List of Paid MBA Internships in Technology, Finance, and Consulting

For full-time business school students, summer internships are crucial. They provide valuable work experience and can function as trial periods for employers considering new hires after their graduation. In fact, some MBA employers only offer full-time jobs to their former interns.

Finding a paid internship can be notoriously difficult. While course credit, a small stipend, or free work experience are valuable, cash is king. According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), paid internships are offered most often through private companies. By comparison, public-sector and non-profit organizations have substantial flexibility due to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) which stipulates these organizations hold decision-making power in deciding whether or not to pay their interns.

At the very least, the SHRM recommends paying interns minimum wage plus overtime. Fortunately, the technology, finance, and consulting companies featured in this article compensate their interns beyond minimum wage. In this way, paid MBA internships create a mutually beneficial exchange of time and talent, as well as future possibilities for employment.

Read on to learn about the most prestigious internships in technology, consulting, and finance.

MBA Internships in Tech Companies

Google

Besides working on projects that match their skills and interests, Google’s MBA interns participate in a professional development program exposing them to the company’s core technical skills and business operations while connecting them with other interns and “Googlers.” The program also offers presentations from company leaders, along with personal mentoring.

Google prefers MBA interns with prior experience in sales, technical sales, advertising, consulting, analysis, customer service, marketing, finance, or operations. Intern wages will vary based on the position and are based on an annual salary. Current internship openings list annual wages at $90,000 to $110,000, with internships lasting 12 to 14 weeks. This translates into a 14-week internship on the high end earning over $29,000.

U.S. locations include New York, Ann Arbor, Boulder, Pittsburg, Austin, and the San Francisco Bay Area. The firm also offers internships in Tokyo, Beijing, Hong Kong, Shanghai, London, Taipei, and Dublin.

Meta

Meta’s intern program consistently ranks number high on Glassdoor. Meta interns surveyed by Glassdoor reported that the company’s workplace culture embraces inclusiveness and creativity. They also noted that they felt like part of the team and worked with smart engineers and colleagues on impactful projects.

Like Google, the firm pairs interns with mentors and supports extracurricular activities like sporting events, community service opportunities, and networking with Facebook leaders.

Most internships are located in Menlo Park, California and interns can make up to $8,000 a month.

Apple

Apple offers some of the most prestigious internships at both the undergraduate and graduate levels. Apple hires MBA interns, although fewer than other firms such as Amazon and Meta. Most of their internships are in tech. Internship options for MBA students include strategic sourcing, product operations/manufacturing design, and product marketing. Many applicants have received offers through on-campus referrals since Apple recruits from several top business schools.

The firm also pays well, but estimates vary. Interns are reported to make about $41.28 per hour. Interns can work at Apple’s Cupertino headquarters or one of the firm’s many other sites spread across California’s Silicon Valley and the world.

Amazon

An MBA internship at Amazon consists of a strategic, analytical, data-intensive project representative of a full-time role focused on an actual business issue. Interns partner with key business groups and clients and have opportunities to drive meaningful change. Miriam Park, director of MBA and university recruiting at Amazon, states that the internship is a critical pipeline for recruitment.

U.S. locations include Seattle, New, York City, Northern California, Southern California, Boston, Austin, Phoenix, Detroit, and the Washington D.C. area. The firm also offers internships in Canada, China, Costa Rica, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, the United Kingdom, Thailand, Poland, the Czech Republic, India, and Japan. Interns can make between $27 to $45 an hour.

Genentech

Fortune Magazine ranked the biotechnology giant Genentech in their top 100 companies to work for. Notably, the company has 53.5 percent minority staff with women making up more than 54 percent of its frontline managerial ranks.

Genentech interns interested in business administration typically have four to six years of work experience in at least one of the following disciplines: sales and marketing, operations, finance, global pharma procurement, pipeline and portfolio planning, or business development. Candidates also may have experience in the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, or healthcare industries.

While most MBA internships are in San Francisco, additional locations might include Vacaville and Oceanside in California, Hillsboro, Oregon, and Louisville, Kentucky. Interns make up to $62,000 per year.

MBA Internships in Consulting Firms

Bain & Company

Bain’s summer associate (SA) program “could quite possibly be the best summer of your life,” states their website. Kicking off with a first week at Ocean Edge on Cape Cod learning Bain’s core consulting skills, the firm’s program appeals to those who wish to experience the real world of consulting while getting insight into a future with the firm.

Applicants should consult Bain’s summer associate website for a list of cities and countries where internships take place. Interns earn between $7,000 to $11,000 per month according to Glassdoor.com.

McKinsey & Company

McKinsey associate interns typically work in teams of three to five consultants, gaining experience in client engagement. Interns gather and analyze data, formulate and test hypotheses, and develop and communicate recommendations. Interns may also present results to clients and implement recommendations with their team. During this process, interns receive training, coaching and mentoring from their team’s colleagues, and also receive support from a local office partner assigned to provide career guidance as well as formal training during the interns’ first few weeks.

McKinsey offers internships across six continents. Applicants should consult McKinsey’s university recruiting website for a list of nations and cities. Interns can make $21,250 over the ten-week program.

Boston Consulting Group (BCG)

BCG works with its MBA interns to understand their interests and assign them to cases aligning with their personal and professional objectives. Interns then work with the firm’s consultants and take responsibility for specific components of client projects.

BCG’s case teams share many similarities with business school study groups, where they brainstorm together to create maximum value. As case team members, interns gain perspectives on life as BCG consultants. Some interns travel nationally (or internationally) and return to their home offices each week for special events. There are ongoing orientations and training sessions that provide insight into the consulting profession, which gives interns some insight into what it would be like to work as a BCG consultant.

Fortune Magazine ranked BCG third among the “100 Best Companies to Work For” list. Like McKinsey, BCG recruits interns across six continents and interns can make $36,538 for the summer.

Deloitte

Many Deloitte interns receive training before joining client meetings. The firm then assigns their interns to one or more client projects where they are responsible for a portion of the client’s deliverables. Interactions with project teams provide interns with mentorships and support that promote success during client engagements.

Throughout the program, the firm provides ongoing learning events such as “lunch and learns,” industry and service line spotlights, and training designed to help interns develop technical and client service skills. Additional social activities provide opportunities to network with Deloitte professionals. Over the summer, the firm also invites interns to a three-day National Intern Conference to meet Deloitte leaders and professionals, connect with fellow interns from other offices, and learn about Deloitte’s businesses and service areas.

Fortune Magazine ranked the firm as the 17th best company for employees. The firm has more than 80 offices in the United States. Interns can make $30,000 and get a full year’s tuition reimbursement if offered and accepted a full-time position.

MBA Internships in Financial Firms

Goldman Sachs

GS summer associates receive a unique insight into how Goldman operates. The firm starts its internships with firm-wide orientations covering company culture and employee benefits, followed by division-specific training. Goldman then gives summer associates all the opportunities and responsibilities of full-time employees, while they work closely with external and internal clients. The firm recruits students who demonstrate knowledge of the finance industry and the firm’s products, services, and markets.

There are internship opportunities in cities across six continents, and interns can make $5,000 to $14,500 per month.

JPMorgan Chase

JPMorgan Chase offers various internship programs for MBAs. All begin with a week of classroom training, followed by group-specific training and practical implementation of learned skills in a real-world setting.

In the investment banking program, interns join industry or product groups, developing and executing deals and transactions. Interns also perform financial analysis, conduct research, prepare pitches, and support the origination and execution of transactions. As group experts, interns become strategic advisors to clients, internal partners, and teams.

Internships exist in New York, Australia, Chicago, Houston, San Francisco, Hong Kong, and Singapore. Interns make $3,800 to $6,500 a month, including undergraduates.

Douglas Mark
Douglas Mark
Writer

While a partner in a San Francisco marketing and design firm, for over 20 years Douglas Mark wrote online and print content for the world’s biggest brands, including United Airlines, Union Bank, Ziff Davis, Sebastiani, and AT&T. Since his first magazine article appeared in MacUser in 1995, he’s also written on finance and graduate business education in addition to mobile online devices, apps, and technology. Doug graduated in the top 1 percent of his class with a business administration degree from the University of Illinois and studied computer science at Stanford University.

Related Posts

  • 14 October 2024

    List of MBA Conferences for 2024-2025

    MBA fairs or conferences are all about personal connections. School gatekeepers travel to these events to meet well-qualified applicants. Moreover, the savviest candidates understand that connecting in a personal way with a school's admissions team can award those applicants with their most critical advantage in the admissions process: a great lasting impression.

  • 7 December 2023

    Guide to MBA Careers – Business Administration Career Paths

    Over the last couple of years, the technology industry has begun to chip away at the share of MBA graduates joining the finance world, and more specifically, investment banking. Some studies even suggest that tech has already, or soon will, become the top recruiter of MBA graduates.

  • 29 November 2023

    List of MBA Associations and Organizations (2024)

    Students should not limit themselves by relying exclusively on their school’s clubs for networking opportunities. Compelling arguments exist for joining local chapters of global, national, and regional professional organizations while students are still in business school.

  • 12 November 2023

    MBA Salary Guide: Starting Salaries & Highest Paying MBA Concentrations (2023)

    Specializations amount to critical choices in an MBA student’s career. They permit students to immediately deliver highly marketable skills to an employer upon graduation, the value for which most employers will gladly pay handsome salaries.

  • 10 October 2023

    Harvard Professor Sues University for Defamation Over Misconduct Allegations

    A superstar Harvard Business School professor accused of research misconduct has filed a defamation lawsuit against Harvard University, the school’s dean, and the three blog authors who levied the allegations. Tenured faculty member Dr. Francesca Gino—a famous leadership expert and author of two books plus more than 100 scholarly research papers—filed the suit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts on August 2 after HBS had placed her on administrative leave.

  • 10 August 2023

    Biz Flash: What to Know Before Starting a Car Rental Business

    While the car rental industry may seem profitable for entrepreneurs, it is essential to understand the risks and challenges involved. Read to learn Abram’s top considerations when considering a car rental business.

  • 1 February 2023

    The Best Mobile Apps for MBA Students

    A typical MBA student must manage a demanding workload that includes class assignments, group projects, internships, job interviews, student club meetings, and networking events. Mobile apps can play a significant role in helping students manage this demanding workload.