Top Colleges for Internships, Co-Op Programs

U.S. News rank: 3 (tie), National Universities

Overview: Harvard offers many internship programs for students. The 10-week Summer Research Opportunities at Harvard program between June and August, for instance, connects undergraduate students interested in earning a Ph.D. with researchers in the areas of humanities, social sciences, and life and physical sciences. The in-person program includes housing, a $3,500 stipend and $1,500 food allowance.

U.S. News rank: 9, Regional Universities (Midwest)

Overview: Co-ops at Kettering University begin during a student’s first year on campus. Students alternate between taking classes and working with an employer partner each term, equating to up to two and a half years of full-time work experience by graduation. Wages vary per year and major. On average, first-year students earn $15.38 an hour while seniors make $18.72 per hour, according to the school’s website.

U.S. News rank: 21, National Universities

Overview: The University of Michigan—Ann Arbor offers the largest and oldest summer internship program based in Washington, D.C., according to its website. After an application and interview process, about 80 to 100 undergraduate students are selected to participate in the University Career Center’s Public Service Intern Program. This program allows participants to gain job experience in public service, learn career development skills and connect with Michigan alumni in the field, typically for eight to 10 weeks.

U.S. News rank: 63 (tie), National Liberal Arts Colleges

Overview: At Agnes Scott College, the goal is for most students to have at least one internship before graduating. However, one-third of undergraduates complete two or more internships, according to the school. The college also makes funding available to students who intern in unpaid or minimally paid public service or public health roles. To qualify for a credit-bearing internship, students are required to work at least 130 hours total over a 13-week time period.

U.S. News rank: 39 (tie), Regional Universities (North)

Overview: All students are required to complete three internships during their four-year program at Endicott College, including two 120-hour internships and one full-time, semester-long internship through international and domestic partner organizations. Some international options take place in Cork, Ireland; Florence, Italy; and Madrid, Spain. Students also complete an internship preparation course during their first semester.

U.S. News rank: 86 (tie), National Universities

Overview: At Clemson University, students will find both internship and co-op programs to help launch their careers. For a fee of $7,800 to $10,400, the school also offers eight-week international internships in Australia, Ireland, Italy, Portugal and Spain, according to its website. Placements are available in a variety of fields, such as business, education, engineering, hospitality, law and zoology.

U.S. News rank: 82 (tie), National Universities

Overview: WPI students have the opportunity to participate in internships and paid, noncredit co-ops lasting four to eight months. Due to federal regulations, international students must first complete a full academic year before participating in a co-op. The school’s project-based learning plan also allows students to get hands-on experience in the classroom through required projects aimed at solving real-world problems.

U.S. News rank: 24 (tie), National Universities

Overview: Carnegie Mellon University facilitates a variety of internship programs and fellowships, including a semester in Washington, D.C. According to the school’s website, a summer internship fund also helps students who take low-wage – typically less than $12 an hour – or unpaid internships in the U.S. pay for their expenses. The maximum amount of funding awarded to eligible students is $2,500.

U.S. News rank: 3 (tie), National Universities

Overview: Stanford boasts a wide range of internship programs, including placements in New York City and abroad. The global internships, for instance, are fully funded and take place in China, India, Georgia, Germany, Estonia or France, in addition to U.S. locations. Other opportunities focus on art, career education, community engagement, public service and laboratory research.

U.S. News rank: 12 (tie), National Universities

Overview: Cornell University has a variety of summer programs to help students build experiences in their desired career fields. These include Cornell in Hollywood, a part-time or full-time program that provides film-related internships in Los Angeles, and summer research programs that give undergraduates an opportunity to participate in graduate-level research.

U.S. News rank: 7 (tie), National Universities

Overview: At Duke University, internship requirements vary by program, according to the school’s website. But public policy and art history are among the majors that require internships. For eligible students in unpaid or low-paying – less than $1,500 – summer internships, the university makes $4,000 available in competitive grant funding to support living expenses.

U.S. News rank: 43 (tie), National Universities

Overview: Students who participate in Purdue University‘s three- to five-session co-op program must work with the same employer for all sessions. The goal is to allow students to build relationships with their employer, work on more projects and increase responsibilities over time, according to the university’s website.

U.S. News rank: 133 (tie), National Universities

Overview: All students must fulfill an experiential learning requirement to graduate from Elon University. The requirement can be fulfilled through internships, co-ops, studying abroad, independent research, service-learning projects or a mentored leadership position. Participation in internships is the most popular among students, followed by service and leadership, according to the university’s website.

U.S. News rank: 2, National Universities

Overview: MIT offers numerous internship programs for students. One program, the MIT International Science and Technology Initiatives, matches more than 900 undergraduate and graduate students with internship, teaching and research positions across the globe, with all essential expenses paid. Participating students also receive a small stipend for transportation and meals.

U.S. News rank: 98 (tie), National Universities

Overview: A majority of undergraduate programs at RIT require co-ops. According to the school’s website, more than 4,500 students completed a co-op last year, which it defines as employment of 35 hours or more per week. Students participating in co-op programs are typically paid and participation is tuition-free, unlike programs at some colleges.

U.S. News rank: 142 (tie), National Universities

Overview: Students with majors in the college of engineering and applied science; college of design, architecture, art and planning; business; and school of information technology are required to participate in the University of Cincinnati‘s co-op program. Before graduation, students usually complete three to five semesters of co-ops. The co-op program is also open to some other majors. Students unable to participate in the program, which is more than 100 years old, may get internships or participate in other international or national service-learning programs.

U.S. News rank: 33 (tie), National Universities

Overview: Georgia Tech offers an optional five-year co-op program, which is available for all engineering majors. Students alternate semesters between working full time and taking classes through junior year. Students in the optional co-op program should expect to work at least three semesters. According to the university website, Georgia Tech’s voluntary co-op program is the largest in the U.S.

U.S. News rank: 30 (tie), National Liberal Arts Colleges

Overview: Through the school’s Labor Program, which dates back to 1859, all Berea College students are required to work at least 10 hours a week in approved jobs on campus or in the community while maintaining a full academic course load. Participation in the Berea Labor Program allows students to attend the college tuition-free. In addition to on-campus work, students are able to pursue other active learning experiences such as internships and service.

U.S. News rank: 98 (tie), National Universities

Overview: Depending on their major, Drexel University students may have to complete one to three co-ops before graduation. The co-ops are full-time jobs, generally lasting six months, alternating with six months of academic study. Depending on whether they are on the four- or five-year track, students start their co-ops during sophomore or junior year after taking preparation courses.

U.S. News rank: 53 (tie), National Universities

Overview: Northeastern University co-op students are required to take a preparation course to learn resume writing, interviewing skills, workplace etiquette and other topics. Before participating in their first co-op, which takes place the second semester of sophomore year or the summer after, students must meet with their co-op coordinator. While co-op participation is not required, most students take part.

A lot of schools are working hard to prepare students for careers. Discover how to get an internship in college and gain work experience after freshman year. You can also connect with U.S. News Education on Facebook and Twitter to get more advice on researching colleges.

1. Northeastern University
2. Drexel University
3. Berea College
4. Georgia Institute of Technology
5 (tie). Rochester Institute of Technology
5 (tie). University of Cincinnati
7. Massachusetts Institute of Technology
8. Elon University
9. Purdue University—West Lafayette
10 (tie). Cornell University
10 (tie). Duke University
12 (tie). Carnegie Mellon University
12 (tie). Stanford University
14 (tie). Clemson University
14 (tie). Worcester Polytechnic Institute
16 (tie). Agnes Scott College
16 (tie). Endicott College
18 (tie). Kettering University
18 (tie). University of Michigan—Ann Arbor
20. Harvard University