Gone are the days of unpaid internships where you’re expected to work for free to get on the career ladder. Nowadays 60.8% of internships are paid which is great news for prospective interns.
Sure, the average hourly wage for an intern is between $15.67 and $19.51 for freshmen and seniors respectively, which is less than you’d earn later in your career, but some internships pay a lot more.
Feeling extra ambitious? We’ve dug a bit deeper into 15 of the best-paid internships on the market, as named by Glassdoor.
#1 Stripe
Roles: Engineering, machine learning, data science, strategy and operations, sales
Average monthly salary: $9,064
Locations: San Francisco (California), Seattle (Washington), New York (New York)
When to apply: Internships are offered in Summer and Winter with no set deadline, it’s best to apply as soon as possible.
Internships at Stripe are offered in a variety of functions and locations. They’re between 12 and 16 weeks and are offered at times that line up with the academic year.
These internships have been designed with college students in mind, and after graduation candidates are encouraged to apply for their graduate program instead.
Most of the internships include a housing benefit so you won’t need to worry about the additional costs of relocating to do this internship. It’s a pretty sweet deal!
#2 Roblox
Roles: Software engineering, data science, product management
Average monthly salary: $9,017
Locations: San Mateo (California), Chicago (Illinois), remote
When to apply: Typically applications open in fall or winter for the following summer.
Roblox is an online gaming platform that creates a virtual universe for people to create and share experiences with friends.
You’ll have the opportunity to work alongside more experienced professionals, working on real projects. There are also events and training opportunities.
You’ll be expected to sort out your own accommodation, with the Roblox team creating a wage that allows interns to live comfortably near the office.
#3 NVIDIA
Roles: Computer engineering, technical marketing, IT, research
Average monthly salary: $8,280
Locations: Various national and international locations
When to apply: Open year-round.
NVIDIA offers 12-week programs throughout the year with many colleges providing academic credits for participation. You’ll need to be under 25, from a UN country, and be working towards a bachelor’s or master’s in computer science, electrical engineering, or a related discipline.
For those who don’t know, NVIDIA is mainly known for producing graphics processing units for gaming and cryptocurrency mining.
#4 Coinbase
Roles: Software engineering, UX, UI, Public Policy
Average monthly salary: $8,206
Locations: San Francisco (California), Chicago (Illinois), New York (New York), Portland (Oregon)
When to apply: Internships are available in summer, fall, and winter, with applications opening up to a year in advance.
Interns at cryptocurrency giant Coinbase can expect to work on an individual project from start to finish over a period of 12-16 weeks.
You’ll be expected to jump in feet first and will be treated much like any other full-time employee.
If you’re excited to learn and live crypto, this could be the perfect role for you.
#5 Meta
Roles: AI, research, data science, computer development
Salary: $8,160 per month for tech roles
Locations: New York City (New York State), San Francisco (California) Sunnyvale (California), Bellevue (Washington)
When to apply: no set deadline but summer internships tend to be filled between September and October.
Despite a lot of social platforms scaling back on staff, internships at Meta are still super competitive and brilliantly well-paid.
In fact, it’s often considered to be one of the best internships in the world. You’ll be paired with a mentor who will support you throughout the program, get hands-on experience, and learn from some of the best in the business.
Like a lot of the programs on this list, you’ll receive housing assistance for the duration of your on-site internship.
#6 Capital One
Roles: Analytics, commercial banking, cyber security, finance, and more
Salary: $8,050
Locations: McLean (Virginia), Richmond (Virginia), Dallas (Texas), New York (New York), Boston (Massacheutsis), Chicago (Illinois), Atlanta (Georgia), and more.
When to apply: Applications open in September with deadlines depending on the program.
Capital One offers 10-week internships for students in their penultimate year of study. If you apply in your final year, you’ll need to be considering or have been accepted onto a master’s program.
All interns join Capital One over the summer, so there will be a considerable cohort of fellow interns to connect with.
As you might expect from a bank holding company there is a huge variety of roles available, from finance to operational roles.
#7 Credit Suisse
Roles: Investment banking, risk, technology, compliance
Salary: $7,947
Locations: Chicago (Illinois), Houston (Texas), Los Angeles (California), New York (New York), San Francisco (California), Raleigh (North Carolina)
When to apply: A variety of programs throughout the year, apply as soon as possible.
As the name suggests, Credit Suisse is a Switzerland headquartered investment bank. They’ve got a lot of locations across North America (with opportunities in Mexico and Canada too!).
There are two main types of intern programs, Summer Analyst internships, for undergraduate students and Summer Associate internships for MBA and JD students or for those working toward an advanced degree with at least three years of work experience. Most schemes are over the summer over 10 weeks but there are also a variety of diversity programs that are offered seasonally to support people from underrepresented communities into banking.
#8 Bain & Company
Roles: Business consulting, private equity
Salary: $7,873
Locations: Over 15 locations nationwide
When to apply: Open all year round.
Bain & Company is a global management consultancy offering several different internship schemes.
For undergraduate students, you must have completed your first four semesters before you apply. You can spend between 10 and 12 weeks as an associate consultant. You can also apply to take part in their gap year program which opens in fall to begin the following summer.
MBA students can apply for their summer associate program, which lasts 10 to 12 weeks, while PhD students can apply for a 12-week program.
#9 Amazon
Roles: Operations, sales, product management, finance, marketing, software
Salary: $7,809
Locations: Seattle (Washington) and fulfillment centers nationwide.
When to apply: Open all year round.
Amazon has internship opportunities globally. You could be working in any one of their teams, from AWS to consumer products.
Their operations internship program is perhaps the most unique. With the support of a mentor and manager, operations interns will be responsible for the overall management of one of Amazon’s fulfillment centers. You’ll gain leadership skills and plenty of hands-on learning!
#10 EY-Parthenon
Roles: Consulting, software
Salary: $7,651
Locations: 13 locations nationwide
When to apply: Applications open following a series of on-campus events at universities.
EY-Parthenon offers a 10-week associate program that has two specialized tracks, Emerging Leaders and Software Strategy Group.
Whatever internship you choose, you’ll gain cross-departmental experience, working with some of the best of the best.
#11 TikTok
Roles: Engineering, sales, marketing, operations
Salary: $7,619
Locations: Los Angeles (California), New York (New York)
When to apply: Applications open on September 5th and close when filled.
Got your finger on the pulse of social media? As a TikTok intern, you’ll become part of a global network of fellow interns across different time zones, languages, backgrounds, and fields of study.
You’ll also get support in the form of on-the-job mentorship during a three-month summer or fall placement.
#12 Adobe
Roles: Engineering, sales, marketing
Salary: $7,568
Locations: San Jose (California), San Francisco (California), Seattle (Washington, New York (New York), Lehi (Utah)
When to apply: Summer internships open in the fall of the previous year.
Internships are available in a wide variety of roles across the Adobe teams. You’ll get access to top-tier education and resources and get your hands on real projects.
To impress the recruitment teams, you’ll need to know your Photoshop from your InDesign and have hands-on experience using their products.
#13 Snap
Roles: Engineering and product, research, business
Salary: $7,520
Locations: Los Angeles (California), Seattle (Washington), New York (New York)
When to apply: Open throughout the year with most technical positions opening in August / September and most non-technical positions opening in January / February.
Ever considered a career at the home of Snapchat? Snap Inc offers 3 to 4-month internships throughout the year for students at undergraduate, master’s, and PhD levels.
There are three main business areas: engineering and product, research, and business and you’ll get the opportunity to join a team full-time and work on your own projects. As well as having structured learning, you’ll be invited to events such as talks and lunch and learn sessions with the whole team at Snap.
#14 HubSpot
Roles: Marketing, software, people
Salary: $7,477
Locations: Cambridge (Massachusetts), San Francisco (California)
When to apply: 10-week internships open in August or November and close in October and January respectively. 6-month co-op placements open around 6 months in advance.
HubSpot has two main schemes for students, their 10-week summer internships and their 6-month co-op placements. Both are full-time and paid for the duration of your internship.
They believe the best way to learn is by doing, so interns are treated much like any other teammate. Some software interns will ship code within just a few days!
#15 Splunk
Roles: Sales, marketing, products, legal, HR
Salary: $7,375
Locations: San Francisco (California), San Jose (California), Plano (Texas), McLean (Virginia)
When to apply: Applications open in September
Like the sound of being a Splunktern? You’ll get access to fun intern-only events, a 12-14 week full paid placement, and lots and lots of free swag.
With a variety of roles, this technology company offers way more opportunities than you might expect.
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