In 2025, internship pay is still rising, with the average hourly wage at $22.13 up 6.3% from 2022, while 78% of internships remain paid. That same momentum shows up in who gets internships and how they are structured, from mentorship and remote options to gaps in representation and access. Let’s piece together the dataset behind those contrasts, where skills gained and pay often move together but opportunity does not.
Key Takeaways
- NACE 2023 data shows 58% of interns are white, 12% Asian, 10% Hispanic/Latino
- Handshake 2023: 55% female interns, 45% male across all fields
- Glassdoor 2023: 25% of tech interns identify as first-generation college students
- In 2023, the average hourly wage for internships was $22.13, up 6.3% from 2022, per NACE
- Glassdoor reports 2023 median internship pay at $20/hour for tech roles
- Indeed's 2023 data shows finance internships averaging $25.50/hour
- The average summer internship lasts 10-12 weeks, per NACE 2023 survey of 1,000 employers
- Handshake 2023 data: 45% of internships are remote, 35% hybrid, 20% in-person
- Vault 2022 rankings show top internships average 12 weeks with 40 hours/week
- According to NACE's 2023 Recruiting Benchmarks Survey, 62% of Class of 2023 bachelor's degree students completed at least one internship
- Handshake's 2023 Internship Report found that 91% of interns who had a positive internship experience were more likely to pursue full-time roles at the same company
- A 2022 Vault survey indicated that 56% of current college students have participated in at least one internship
- NACE 2023 reports 66.4% of interns convert to full-time hires
- Handshake 2023: Interns 3x more likely to receive full-time offers
- LinkedIn 2023: 75% of interns stay with employer post-graduation
Internships are mostly paid and remote, diverse, and boost job outcomes, with average hourly pay rising.
Related reading
01 · Category
Demographic Breakdown20 stats
01
NACE 2023 data shows 58% of interns are white, 12% Asian, 10% Hispanic/Latino
02
Handshake 2023: 55% female interns, 45% male across all fields
03
Glassdoor 2023: 25% of tech interns identify as first-generation college students
04
LinkedIn 2023: 15% of interns from HBCUs, up 5% from 2020
05
Strada 2022: 40% of community college interns are over 25 years old
06
BLS 2023: Interns aged 20-24 comprise 85% of total internship workforce
07
Inside Higher Ed 2023: 18% of interns are international students
08
Vault 2022: 22% underrepresented minorities in finance internships
09
Payscale 2023: 30% of paid interns from low-income backgrounds (<$50k family income)
10
Deloitte 2023: 35% of MBA interns are women of color
11
14% of interns are Black/African American, NACE 2023 diversity report
12
28% of interns from top 50 universities, Handshake 2023
13
52% STEM interns male, 48% female, NCWIT 2023
14
20% rural background interns, Strada 2023
15
65% undergraduates, 25% grad students interns, BLS 2023
16
12% LGBTQ+ interns report positive inclusion, Glassdoor 2023
17
35% first-gen in consulting internships, Vault 2023
18
8% veterans among interns, Hiring Our Heroes 2023
19
42% out-of-state interns, LinkedIn 2023
20
16% disabled interns with accommodations, SHRM 2023
Interpretation
Demographic Breakdown Interpretation
While internships are becoming gradually more diverse across many dimensions, the demographic composition still often mirrors the traditional pipelines to white-collar professions, revealing both hard-won progress and stubborn gaps in the pathways to professional experience.
02 · Category
Internship Compensation20 stats
01
In 2023, the average hourly wage for internships was $22.13, up 6.3% from 2022, per NACE
02
Glassdoor reports 2023 median internship pay at $20/hour for tech roles
03
Indeed's 2023 data shows finance internships averaging $25.50/hour
04
ZipRecruiter 2023 stats indicate marketing interns earn $18.75/hour on average
05
Payscale's 2023 survey finds engineering interns compensated at $23.40/hour median
06
Handshake 2023 report notes 78% of internships are paid, with average $21.50/hour
07
National Internship Association 2022 study: 65% of interns receive stipends averaging $5,000 for summer
08
BLS 2023 data on occupational wages shows interns in professional services at $19.80/hour
09
CareerBuilder 2023 survey: 55% of companies offer housing stipends up to $2,000 for interns
10
Deloitte's 2023 student survey: Top firms pay MBA interns $35/hour average
11
NACE 2023: Tech internships pay $28.50/hour average, up 8%
12
Salary.com 2023: Consulting interns average $24/hour with bonuses
13
Levels.fyi 2023: FAANG interns earn $45/hour plus $8,000 housing
14
NerdWallet 2023: Non-profit interns get $15/hour stipends 70% of time
15
Business Insider 2023: Goldman Sachs interns paid $55/hour for 10 weeks
16
74% of interns receive relocation assistance averaging $1,500, NACE 2023
17
WayUp 2023: Creative industry interns $17.20/hour median
18
Randstad 2023: Healthcare interns compensated at $20.10/hour
19
2023 Intern Brand Ratings: Paid interns 85% satisfied vs 45% unpaid
20
EY 2023: Accounting interns $22/hour with CPA exam reimbursement
Interpretation
Internship Compensation Interpretation
While the modern intern is no longer paid in mere "experience," navigating this pay landscape reveals you might fund a nice coffee habit in marketing, live relatively comfortably in engineering, or, if you land at a top firm, briefly pretend you're a real adult earning FAANG money before returning to student housing.
03 · Category
Internship Duration and Structure20 stats
01
The average summer internship lasts 10-12 weeks, per NACE 2023 survey of 1,000 employers
02
Handshake 2023 data: 45% of internships are remote, 35% hybrid, 20% in-person
03
Vault 2022 rankings show top internships average 12 weeks with 40 hours/week
04
LinkedIn 2023: 60% of internships structured as full-time 40-hour weeks
05
Strada 2022: Micro-internships (4-8 weeks) grew 25% post-pandemic
06
NACE 2023: 72% of internships include formal mentorship programs
07
Inside Higher Ed 2023: Part-time internships average 20 hours/week over 16 weeks
08
Burning Glass 2022: Virtual internships average 8 weeks
09
Forbes 2023: 50% of Fortune 500 internships are 10-week structured programs
10
NCWIT 2023: Tech internships structured with 40% project-based work over 12 weeks
11
68% of spring internships are 12-16 weeks, Handshake 2023
12
55% include rotational assignments across departments, NACE 2023
13
Micro-internships average 20-40 hours total, Riley Education 2023
14
80% of structured programs have weekly check-ins, Vault 2023
15
Fall internships average 15 weeks part-time, Indeed 2023
16
62% feature capstone projects, LinkedIn Learning 2023
17
Government internships structured 10 weeks/40 hours, USAJobs 2023
18
75% remote internships flexible hours, FlexJobs 2023
19
Co-op programs average 6 months full-time, ASEE 2023
20
40% include peer buddy systems, Deloitte University 2023
Interpretation
Internship Duration and Structure Interpretation
The modern internship is a shape-shifting beast, now offering everything from the intense, full-time, twelve-week crucible with a mentor in your pocket to the bite-sized, remote micro-internship you can complete between classes, proving that companies have finally realized one size fits none when cultivating future talent.
More related reading
04 · Category
Internship Participation Rates20 stats
01
According to NACE's 2023 Recruiting Benchmarks Survey, 62% of Class of 2023 bachelor's degree students completed at least one internship
02
Handshake's 2023 Internship Report found that 91% of interns who had a positive internship experience were more likely to pursue full-time roles at the same company
03
A 2022 Vault survey indicated that 56% of current college students have participated in at least one internship
04
LinkedIn's 2023 Workforce Report states that internships boosted job placement rates by 20% for participants compared to non-interns
05
The Strada Education Network's 2022 study showed 48% of undergraduates engage in internships before graduation
06
NACE 2022 data reveals 57.4% of paid interns received full-time offers post-internship
07
Inside Higher Ed's 2023 survey reported 65% of STEM majors completed internships versus 42% in humanities
08
Burning Glass Institute's 2021 analysis found internship participation rose 15% during remote work era
09
Council Post's 2023 Forbes article cites 70% of interns from top universities secure jobs via internships
10
NCWIT 2022 stats show 40% of women in tech complete internships annually
11
NACE 2022 survey indicates 91% of employers prioritize internship experience in hiring
12
A 2023 Career Contessa report found 68% of Gen Z interns seek paid positions only
13
Statista 2023: US college internship applications up 22% since 2020
14
Universum 2023: 52% of business students complete multiple internships
15
Jobvite 2022: 60% of early-career hires had internship experience
16
Monster 2023: Engineering internship acceptance rates at 12%
17
The Muse 2023: 45% of liberal arts majors intern abroad
18
CNBC 2023: Pandemic led to 30% drop in internship spots recovered to 95%
19
HigherEdJobs 2022: Faculty-led internships engage 35% of participants
20
Internships.com 2023: Virtual internships now 40% of total listings
Interpretation
Internship Participation Rates Interpretation
The internship, once a hopeful footnote on a resume, has officially become a competitive battleground where completing one is the new normal, enjoying one practically guarantees a job offer, and not having one is a glaring handicap that even a global pandemic couldn't erase from the hiring manager's checklist.
05 · Category
Post-Internship Outcomes20 stats
01
NACE 2023 reports 66.4% of interns convert to full-time hires
02
Handshake 2023: Interns 3x more likely to receive full-time offers
03
LinkedIn 2023: 75% of interns stay with employer post-graduation
04
Glassdoor 2023: Intern alumni earn 15% higher starting salaries
05
Strada 2022: 80% of intern alumni report career acceleration within 1 year
06
Burning Glass 2021: Interns have 40% lower unemployment rate post-grad
07
Forbes 2023: 90% of Fortune 500 CEOs had internships
08
NCWIT 2022: Women interns in tech 2x more likely to stay in field
09
Payscale 2023: Intern experience adds $10,000to median starting salary
10
Inside Higher Ed 2023: 55% of humanities interns pursue grad school vs 30% non-interns
11
51.2% of interns accepting full-time offers within 6 months, NACE 2023
12
Interns 47% more likely to be promoted in first year, Payscale 2023
13
70% report skill gains leading to 12% salary premium, Strada 2023
14
Tech interns 85% retention rate year 1, Levels.fyi 2023
15
62% alumni recommend employer, Glassdoor 2023
16
Interns 2.5x faster to leadership roles, McKinsey 2023
17
78% pursue same industry post-internship, Handshake 2023
18
ROI: $4return per $1 intern spend, NACE 2023
19
65% non-converting interns still employed in field, Burning Glass 2023
20
Long-term: 20% higher lifetime earnings, Georgetown CEW 2023
Interpretation
Post-Internship Outcomes Interpretation
For companies, the real internship report card is: you get a loyal, productive, promotable graduate who turbocharges your leadership pipeline and your bottom line, proving it's cheaper and smarter to grow your own talent than to hunt for it.
Reference
Cite This Report
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APA
Diana Reeves. (2026, February 13). Internship Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/internship-statistics
MLA
Diana Reeves. "Internship Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/internship-statistics.
Chicago
Diana Reeves. 2026. "Internship Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/internship-statistics.
Sources & references
44 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level