By The average intern in the US makes about $23 an hour, according to NACE's 2026 compensation guide. Software engineering interns at large tech companies make far more: Amazon's summer 2027 SDE intern posting lists the equivalent of about $52 an hour, and Meta's lists $7,313 to $12,667 a month. Accounting, consulting, and corporate internships commonly fall between those two levels.
Pay transparency laws mean many employers now publish ranges on their postings. The numbers below come from those postings, checked between October 18 and October 23, 2026, so you are looking at what employers actually wrote down, not at self reported survey guesses.
Intern pay on real 2027 postings
Hourly figures are converted from annualized or monthly pay where the employer published it that way, using 2,080 hours a year and rounded. They are base pay before tax.
| Employer and role | As posted | About per hour |
|---|---|---|
| National average, all interns (NACE) | $23.35 per hour | $23 |
| IBM, Intern Application Developer 2027, Chicago | $39,720 to $72,820 per year | $19 to $35 |
| Deloitte, Audit and Assurance intern, Summer 2028 | $28.23 to $56.67 per hour | $28 to $57 |
| Deloitte, Summer Scholar, Software Engineering (Government and Public Services) | About $43 per hour | $43 |
| Amazon, SDE Intern, Summer 2027 (USA) | $109,395 per year in most listed locations | About $53 |
| Meta, Software Engineering Intern (US) | $7,313 to $12,667 per month | About $42 to $73 |
| Google, Software Engineering Intern, PhD, Summer 2027 (US) | $118,000 to $157,000 per year | About $57 to $75 |
The detail behind each one, including eligibility and how to apply, is in the IBM, Deloitte, Amazon, Meta, and Google guides.
A posted range is the employer's whole band for the role. Plan around the bottom half until an offer says otherwise.
How to read a posted pay range
- Annualized pay is not what you take home for the summer.Amazon's $109,395 works out to roughly $25,000 for 12 weeks before tax.
- Ranges are wide on purpose.Deloitte's audit posting says it is not typical to be hired at or near the top of the range, and that the range has not been adjusted for location.
- Monthly figures need converting too.Meta's $7,313 a month is about $42 an hour on a 40 hour week.
- Base pay excludes extras.Meta's posting says its range does not include bonus, equity, or incentives. Housing support, if offered, is separate as well.
What actually moves intern pay
| Factor | Effect |
|---|---|
| Field | Software and quantitative roles pay the most. Nonprofit and media roles often the least. |
| Degree level | PhD postings pay more than undergraduate ones at the same company, as Google's shows. |
| Employer size | Large employers publish higher, standardized rates. Small firms vary widely. |
| Location | Many postings set different rates by city. Amazon lists a lower figure for Nashville. |
| Prior internships | Some ranges reward experience, which is why ranges are wide. |
If an internship offers no pay at all, check whether it is even legal. The rules are in are unpaid internships legal.
Pay is not the whole offer
- Benefits. Google lists health, dental, and vision coverage for eligible US interns. Amazon lists day one benefits including 401(k) matching.
- Housing. Meta lists housing assistance for the internship. Capital One provides corporate housing for its early internship participants.
- Conversion odds. A slightly lower paying internship with a strong record of return offers can be worth more over two years. NACE reports a 63.1% average conversion rate, and how to improve yours is in how to get a return offer.
- What you learn. The project and team matter more for your next offer than a few dollars an hour now.
Common questions
- How much do interns make on average?
- NACE's 2026 Guide to Compensation for Interns and Co-ops puts the average intern hourly rate at $23.35. Pay varies widely by field, degree level, employer size, and location.
- How much do software engineering interns make?
- Much more than average at large tech companies. Amazon's summer 2027 SDE intern posting lists $109,395 a year annualized in most US locations, roughly $52.60 an hour. Meta's Software Engineering Intern posting lists $7,313 to $12,667 a month in the US.
- What does annualized pay mean on an internship posting?
- It is what the hourly rate would add up to over a full year of full time work. Divide it by about 2,080 hours to get the hourly rate. A 12 week internship pays about 23% of the annualized figure, before tax.
- Do interns get benefits?
- Some do. Google's US software intern posting lists health, dental, and vision insurance for eligible US interns. Meta lists housing assistance and mentorship. Amazon lists benefits from day one including 401(k) matching. Smaller employers often pay hourly with no benefits.
- Can you negotiate internship pay?
- Large programs usually pay a set rate by role and location and rarely negotiate. Smaller companies sometimes have flexibility, especially if you have a competing offer. Housing, start dates, and relocation support are often easier to discuss than the hourly rate.
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