How much to pay an intern?

Although not a requirement for participating in the Internship Program, it is desirable to compensate interns in some manner. Employers benefit by attracting the best applicants and maintaining a sense of accountability.

You might prefer to pay a stipend – typically a lump sum that is not related to work performed - or an actual salary that is received regularly and is related to work performed. A stipend is the more typical type of internship compensation, where the employer evaluates the overall internship as a project and provides a lump sum at the end of the internship duration or divides this lump sum on monthly installments.

If you decide to pay a salary/monthly compensation rather than a stipend, we recommend identifying a fair entry-level starting salary for a similar position at your organization and multiplying it by a set percentage to determine the intern’s salary. The percentage will vary depending on the intern’s educational level and experience.

Following is a suggested percentile pay scheme of a typical starting salary for a similar position:

Graduate student                             75-85%
Senior student                                  70-75%
Junior student                                   60-70%
Sophomore student                         55-60%
Freshman student                            50-55%

If you follow that scheme, you can offer increases each year to returning interns and stay within your current salary structure. Contact the office of Career Advising & Placement Services for additional information.