20+ Best Paid Internships for Students

An internship is a short-term work opportunity at a company or organization that allows students to get entry-level work experience in a specific field. Students oftentimes seek out winter break or summer internships. Some students even work during the semester, gaining both work experience and academic credit. Internships are available to high school, college, and graduate students. Though the main objective is to get work experience, many students may find a paid opportunity that helps to generate income or pay for college. That's a real win-win for any student.

Why are Internships Important?

Nowadays, it's imperative that students have some type of intern experience on their resume. A strong internship will enable you to stand out from the competition as well as provide some real-work scenarios to talk through during job interviews.

Exposure to Real Life

Paid internships for students are oftentimes a student's first foray into the real working world. While they may have held part-time jobs in the past, an internship is their first glimpse into the career or field to which they hope to enter after graduation. Interns will be able to see how to perform a job and how to conduct themselves in a workplace environment. They will gain experience from observing basic workplace etiquette, like showing up on time and reporting to a manager.

An Opportunity to Learn

In addition to learning how to perform a specific job or role, interns will be able to learn a variety of real-life lessons during their internship. They'll observe and practice balancing multiple projects, presenting in meetings, and integrating into a team. Interns shouldn't just perform the tasks at hand. They should utilize this time to observe, ask questions, and absorb everything happening around them.

Develop Professional Skills

Interns' learning opportunities aren't limited to how to do a specific job or role. Rather, they're learning how to be an employee that can transition into any field or setting. Invaluable skills learned during an internship include communication, teamwork, professionalism, and so much more. The only way to learn many of these is through hands-on experience.

Networking and Relationship Building

Finally, interns receive the benefit of meeting a variety of people within their field of interest during their time working. These relationships can serve as stepping stones after graduation – and throughout the rest of their career. It's imperative that interns make a good impression with everyone that they work with, and to set up meetings throughout their internship to build relationships across a variety of departments.

What to Consider When Choosing an Internship

When it comes to finding the best paid internships, students need to be strategic about where they work. While any internship is a great experience, you'll benefit more from an opportunity that aligns with your career goals.

Make sure the student internship is in your field of study.

Internships are the initial stepping stone to one's career. It is more worthwhile to choose an internship that is within a student's field of study and their hopeful career after graduation. Employers will choose a graduate that has experience in the field over those that don't. A simple choice in college could make a huge impact for the future.

Does it fit your degree requirements?

Many students are able to forego classes for a semester in order to complete an internship. However, the internship must meet their degree requirements. Work closely with your college's career center or internship office to ensure that their internship will count for credit, all while staying on track to graduate. Furthermore, students that complete a summer internship may be able to parley that into college credit as well.

Will the hours fit your academic schedule?

If students do plan to complete an internship while attending classes, they must make it work within their academic schedule. What good is an internship if it hurts a GPA and changes a student's graduation timeline? When taking on internships, students must work with their employer as well as their college to guarantee that the opportunity will make the student profitable in both spheres.

Consider location.

Finally, students should take into account the location of the internship. It may be beneficial to stay close to campus. However, if they hope to move to a different city after college – say New York or Los Angeles – it may be in their best interest to secure an internship there. Not only will students have the experience of working in that city, they will also be able to make personal connections with people living and working there that could help them after graduation.

20+ Best Paid Internships for Students

Because internships are considered to be educational, many are unpaid. Instead, the payment comes in the experience students receive. However, there are paid internship opportunities across the country that compensate students for their work. These paid internship programs are a win-win for students looking to earn money while building their resumes.

Comedy Central Daily Show Internship

The Daily Show Internship is open to students interested in TV production. This production-focused opportunity will allow interns to learn the inner workings of a legacy late-night show. Each intern will work directly with various departments to learn how the show is made from the ground up each day. Those departments include, but are not limited to, Audience, Talent, Post-Production, and Field.

Deloitte PAID Internship

The Deloitte Internship is available to undergraduate and graduate students. You must have a strong academic record and be legally authorized to work in the U.S. to be considered for this position. As an intern, you will get an inside look at what it's really like to work for a professional services organization.

Lettuce Entertain You Summer Internship Program

The Lettuce Entertain You Summer Internship Program is open to students who have at least one year of hospitality, retail, or other customer service experience. Interns will be hired to work an hourly role at a Lettuce Entertain You restaurant in Illinois, Washington D.C., Minnesota, Nevada, Texas, California, or Florida. Interns will attend weekly virtual meetings where Lettuce industry experts cover topics such as restaurant financials, menu creation, marketing, and more. This program also includes a group project with a final presentation at a live expo in Chicago.

Disney College Program Internship

The Disney College Program is open to students who are 18 years of age and older. Interns will work at world-renowned theme parks and resorts while receiving hands-on, real-world work experience in their specific field of study and valuable professional experience. A non-refundable program fee of $467 is required for all Disney Programs participants.

JPL Summer Internship Program

The JPL Summer Internship Program is open to undergraduate and graduate students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics (STEM) disciplines. You must have a minimum GPA of 3.0 and be a U.S. citizen/legal permanent resident to be considered for this position. As an intern, you will partner with JPL scientists and engineers who will serve as mentors during a 10-week program. You will complete designated projects, gaining educational experience in your field of study while also contributing to NASA and JPL missions and science. You will also have the opportunity to participate in a number of enrichment activities including tours, lectures, and career advisement.

NASA Internship

The NASA Internship is available to high school through graduate-level students attending full-time accredited programs appropriate to the NASA internship. You must be a U.S. citizen, majoring in a wide variety of majors ranging from business to science and engineering to be considered for this internship. College-level interns must maintain a minimum GPA of 3.0. You will engage in scientific or engineering research, development, and operations activities as an intern. In addition, there are non-technical internship opportunities to engage in professional activities that support NASA's business and administrative processes.

Starbucks Internship-PAID

The Starbucks Internship is available to upper-division undergraduate students and to first-year graduate students. Internships are offered in technology, supply chain, business, supply chain, data analytics, engineering, manufacturing management, transportation, finance, accounting, economics, global business services, licensed store business development, human resources, and other fields. Throughout this 10-12-week program, you will work full-time on meaningful projects, participate in round tables with executives and leadership, and access professional development workshops. This internship is offered in Seattle, WA; relocation support is available.

Estee Lauder Marketing Summer Internship

The Estee Lauder Marketing Summer Internship is available to college juniors and seniors who are majoring in business marketing, digital marketing, or consumer analytics. To be considered for this opportunity, you should have a passion for luxury goods and the beauty industry, possess excellent communication skills, be detail-oriented, proficient in Microsoft Office, and be able to work in a professional and confidential environment. As an intern, you will have the opportunity to work in one of many areas within the focus ranging from various brands to corporate functions. You will build your marketing acumen through digital, product marketing, or consumer insight projects. You will also gain a holistic view of the organization through networking, professional development, and interaction with different business areas.

TikTok Software Engineering Internship

The TikTok Software Engineering Internship is available to students pursuing an undergraduate or master's degree in software development, computer science, computer engineering, or a related technical discipline. To be considered for this opportunity, you should have prior experience working with languages like Go/Python/PHP/C++/C/Java, possess excellent communication and teamwork skills, and have strong experience with data structures and algorithms. As an intern, you will gain valuable, hands-on experience and focus on the backend, testing, algorithm, or other area of the engineering team. This internship is offered in various locations.

Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios Post Production Internship

The Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios Post Production Internship is open to upper-division undergraduate students majoring in film and television production, digital media, multimedia arts, audio engineering, visual arts, communications, journalism, graphic design, or majors relating to these fields. To be considered for this role, you should have experience or knowledge in organizational and process management tools. Prior experience in scripted, unscripted or film production is preferred, such as working as a Production Assistant, participating in student film projects, or leading student productions or campus organizations. As an intern, you will support the US Post Production team of Executives and Coordinators. Working backwards from series launch requirements, you'll learn the end-to-end post-production process for Prime Video content. The position offers exposure to pre-greenlight and pre-production phases, including post-production budgeting and scheduling. You'll gain unique insight into editorial and finishing processes, from creative notes to picture and audio finishing.

Activision MBA Internship

The Activision MBA Internship is available to students pursuing an MBA degree. As an intern, you will participate in a 10-week, highly selective, and exciting program that embeds you into one of the Activision teams and puts you in the middle of the action.

PAID Amazon Internship

The Amazon Internship is available to students currently enrolled in undergraduate, MBA, or equivalent master’s level programs. You must be committed to learning new things, taking ownership, and getting things done to be considered for this internship. As an intern, you will roll up your sleeves to complete a high-priority project that will significantly impact the business.

Agile Space Industries Propulsion Design Engineer Internship

The Agile Space Industries Propulsion Design Engineer Internship is available to students with a basic understanding of fluid mechanics, familiarity with computer-aided design (Solidworks preferred), and hands-on hardware experience. As an intern, you will assist in designing, testing, and operating hypergolic thrusters. Interns will receive a salary, housing stipend, and mentorship. This internship is offered in Durango, CO, during the summer semester.

American Airlines Internship

The American Airlines Internship is available to junior and senior-level undergraduate students who are enrolled at an accredited university. Internships are offered in airport hub administration, cargo, customer planning and analysis, finance, procurement and supply chain, revenue management, sales and marketing, and related areas. As an intern, you will gain real-world experience in the aviation industry, have exposure to industry leaders, attend networking events, and receive 10 days of travel immediately after internship completion to explore the world.

Tesla Internship

The Tesla Internship is available to undergraduate and graduate students. Internships are available in autopilot and robotics, charging, construction and facilities, design, energy (solar and storage), engineering and information technology, environmental health and safety, external relations and employee experience, finance, human resources, legal and government affairs, manufacturing, operations and business support, sales and customer support, supply chain, vehicle service, and vehicle software. As an intern, you will perform meaningful work from day one and will be challenged to take on high-impact projects, expand your technical skills, and exceed your own expectations. Interns experience one-on-one mentorship, interactive networking events, and weekly seminars within the Tesla community of experts. Internships are offered in various locations in the U.S.

Target Internship - PAID

The Target Internship is available to applicants interested in gaining experience in the retail industry. Internships are offered in software engineering, operations management, financial analyst development, marketing, assets protection, associate buyer, store executive team leader, inventory analyst, space and presentation business partner, finance, and supply chain. As an intern, you will gain hands-on experience in your field of study through an 8-10 week experience.

Nature Forward Summer Environmental Education Internship-PAID

The Nature Forward Summer Environmental Education Internship/Stipend is available to highly motivated and creative students. You must have experience experience working with children, basic knowledge of natural history/biology, and enjoy working outside to be considered for this position. As an intern, you will assist teachers/naturalists with lessons, games, and hikes and through a gradual schedule, will plan and lead lessons on your own by the end of the summer. A stipend for the summer will be provided.

Build Up High School Internship

The Build Up High School Internship is available to rising high school juniors and seniors as well as graduating high school seniors. To be considered for an internship, you must have a demonstrated interest in the built environment, have financial need as defined by your family income being below the HUD MFI for your county, and be legally able to work in the U.S. During the eight - week program, you will spend 35 to 40 hours a week on an active construction jobsite, assisting with important project functions including subcontractor coordination, document control, quality inspections, schedule updates, safety training, and site plan updates. You will learn about managing a multi-million-dollar project, the innovative technology used for planning, scheduling and design, and the wide range of professional roles needed to build great buildings. Internships are offered in various locations in the U.S.

Women's Studio Workshop Internship-PAID

The Women's Studio Workshop Internship is open to artists who want to gain experience in papermaking, printmaking, book arts, ceramics and arts administration. To be considered for this internship, you should have experience in at least of the two areas: silkscreen, letterpress, printmaking, papermaking, book arts, or graphic design. As an intern, you will work to assist in the day to day running of WSW. You must send a resume, three letters of reference, a letter of interest, and 10 images of recent work in order to apply. This internship is located in Rosendale, NY.

Shell Internship-PAID

The Shell Internship is available to undergraduate and graduate students who have a minimum GPA of 3.2. After completing the internship program, you must have at least one semester left to be considered. Additionally, you should enjoy being challenged, be innovative, be good at absorbing information, be driven, and possess excellent analytical skills. As an intern, you will get to know Shell from the inside and immerse yourself in the energy industry by joining a project team and working alongside employees who are all professionals in their fields. You'll have full day-to-day involvement in actual projects selected to match your interests and abilities. A supervisor and mentor will support you directly, and you'll undertake regular assessments throughout your internship to ensure you get the most from the experience. Internships are typically offered in Texas, Louisiana, California, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania.

Principal Financial Services Internship-PAID

The Principal Financial Services Internship is available to undergraduate and graduate students. Internships are offered in accounting, actuarial, investments, marketing and communications, technology and engineering, and other related areas. As an intern, you will gain hands-on experience with real responsibilities, have access to executives, work in a great environment, and participate in lunch and learns, team outings, personal finance seminars, and networking events. Internships are offered in Des Moines, IA. An internship is a short-term work opportunity at a company or organization that allows students to get some entry-level work experience in a specific field. Students oftentimes seek out winter break or summer internships. Some students even work during the semester, gaining both work experience and academic credit.