Paid Internships: How much do interns get paid? Why do some receive no stipend while others earn lakhs? Understand the complete picture..

Paid Internships: For college students and recent graduates, internships are the first step into the world of careers. It's not just a way to gain experience, but also an opportunity to learn and earn some money (stipend). An intern's salary is called a stipend. It's not a fixed amount. An intern's salary can range from 0 to ₹1 lakh per month. This wide range depends on the size of the company, the industry, the duration of the internship, and the intern's skill set.

Stipends are highest in high-profile technical and financial fields, while in non-profit organizations or small startups, they are often lower or even zero. Therefore, understanding the stipend range before starting an internship is crucial. The biggest factor in determining an internship stipend is the industry and location. For example, the technology and finance sectors have high demand for work and require expertise. These sectors offer the highest stipends.

Internship Stipend: How is an intern's salary determined?
In fields like the humanities or media, the intern's stipend is lower. Additionally, the nature of the internship matters. If you are doing a full-time and long-term (6 months to 1 year) internship, the stipend is likely to be higher. Also, if you are doing result-oriented work (such as coding or data analysis), you may also receive performance-based bonuses.

Internship Stipend Range by Industry

1. Technology and Engineering
Stipend Range: ₹30,000 to ₹80,000+ per month.
Why higher: FAANG companies (Meta, Amazon, Google, etc.) and major IT companies offer high stipends, especially for software development (SDET) and data science internships.

2. Finance and Consulting
Stipend Range: ₹25,000 to ₹1,00,000+ per month. Why higher: Interns in investment banking, private equity, and top consulting firms (like MBB) have to work very long hours. That's why they offer high stipends.

3. Digital Marketing and Content
Stipend Range: ₹5,000 to ₹25,000 per month.
Why lower: Due to the high supply of talent in this sector, the stipends are relatively lower. However, in larger companies, it can go up to ₹40,000.

4. Human Resources (HR) and Operations
Stipend Range: ₹10,000 to ₹30,000 per month.
Why moderate: These are roles related to organizational support, which typically fall in the mid-range salary bracket.

Is it okay to do an unpaid internship?
Whether or not an unpaid internship is worthwhile depends entirely on your career goals and the quality of the internship.

An unpaid internship might be acceptable if:
The experience is valuable: You are learning specialized skills or expertise that are crucial for your career and cannot be acquired elsewhere.

Networking: You get the opportunity to connect and work with top professionals in the industry.

Portfolio: You get the chance to work on a significant project or task that will immediately enhance your resume.

However, be aware that some companies use "unpaid internships" simply for cheap labor. If the internship only involves making coffee or doing repetitive administrative tasks, it's a waste of your time.

Remember, experience and networking can be more valuable than money, provided the internship is focused on your learning. If you are not financially independent, always opt for a paid internship.

Disclaimer: This content has been sourced and edited from News 18 hindi. While we have made modifications for clarity and presentation, the original content belongs to its respective authors and website. We do not claim ownership of the content.