Pay

What to pay a co-op or intern is a common question. Unfortunately, there’s no simple answer. Wages vary by field, industry, geographic location, and the student’s level of experience.

The National Association of Colleges and Employers publishes articles about compensation and an annual Guide to Compensation for Interns and Co-ops (purchase required).

For on-campus internships, pay rates range from $8.50-$14 per hour. Some departments hire work-study students to maximize their budget.

For co-op positions, the tables below show hourly pay rates for co-op positions as self-reported by University of Cincinnati students on co-op assignments in 2017-2018.

Hourly Wages by Co-op Major for Engineering and Applied Sciences, 2017-2018
Co-op Major	Average Hourly Wage	Number Reporting
Aerospace Engineering	$17.84	220
Architectural Engineering	$16.07	103
Biomedical Engineering	$16.93	256
Chemical Engineering	$19.49	449
Civil Engineering	$15.95	243
Computer Engineering	$18.40	258
Computer Science	$18.35	319
Construction Management	$16.42	190
Electrical Engineering	$18.78	314
Electrical Engineering Technology	$17.50	36
Environmental Engineering	$17.87	65
Mechanical Engineering	$18.16	613
Mechanical Engineering Technology	$17.31	219

Hourly Wages by Co-op Major for Information Technology, 2017-2018
Co-op Major	Average Hourly Wage	Number Reporting
Information Technology	$15.43	407

Hourly Wages by Co-op Major for Design, Architecture, Art, and Planning 2017-2018
Co-op Major	Average Hourly Wage	Number Reporting
Bachelor of Science in Architecture	$15.85	199
Fashion Design	$14.37	190
Fine Arts - Art	$11.14	40
Communication Design	$16.29	238
Industrial Design	$16.41	281
Interior Design	$16.08	163
Master of Design	$20.91	11
Master Community Planning	$13.31	14
Master of Architecture	$18.39	113