The highest-paying internships in 2027 are concentrated in quantitative trading and research, where weekly pay at a handful of firms is commonly reported in the thousands of dollars. Software engineering internships at large tech companies sit in the next tier, followed by investment banking and consulting. Past that tier, internships pay a real, livable wage, just not in the same league.
None of this is a secret, which is exactly why those roles are so competitive. The more useful question for most students isn't "how do I get the single highest-paying internship" but "which fields pay well and actually match what I'm good at," since the pay gap between the top tier and the next one down is smaller than people assume.
Internship pay by field
| Field | Reported pay range | What drives it |
|---|---|---|
| Quant trading & research | Commonly $4,000 to $6,000+ a week at top firms | Tiny intern classes, heavy math and coding bar, huge revenue per employee |
| Software engineering (big tech) | Commonly $50 to $75 an hour, sometimes plus a housing stipend | Most seats among the top-paying fields, still a real interview bar |
| Investment banking & consulting | Commonly in the low thousands of dollars a week | Long hours, relationship-driven recruiting, prestige premium |
| Data science & AI/ML | Overlaps heavily with software engineering pay at the same companies | Fastest-growing category, pay tracks the employer more than the title |
| Hardware, semiconductor & aerospace engineering | Commonly $30 to $45 an hour | Fewer postings than software, no equivalent brand-name pay premium |
| Accounting (Big 4 and mid-tier) | Commonly $25 to $35 an hour, see our accounting internships guide | Pay is flatter across firms than in tech or finance |
| Marketing, HR & general business | Commonly $18 to $25 an hour | Widest range by company size; startups vary the most |
Ranges above reflect what's commonly reported across public postings and compensation trackers for recent internship cycles, not guaranteed 2027 figures. Individual offers vary by company, city and level, and the highest-paying firms don't always publish a number up front.
Why the gap is so large
Quant firms and big tech companies pay interns close to what they'd pay a junior full-time employee, because the whole point of the internship is to evaluate someone they might hire permanently, and they're competing for a small pool of candidates who also have offers elsewhere. Fields like retail, nonprofit work and most marketing roles don't have that same pressure, so pay tracks closer to a normal part-time or entry wage.
Company size matters too. A software engineering intern at a 200-person startup usually earns less than one at a company with thousands of employees, even doing similar work, because the startup doesn't have the same budget or brand pull to compete for talent on pay alone.
How to actually go after one
Apply to more than the three or four most famous names in a field. Quant recruiting in particular rewards volume: there are dozens of prop trading and quant research firms beyond the handful everyone has heard of, and mid-tier firms still pay well above most other internships. The same logic applies in tech, where mid-size and late-stage startups often pay close to big tech rates without the same flood of applicants.
Prepare for the specific interview format your target field actually uses. Quant interviews lean on probability, mental math and brainteasers. Software engineering interviews test data structures, algorithms and sometimes system design even at the intern level. Investment banking interviews mix technical questions with behavioral fit. Generic interview prep won't cut it for any of these; study the format, not just the company.
If pay isn't your top priority this cycle, that's a reasonable call too. See our full summer 2027 internships guide for the broader timeline across every field, including the ones that don't chase the highest hourly rate but still lead somewhere good.
Quant internships open right now
128 roles live right now
- New today
- New today
Frequently asked questions
Which internships pay the most in 2027?
Quant trading and research internships top the list, commonly reported in the thousands of dollars per week at a handful of firms like Jane Street and Citadel. Software engineering internships at large tech companies come next, often in the tens of dollars per hour range. Investment banking and consulting internships also pay well above a typical student wage.
Do the highest-paying internships require specific majors?
Mostly. Quant roles want strong math, CS or physics backgrounds and heavy interview prep. Software engineering wants a CS or related degree and solid coding fundamentals. Finance and consulting are more flexible on major but expect sharp quantitative and communication skills. Fields outside these three still pay a real wage, just rarely at the same ceiling.
Are the highest-paying internships harder to get?
Yes, noticeably. Quant and top tech programs get far more applicants than seats and lean on technical interviews, coding tests or math assessments most students haven't practiced for. Applying broadly across many firms rather than a handful of famous names raises your odds, since pay drops off less steeply than most students assume once you look past the top names.
Do lower-paying internships still matter?
Often, yes, especially in nonprofits, government and some creative fields where paid roles are scarcer to begin with. A lower-paying internship with real responsibility and a strong reference can open doors a higher-paying but menial one won't. Weigh the experience and the network against the pay gap before ruling one out.