | 2% | $40,255 |
| 11 | Cedar Rapids | 2 | 2% | $26,379 |
| 12 | Lawrence | 2 | 2% | $24,175 |
| 13 | Washington | 6 | 1% | $34,730 |
| 14 | Kansas City | 2 | 1% | $24,214 |
| 15 | Chicago | 5 | 0% | $30,479 |
| 16 | Indianapolis | 4 | 0% | $24,791 |
| 17 | Atlanta | 2 | 0% | $30,059 |
| 18 | Miami | 2 | 0% | $26,013 |
Student Internship job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of student internship experts
Pomona College
Rockhurst University
Southern Methodist University (SMU)
University of Wyoming
Michigan State University
Quinnipiac University
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Milwaukee School of Engineering
Loyola University Maryland
What soft skills should all Student Interns possess?
George Gorse: We see many students go into museums or to graduate school where their research and writing skills, their communication skills, creativity and determination, are most important. This year has been a test of character. Museum or art market/art gallery jobs are often a transition into professional fields and graduate schools lead on to professorial or museum curatorial work in the future. Each year, graduates often take a year or two off in related fields before going on to graduate schools or the next step in their personal and professional lives. Familiarity with working remotely has (perforce) added new skills to us all and to our graduates in working today in our media world culture, a positive side to what otherwise has been a tragic year of pandemic, hardship, and death. There are "silver linings," but this has been a hard year for our students and us all, a real test of character and determination.
Katie Madigan Ph.D.
Professor of Modern LanguagesRockhurst University
College of Arts and Sciences
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Student Interns?
Katie Madigan Ph.D.: Certainly, our graduates will take away many lessons from these challenging times, but in addition to constraints and loss, our alums have learned to be resilient and to witness and find for themselves new ways of working and accomplishing goals. Our core values of reflection and discernment, among others, aid them in seeing the bigger picture and taking steps towards finding meaning even in these times, making ethical decisions, and contributing to the common good in their workplaces and communities.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Student Interns?
Katie Madigan Ph.D.: All of our students with majors in the Humanities take at least one year of a foreign language, and we have learned that even while needing to work virtually, we nevertheless continue to live and grow in a global environment. Another language opens up other worlds and equips our alums in the Humanities to serve others better. This is enriching for a lifetime.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Student Interns?
Hiroki Takeuchi Ph.D.: Yes, I think so, especially for those who are college students now and graduating in next few years. For example, at SMU all the study abroad programs have been cancelled in 2020 and 2021. So, those who graduate for the next few years would have missed the opportunity to go study abroad. The same for many of the internship opportunities.
What's a good job out of college for Student Interns?
Hiroki Takeuchi Ph.D.: Here I quote what I wrote when I was asked by a prospective high school student what majoring in political science is good for:
Thank you for your interest in a Political Science major at SMU. Studying political science is a good way to learn what is going on in the world (including the United States). So many of the graduates take the jobs not directly related to politics. Instead, if you have taken many political science classes, you will master the communication skills based on reading comprehension and analytical writing. This kind of communication skills has been increasingly important in the age of automation and globalization.
Many political science classes are overlapped with major requirements of International Studies and Public Policy--all of which belong to the SMU Dedman College of Humanities and Sciences. Also, political science classes are complementary with classes offered in Economics and the SMU Cox School of Business. Economics and Business classes provide you with a different skill set from the one you will master in Political Science classes. So, I usually recommend my students to consider double-majoring Political Science with Economics or Business.
Overall, studying political science is rewarding in the tumultuous time when we are navigating in the uncharted world--especially after the pandemic. The communication skill is essential to be a "world changer" and make you competitive with machines and robots.
What will help Student Interns increase their earning potential?
Hiroki Takeuchi Ph.D.: Political science is a good field to master the communication skills based on reading comprehension and analytical writing. This kind of communication skills has been increasingly important in the age of automation and globalization, and will help students increase their earning potential.
Dr. Andrea Burrows
Associate Dean for Undergraduate Programs, Professor, Science Education, School of Teacher EducationUniversity of Wyoming
College of Education
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Student Internship job market given the pandemic?
Dr. Andrea Burrows: In an education job market, there will always be a need for in-person and virtual teaching of all grades and disciplines as well as counselors, nurses, and other student support providers. The biggest trend could well be the expansion of virtual teaching and support personnel positions, as this past year has opened that virtual space to a wider student and student support audience. Where in the past some areas may not seem conducive to online teaching or support, opportunities now exist and will most likely persist even when the pandemic subsides. Another trend is understanding computer science and how it integrates on an overall or specific disciplinary level (e.g., patterns, problem-solving, steps in a process/algorithm, coding).
What technical skills for a Student Internship stand out to employers?
Dr. Andrea Burrows: Technical skills in education involve pedagogies, disciplinary content, and team skills such as communication and reflection. For educational team leaders searching for teachers and other school support personnel, all of these technical aspects are important. Teachers and support personnel need to be "all things" to "all students," and this is an enormous task. Do additional technical skills, such as understanding computer science themes matter (like problem-solving and pattern recognition, regardless of the grade or discipline)? Yes! Those types of particular technical skills could make the difference in getting the job or not.
What's a good job out of college for Student Interns?
Dr. Andrea Burrows: The word "good" is subjective and can vary widely. Is a good job one that provides a feeling of giving back (self-reward), certain monetary provisions, social interactions, and/or opportunities to engage in new experiences? Depending on the answer, a person can locate a job that fits the needs of the individual. Teaching and counseling are incredibly rewarding education professions where a person can experience helping and supporting students. These experiences are almost never the same, and a "good job" provides an educational worker the space to thrive in situations that call for flexibility, reflection, and persistence. Professional education jobs are not easy, but they are good jobs, in many definitions of that term, that offer so much to the individual in a variety of areas.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Student Internship job market given the pandemic?
Jill Cords: Agriculture & Food Industry remain resilient - high placement
What technical skills for a Student Internship stand out to employers?
Jill Cords: Technical Skills - passion to work in agriculture, Precision Ag, Drone, - people skills, work ethic, farm background
How have salaries changed over time for Student Interns?
Jill Cords: Salaries have remained strong
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Student Internship job market given the pandemic?
Jill Koehler: The pandemic has turned the world, and with it, the job market upside, but that is not to say that it is all doom and gloom. The last year has allowed, and in many ways forced, employers and job seekers alike to do a reset and to take stock on what is truly important at the core in moving forward.
Because so much of business is being done virtually, it begs the question of how important is prime office space and geography? It has allowed for both employers and job seekers alike to expand their potential geographic reach that brings great positives and potential to the workplace. There is a greater reliance on the role and use of technology in creative and innovative ways which has impacted the way business gets done and with that, the need for prime office space will likely diminish and allow businesses to reallocate operational overhead to other areas.
What certifications/licenses/courses can have the biggest impact for Student Interns?
Jill Koehler: Employment marketability is more often than not tied to "what can you do for the employer if hired" so upskilling in areas that offer very tangible technical skills and being able to "sell yourself" through soft skills is crucial.
Regardless of industry or function, the ability to exhibit a data-driven mindset and having the ability to formulate complex questions into words, being comfortable evaluating data, and using various programs to assist in work efforts such as Excel, Tableau and other analytical software is a sure-fire win!
Coupled with technical skills, being able to sell oneself and exhibiting well-developed soft skills (written and verbal, critical thinking, confidence, creativity, flexibility, leadership, agility) is also critical because a large portion of an employers' hiring decision is based on how well an employer sees your ability to communicate and work well within a team.
Do you come across as someone flexible, polite, honest, and able to problem-solve? Can you be persuasive, innovative, and take on a leadership role while being able to pivot when necessary? Spending time evaluating how well you can convey your soft skills and dedicating the time to ensure they are being viewed accurately is key!
How have salaries changed over time for Student Interns?
Jill Koehler: We typically see an increase in salaries annually; however, during the pandemic we witnessed many salaries being reduced, as well as the lack of salary increases and bonuses. In the wake of 2020, year 2021 offers a more optimistic outlook. Employers are starting to loosen up the purse strings, hiring freezes are being to melt a bit, and we are seeing an increase in salaries in areas that remained steadily afloat during the pandemic, or even increased such as pharmaceutical, distribution, high tech and business consulting industries.
Kirstin Wilcox Ph.D.
DirectorUniversity of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
Humanities Professional Resource Center, College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Student Internship job market given the pandemic?
Kirstin Wilcox Ph.D.: The pandemic, and the economic downturn that has come with it, has mostly amplified things that were always true but easy to ignore in a booming economy:
-employers are looking for skills more than specific majors
-students stand out who can present evidence of those skills in the form of work samples, relevant experiences, projects, collaborations
-in a period of rapid change, like this one, people who can think creatively, change direction easily, and communicate to multiple stakeholders are valuable to employers
What skills stand out on Student Internship resumes?
Julie Way: These are the most in-demand attributes year after year...
-Problem-solving skills and experience
-Ability to work on a team
-Industry-related Technical skills
-Analytical and quantitative skills
-Leadership
-Communication skills
-Strong work ethic
Thomas McCreight
Associate ProfessorLoyola University Maryland
Classics Department
What Student Internship skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Thomas McCreight: Our students tend to take a few years before settling on a career path. Many go to law school (our most recent grad who did so got a boatload of money, which is pretty rare for law schools); historically, all our graduates who have applied have gotten into good placs, and most in top-20 institutions. The three other graduates of 2020 took different paths: one is working for a relative who runs a business essential to the COVID response; another (double major in Writing) spent time writing for a few specialist journals and has applied to an MA program; the other, a second-generation immigrant, plans to apply to graduate school in Europe after the pandemic calms.
Over half of our majors double major in another field (we even had one in Chemistry about 20 years ago), and that gives them added flexibility (History and English are the two most common other majors for our double majors). Even in these tough times for academia, we have had students apply to and get large fellowships and scholarships for further study in Classics or History (2 Ph.D. acceptances, 1 M.A. in the last 4-5 years). A good percentage go into secondary education (teaching Latin and, often, something else in high school or junior high); these tend to work toward getting a master's degree in teaching as they move through their first years of employment. A couple have taken jobs at Loyola in administration or student life and used the university's benefits to get a degree in another field: for example, one double History and Classics major (and Phi Beta Kappa) got an MBA at Loyola and is now working in administration at another university. A few more of our double majors (Art History is another common component) have worked in the publishing industry, sometimes starting on the ground floor as proofreaders and have then moved up. One of these then moved into a Ph. D. program in Linguistics in Europe and hopes to land in a think tank or government agency here or in the EU.
Over the last 10 years or so we have had graduates spend 2 or more years in service-related work (the Jesuit Volunteer Corps and Teach for America have been common destinations) before continuing with work in the religious sector or social work.