Intern Hiring Is Stable for 2024

BETHLEHEM, PA—Hiring of college students for internships is expected to remain stable this year, according to new research conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

Overall, eight out of 10 employers taking part in NACE’s 2024 Internship & Co-op survey expect to maintain (47.2%) or increase (32.2%) the number of interns they bring in for 2023-24 compared to the 2022-23 academic year. (See Figure 1.)

“That stability points to the value employers place on their internship programs,” says Shawn VanDerziel, NACE’s president and chief executive officer.

“For many organizations, internships are an important means for recruiting college talent for entry-level jobs.”

In fact, on average, responding organizations reported converting nearly 53% of their eligible interns into full-time, entry-level hires.

Not surprisingly, most organizations say they are looking for students with a skill set that matches up with the internship experience, but “a previous internship experience—either with the organization or in the industry—also gives the student an edge,” says VanDerziel.

NACE’s survey also found that many students taking part in internships this year will do so in a hybrid work environment, according to VanDerziel, with “60% of organizations reporting they’ll have their interns work in person and virtually.”

That result aligns with results from other NACE studies of college students and employers. “We see that, in general, students prefer the hybrid environment and that employers recognize and are willing to act on that preference,” he says.

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About the 2024 Internship & Co-op Report: Data for the 2024 Internship & Co-op Report were collected October 31, 2023, to January 5, 2024. A total of 283 organizations took part: Of these, 230 were NACE member organizations, representing 25.5% of eligible member respondents; 53 nonmember organizations also took part. The report explores key aspects of employers’ internships and co-op programs, including hiring projections for the current year, conversion and retention rates, compensation, recruiting strategies, and program structure, as well as historical data for trends analysis.

An executive summary is available on the NACE website.

About the National Association of Colleges and Employers: Established in 1956, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) is the only professional association in the United States that connects 12,300 college career services professionals, more than 4,000 early career talent acquisition professionals, and more than 400 business solution providers that serve this community.

NACE is the premier source of market research on career readiness, the employment of recent college graduates, and the college-to-career transition. NACE forecasts hiring and trends in the job market; tracks salaries, recruiting and hiring practices, and student attitudes and outcomes; and identifies best practices and benchmarks.

NACE offers its members unparalleled research, networking and professional development opportunities, guidance on standards and ethics, and advocacy on key issues. For more information, visit www.naceweb.org. NACE maintains a virtual press room for the media.