The 25 Companies That Pay Interns The Most
HeyRocker/flickrInternships are essential today. They're the best way to gain experience, develop a professional network, and get your foot in the door - which is why so many interns are willing to work for free.
But some don't have to. And the very lucky ones will watch their bank accounts grow enormously this summer.
Glassdoor.com, a jobs and career community where people share information and opinions about their workplaces, compiled a list of the 25 highest-paying internships, based on at least 20 intern salary reports for each company.
They found that paid internships typically offer between $15 and $19 an hour, or $2,400 to $3,100 a month, on average. But companies like Twitter, ExxonMobil, and BlackRock pay double that - and Palantir Technologies, a Palo Alto-based software firm, pays nearly triple the monthly average, making it the highest-paying company for interns in 2014.
Palantir Technologies landed the top spot with an average monthly base salary of $7,012, out-ranking tech giants like Facebook, Microsoft, Google, and Apple.
But it's not all about money. A support engineer intern at the company said: "[The] work is motivated by a real mission. Very few people are there just for money."
Here are the 25 highest-paying companies for interns:
1. Palantir Technologies
Average monthly base pay: $7,012
2. VMware
Average monthly base pay: $6,966
3. TwitterAverage monthly base pay: $6,791
4. LinkedIn
Average monthly base pay: $6,230
5. Facebook
Average monthly base pay: $6,213
6. Microsoft
Average monthly base pay: $6,138
7. eBay
Average monthly base pay: $6,126
8. ExxonMobil
Average monthly base pay: $5,972
9. Google
Average monthly base pay: $5,969
10. Apple
Average monthly base pay: $5,723
11. Amazon.com
Average monthly base pay: $5,631
12. Nvidia
Average monthly base pay: $5,446
13. ChevronAverage monthly base pay: $5,424
14. Adobe
Average monthly base pay: $5,409
15. ConocoPhillips
Average monthly base pay: $5,357
16. Salesforce.comAverage monthly base pay: $5,158
17. BlackRockAverage monthly base pay: $5,049
18. Yahoo!
Average monthly base pay: $5,039
19. Capital One
Average monthly base pay: $4,850
20. Qualcomm
Average monthly base pay: $4,823
21. NetApp
Average monthly base pay: $4,691
22. Autodesk
Average monthly base pay: $4,684
23. Intel
Average monthly base pay: $4,648
24. Juniper Networks
Average monthly base pay: $4,648
25. SchlumbergerAverage monthly base pay: $4,634
Landing one of these coveted high-paying positions is no easy feat, says Samantha Zupan, a Glassdoor spokesperson. "While these internships definitely offer attractive compensation, these companies are looking for the best and brightest." She says employers begin hiring for summer interns as early as February, "so be on the lookout early and often for the latest internships as they get posted."
She also suggests that internship-seekers carefully read what companies are looking for in interns. "The more you can customize your resume and cover letter to show what skills you can bring to the job, the more likely you are to get noticed by the employer."
She adds: "Also take the time to attend college career fairs and get to know the companies you are interested in working when they come to you."