An internship is a familiar concept in the workforce. It primarily imparts students the requisite skills and experience, allowing them to perform optimally in their new environment.
I will summarize the most recent internship statistics based on demographics, industry, salaries, and other relevant headings.
8 Memorable Internship Statistics (Editor’s Pick)
- 88.42% of fresh Indian graduates in 2022 preferred to do an internship.
- The median US intern salary as of April 2023 was $35,254 per year.
- US employers plan to increase intern hiring by 9.1% in 2023.
- Roles in tech-related companies offered 9 of the 10 highest-paying US internships in 2022.
- In 2022, over 343,000 foreign technical trainees interned in Japan.
- 64.8% of US employers planned to offer their 2022/23 interns a hybrid internship program.
- 3.3% of interns in a 2021 survey faced discrimination.
- Apple was the top US company for interns as of April 2023.
Infographic
<a href="https://vpnalert.com/resources/internship-statistics/" target="_blank" data-wpel-link="internal"><img src="https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/top-8-internship-statistics.png" alt="Top 8 Internship Statistics" width="768" border="0" height="798.08" loading="lazy" fetchpriority="low" srcset="https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/top-8-internship-statistics-768x798.png 768w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/top-8-internship-statistics-289x300.png 289w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/top-8-internship-statistics-986x1024.png 986w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/top-8-internship-statistics.png 1200w" sizes="auto"></a>
General Internship Statistics
1. In 2021, 5.84% of US interns were unemployed.
This figure was higher than in 2020 (5.34%) and 2019 (3.74%).
2. 21.5% of US college students attended internship programs in 2021.
This was according to findings from a study on 12,130 college students.
3. The intern sector is expected to decline by 4% between 2018 and 2028.
Data shows that intern jobs in the US declined from 1,285,444 in 2020 to 1,188,666 jobs in 2021.
Here is a breakdown of US internship jobs between 2012 and 2021.
| Year | Number of Internship Jobs |
|---|---|
| 2012 | 1,294,670 |
| 2013 | 1,305,694 |
| 2014 | 1,332,416 |
| 2015 | 1,357,520 |
| 2016 | 1,362,652 |
| 2017 | 1,368,217 |
| 2018 | 1,370,665 |
| 2019 | 1,362,887 |
| 2020 | 1,285,444 |
| 2021 | 1,188,666 |
4. The US government plans on hiring over 35,000 interns in 2024.
Using its pathways program, the US government will offer paid internships to deserving American students and graduates in its federal agencies in the US and worldwide.
<a href="https://vpnalert.com/resources/internship-statistics/" target="_blank" data-wpel-link="internal"><img src="https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-government-hire-interns.png" alt="US Government Plans to Hire Interns" width="768" border="0" height="544.35912581217" loading="lazy" fetchpriority="low" srcset="https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-government-hire-interns-768x544.png 768w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-government-hire-interns-300x213.png 300w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-government-hire-interns-1024x726.png 1024w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-government-hire-interns-1536x1089.png 1536w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-government-hire-interns.png 1693w" sizes="auto"></a>
5. The mention of “remote work” by interns jumped by 548% between 2019 and 2021.
In 2019, only 0.31% of interns in a review talked about remote work.
This figure jumped to 2.05% in 2021, representing a 548% increase.
Internship Demography Statistics
6. Chandigarh state had the most (94%) Indian internship seekers in 2022.
Haryana and Rajasthan states followed closely behind, with approximately 93% of internship seekers each.
Here is a summary of the number of Indian internship seekers in 2022 across different Indian states.
| State | % of Internship Seekers |
|---|---|
| Chandigarh | 94.12% |
| Haryana | 92.94% |
| Rajasthan | 92.7% |
| Chattisgarh | 91.83% |
| Punjab | 91.61% |
| Kerala | 91.17% |
| Madhya Pradesh | 90.07% |
7. In 2021, only a third of Hungarian students between 15-29 participated in internship programs.
That was compared to 60% of Hungarian students that did not participate in internships.
8. 88.42% of fresh Indian graduates in 2022 preferred to do an internship.
This figure is higher than the 85.92% of Indian graduates who chose to do internships in 2021 to boost their chances of gaining employment.
9. As of April 2022, 38.7% of Singaporean graduates and higher education students had interned with an employer.
A further 46% of students reported not having taken any formal internship with an employer.
10. In 2022, over 343,000 foreign technical trainees interned in Japan.
Which was lower than in 2021 (351,790), 2020 (402,360), and 2019 (383,980).
| Year | Number of Interns |
|---|---|
| 2022 | 343,250 |
| 2021 | 351,790 |
| 2020 | 402,360 |
| 2019 | 383,980 |
| 2018 | 308,490 |
| 2017 | 257,790 |
| 2016 | 211,110 |
| 2015 | 168,300 |
| 2014 | 145,430 |
| 2013 | 136,610 |
11. 23.6% of US students who attended internship programs in 2021 were American Indians.
Whites (23.6%) had an equal share of the pie, followed by Asian Americans (21.8%), interracial (21.2%), Hispanics/Latinas (14.2%), African Americans (13.0%), Native Hawaiians (3.3%), and others (17.2%).
12. In 2021, 42.02% of US interns were male.
Making the majority of interns female (57.98%).
13. Most (23.5%) of American students in a 2021 survey across 17 universities identified as continuing-generation college students.
While 15.8% identified as first-generation. Among students who did not participate in internships, 84.2% identified as first-generation and 76.6% as continuing-generation.
14. 21.6% of US students who attended internship programs in 2021 identified as female.
21.9% identified as male, and 14.5% chose other gender identities.
| Internship Status | Female | Male | Other Gender |
|---|---|---|---|
| Attended internship | 21.6% | 21.9% | 14.5% |
| Did not attend internship | 78.4% | 78.1% | 85.5% |
Internship Salary Statistics
15. The median US intern salary as of April 2023 was $35,254 per year.
This translated to $16.95/hour, with the 90th percentile making $49,000/year.
16. Alaska ($44,084/year or $21.19/hour) was the highest-paying state for US interns as of February 2023.
Connecticut (42,560/year, $20.46) was next, followed by North Dakota ($39,028, $18.76/hour), Rhode Island ($39,028/month, $20.46/hour), Wyoming ($37,686/month, $18.12/hour) and Vermont ($37,631, $18.09/hour).
<a href="https://vpnalert.com/resources/internship-statistics/" target="_blank" data-wpel-link="internal"><img src="https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/highest-intern-pay-us-state.png" alt="Highest Intern-Paying US States" width="768" border="0" height="315.03751875938" loading="lazy" fetchpriority="low" srcset="https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/highest-intern-pay-us-state-768x315.png 768w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/highest-intern-pay-us-state-300x123.png 300w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/highest-intern-pay-us-state-1024x420.png 1024w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/highest-intern-pay-us-state-1536x630.png 1536w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/highest-intern-pay-us-state.png 1999w" sizes="auto"></a>
17. San Francisco, California, was the highest-paying city ($43,161/year, or $20.75/hour) for US interns as of April 2023.
Interns in Seattle earned close ($42,657/year or $20.51/hour), while those in Washington, DC, averaged $39,684 (or $19.08/hour).
| City | Intern Salary/Annum | Intern Salary/Hour |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco | $43,161 | $20.75 |
| Seattle | $42,657 | $20.51 |
| Washington | $39,684 | $19.08 |
| Las Vegas | $39,552 | $19.02 |
| Boston | $39,394 | $18.94 |
| Fort Collins | $39,220 | $18.86 |
| New York | $38,639 | $18.58 |
18. As of 2021, most (27.9%) US interns' parents earned $120,000 or more yearly.
23.4% made between $80,000-119,900, 18.6% raked in $40,000-79,900, and 18% earned less than $39,000 yearly.
A further 19.1% of interns were unsure how much their parents earned.
19. The average base salary for American interns was $17.04/hour as of April 2023.
Interns could also earn as high as $27.59 or low as $10.52, according to an analysis of 28,900 US interns’ salaries.
20. The hourly wage for American interns in 2021 was $20.76.
While co-ops (cooperative education program students) earned $20.20/hour in the same period.
Internship Conversion/Employment Statistics
21. In 2021, over two-thirds (67.9%) of students interned to gain relevant experience in a specific career.
24.8% interned to test different career options, and 7.3% for other reasons.
22. US employers plan to increase intern hiring by 9.1% in 2023.
This is lower than 2022 (22.6%) but higher than 2021’s (-0.5%) intern hiring rates.
23. 64.8% of US employers planned to offer their 2022/23 interns a hybrid internship program.
The hybrid program will feature both in-person and virtual sessions.
24. The 2021/22 academic session interns in America recorded increased conversion rates.
Interns recorded a 57.6% conversion rate which was higher than in 20/21.
Paid vs. Unpaid Internship Statistics
25. 23.7% of 4,606 respondents that interned in 2021 also held full-time jobs.
In contrast, 76.3% (3,515 respondents) with full-time jobs did not intern, while 21% (1450 respondents) held part-time jobs as they interned.
26. In 2021, US college graduates with paid internship experience received 1.12 job offers.
In contrast, those with unpaid and zero internship experience received 0.85 and 0.64 job offers, respectively.
<a href="https://vpnalert.com/resources/internship-statistics/" target="_blank" data-wpel-link="internal"><img src="https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-college-graduates-job-offers.png" alt="US College Graduates With Paid Internship Experience Received Job Offers" width="768" border="0" height="544.35912581217" loading="lazy" fetchpriority="low" srcset="https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-college-graduates-job-offers-768x544.png 768w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-college-graduates-job-offers-300x213.png 300w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-college-graduates-job-offers-1024x726.png 1024w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-college-graduates-job-offers-1536x1089.png 1536w, https://vpnalert.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/us-college-graduates-job-offers.png 1693w" sizes="auto"></a>
Online/In-Person Internship Statistics
27. In 2021, 47.8% of American interns participated in in-person internship programs.
In comparison, 45% and 7.2% of 2,609 respondents across 17 universities attended online and hybrid programs, respectively.
28. On average, American college students in 2021 traveled 315 miles to attend internship programs.
Students traveled 331 miles for in-person internship sessions and 288 miles for online internship sessions, according to a survey of 2,330 college students.
68.2% of these students reported being in internship programs in their home zip codes.
Positive Internship Statistics
29. Over a third of American students (39.2%) were extremely satisfied with their internship program experiences in 2021.
A further 36.4% were extremely satisfied, followed by those who were somewhat satisfied (17.5%), a little satisfied (4.9%), and not at all satisfied (2.0%).
30. In 2021, 56% of US employers offered interns relocation assistance.
That was compared to 21.6% offering the same privilege to co-ops.
Of those employers offering relocation assistance, providing interns/co-ops with lump sum housing compensation was most common.
31. Supervisors were rated at 4.2 points (1-5 scale) concerning interns' well-being in 2021.
In contrast, interns ranked supervisor task-specific mentoring skills at 3.45 points, with 5 points representing excellence and 1 point representing extremely poor performance.
| Supervisor Mentoring | Rating |
|---|---|
| Suggested new task strategies | 3.4 |
| Encouraged new working techniques | 3.3 |
| Availed job performance feedback | 3.7 |
| Assigned tasks for skill development | 3.6 |
| Assisted in meeting deadlines and finishing tasks | 3.2 |
Negative Internship Statistics
32. 3.3% of interns in a 2021 survey faced discrimination.
86 respondents who interned were discriminated against based on gender, religion, sexuality, race, and other personal attributes.
| Student Characteristics | Faced Discrimination | Did Not Face Discrimination |
|---|---|---|
| Female | 3.7% (67) | 96.3% (1,751) |
| Male | 1.9% (14) | 98.1% (717) |
| Another gender | 8.5% (5) | 91.5% (54) |
| American Indian | 7.7% (1) | 92.3% (12) |
| Asian American | 4.1% (15) | 95.9% (3,550) |
| African American | 6.7% (6) | 93.3% (84) |
| Hispanic/Latina | 3.3% (6) | 96.7% (178) |
| Native Hawaiian | - | 100% (1) |
| White | 2.9% (50) | 97.1% (1,702) |
| Multi-racial | 3.3% (5) | 96.7% (148) |
| Others | 6.7% (3) | 93.3% (42) |
| First generation | 4.2% (21) | 95.8% (477) |
| Continuing generation | 3.1% (65) | 96.9% (2,045) |
33. In a 2021 survey, 59.4% of students did not intern because of limited knowledge of securing internship positions.
The other reasons for the surveyed 6,407 students not interning were a heavy course load (55.9%), pandemic cancellations (44.2%), limited internship opportunities (41.3%), and having to work on a paid job (40.1%).
34. 78.5% (9521) of surveyed college and university students in 2021 did not attend internship programs.
That was compared to 21.5% (2,609 respondents) who attended internships based on a study of 12,130 students across 17 universities.
Internship Education Statistics
35. US internships in 2021 lasted for 18.3 weeks on average.
Other-gender students had the longest internships (20.3 weeks), followed by female (18.5 weeks) and male (17.6 weeks) students.
36. 43% of US interns in a 2021 study were graduate students.
Seniors (42.1%) were next, followed by juniors (21.1%), freshmen (7.5%), associates/technical degree (5.5%), and others/not listed (8.1%).
37. 60% of US interns in 202-2021 spent most of their time on project management & problem-solving/ analytical duties.
For co-ops (70%), the figure was higher.
38. In 2021, approximately 1 in 4 (22.6%) American interns performed low-skill tasks under supervision.
A further 36.8% performed high-skill tasks under supervision, 35.2% did autonomous work, and 5% job shadowed, according to a 2021 study across 17 universities.
Internship Industry Statistics
39. On average, US employers in 2020-2021 started their intern recruitment process 8.5 months before the reporting date.
Which was higher than the seven months for co-ops.
Roblox ($9,667/month) was the top-paying US intern job, followed by Uber and Capital One ($8,333/month).
| Company | Salary | Industry |
|---|---|---|
| Roblox | $9,667 | Tech |
| Capital One, Uber | $8,333 | Tech |
| Salesforce | $8,167 | Finance |
| Amazon, Meta, NVIDIA | $8,000 | Tech |
| LinkedIn, Hubspot, Expedia Group | $7500 | Tech |
41. Apple was the top US company for interns as of April 2023.
Apple interns averaged $40.36/hour.
Next were interns at Gilead Sciences ($35.58/hour), followed by Google ($31.67/hr) in the top three.
Internships Are a Game Changer
Whether or not to participate in an internship program is not a question any graduate or newbie should grapple with, as the importance of these programs is evident.
Interning goes a long way in improving your skills, experiences, employability, and confidence in the workplace.
And as you dive into this world of work, read our in-depth Remote Work Statistics, Facts, and Trends for more insights on the dynamic post-COVID workplace.
- India: leading states by internship seekers 2022 | Statista
- https://www.statista.com/statistics/1281525/hungary-young-people-participating-in-internship-programs/
- India: internship preference among youth 2022 | Statista
- Japan: number of foreign technical interns 2021 | Statista
- Guidance on Promoting Internships and Other Student and Early Career Programs in the Federal Government (chcoc.gov)
- 2021-nace-internship-and-co-op-survey-executive-summary.pdf (naceweb.org)
- 20+ Compelling Internship Statistics [2023]: Data, Pay, And Trends – Zippia
- https://ccwt.wisc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/04/CCWT_NSCI-2021-Report.pdf
- Internship Demographics and Statistics [2023]: Number Of Internships In The US (zippia.com)
- 2023 NACE Internship & Co-op Report & Dashboard (naceweb.org)
- Intern salary in United States (indeed.com)
- 25 Companies Offering Interns Top Dollar Pay in 2022 – Glassdoor
- Internship Salary (April 2023) – Zippia
- National Survey of College Internships (NSCI) 2021 Report (wisc.edu)
