The HIGHEST-PAID Internships (PHOTOS)

Each year, BusinessWeek compiles data on the best places to intern based on wage, hiring rate and other factors. Here, we've highlight the ones that still pay their lowest-rung apprentices handsome salaries. See BusinessWeek's full internship database here, and also check out their slideshow of the 42 best places to intern.

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BP America

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BP America takes good care of their interns. Those in electric engineering can make up to $5,500 a month. Others make $23 to $26 an hour.

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BP America takes good care of their interns. Those in electric engineering can make up to $5,500 a month. Others make $23 to $26 an hour.

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Comments

[Marianthe Pulos]

03:41 PM on 07/14/2010

where can I apply?!

[tddjames6]

02:00 PM on 06/28/2010

Excellent post on internships. I agree with your post in that internships are a great way to get ahead. In the current economy, internships are competitive. To find the right career path and to get an advantage for getting hired it helps to have access to the right information. While I admit I work for Vault, I must say they have an extremely useful listing of college internship opportunities including exclusive insider information. A lot of their information is available for free. Of course, with a Gold membership you can also get detailed reports and reviews on employers and schools. I Hope this gives you more insight. Do you guys know any other resources that do what Vault does?

[kad2105]

09:56 PM on 06/24/2010

Nielsen deserves a place on this list. $15-20 an hour to start with, and it's the only internship I've ever held (and I've had several) that offers a 401k and full health and dental benefits.

[Leviathan21]

02:32 PM on 06/24/2010

I'm not sure how they worked out the per hour wage. I know a lot of people who took summer internships with Goldman and other investment banks. The typical summer intern salary at a top-tier investment bank is about $1400 - 1500 per week. But, considering that you are expected to work ridiculous hours (up to 18 hours a day some weeks), the per hour wage doesn't actually come to be very much.

[stevebol]

01:46 PM on 06/23/2010

HP, would you please lose that annoying wallpaper on the college tab? We all love macs, really but it has to go.

[stevebol]

01:39 PM on 06/23/2010

KPMG-
Did he take the red pill or the blue one?

[weirwolf]

01:17 PM on 06/23/2010

don't drink the corporate cool-aid!!!

[frazcr]

01:04 PM on 06/23/2010

Dietetic internships are the worst. they cost several thousand dollars out of pocket, often without any financial aid assistance, last at least 6 months, and then you have to wait for 2 months after to take a final exam. After all this there is still no guarantee of a job that pays very mediocre.

[etiennemacchias]

08:52 AM on 06/23/2010

Yeah, if you want to work like dogs, go ahead and work for a Big Four company. The pay is NOT worth the troubles you'll go through.

[equianimi]

08:11 AM on 06/23/2010

Gosh I should have worked at BP as an intern, I only got $10 an hour if i was lucky. But then again I'd like to keep my soul.

[JulieDole]

03:49 AM on 06/23/2010

This is why I tell students to NEVER intern for free. Private firms have the money, and it's AGAINST THE LAW TO HIRE INTERNS FOR FREE.

Are you listening, HuffPo?

[JulieDole]

03:52 AM on 06/23/2010

PS - offering "school credit" does not shield employers from the obligation to pay ALL employees at least minimum wage. Check the statutes.

[grod805]

12:11 AM on 07/01/2010

I never got the school credit thing. Some colleges don't want you back after you pass a certain amount of units, so what's the point of getting more. More units hurt you instead of help you.

[stevebol]

01:41 PM on 06/23/2010

Good point.

[jasev01]

03:03 AM on 06/23/2010

Goldman paid me well. For that they have my loyalty.

[Cetootski]

04:46 AM on 06/23/2010

good for you...

[logic-a-go-go]

02:46 AM on 06/23/2010

I strongly urge up and coming interns and those seeking employment to think long and hard about where they offer their employment skills. Please do background research on any organization that calls you for an interview. Look beyond the public relations fluff, and look into community complaints, lawsuits, occupational/labor issues, environmental records, etc. Use those technical skills to do a background check to see if the company is aligned with your values and ethics. Only then should you make your decision whether to provide your talent to that organization. If all of our terrific college students made careful decisions based on elements other than pay rates and vacation time, we would make great strides towards a more responsible corporate America. Shop those skills, demand responsible corporate activity for your talent, and create change!

[JulieDole]

03:50 AM on 06/23/2010

And - never work for free (non-profits excepted.)

[MichaelMcKLA]

01:24 AM on 06/23/2010

Hmmmm. I would like to intern with Tiger Woods. I wonder what I would get paid to hang out with that guy and do what he does. Fortunately, I'm not married...no wife to worry about.

:)

[lemikam]

01:23 AM on 06/23/2010

The term "internship" could use some more careful definition. Somebody's made this point, but "internships" for grad students (particularly law and business school students at top schools) routinely pay $3,000 a week (no, that's not a typo).

These internships aren't as much resume building exercises as they are part-and-parcel of the recruiting process. In other words, high performing students at elite programs (and my understanding is that this also applies to high end tech firms rounding up elite engineering students) are being actively recruited by the people for whom they "intern"; they're not hired to get coffee. When most people think "internship", they're thinking of getting coffee and thanking the drinker for the privilege.

It's unclear from the list above whether any or all of the positions described above are "internships" as classically imagined or are instead recruitment programs. To call the latter an internship is somewhat akin to conflating apples and oranges.

[jasev01]

03:04 AM on 06/23/2010

those jobs really don't exist anymore

[JulieDole]

03:51 AM on 06/23/2010

Sometimes "internships" is a technical term within the industry, such as in law or medicine.

Otherwise, it usually denotes a student out for the summer, in a temporary position, to "try on" an industry - for PAY.