Imagine this: you finally land that dream summer internship where you can really prove yourself, and you can’t wait to get to work. But a month in, you’re now dealing with rising bills and long unpaid hours, and that excitement has been replaced with stress and exhaustion. Yes, you’re gaining skills in your field and working with professionals, but your bank account is dwindling, and money is tight. 

A story like this isn’t unusual. It’s an experience shared by countless college students across the nation who are told that unpaid internships are a necessary step toward a career. If internships are truly meant to prepare students for the workforce, then they must follow the basic rule of employment: paying employees for their hard work. 

According to internship statistics published by StandOut CV in 2025, 40% of college internships are unpaid, meaning around 1.66 million college students will be unpaid interns every summer. In today’s world, that’s not an opportunity — it’s a barrier. 

Things must change, and all college internships must be paid to benefit students.

Living expenses make unpaid internships unsustainable

The financial burden of college and living makes an entire summer of unpaid work unrealistic. According to a 2024 CNBC survey, over 59% of the 2023 graduating class were concerned about basic living expenses after graduation, even with a full-time job lined up. EducationData.com reported in 2026 that the average college student spends over $1,200 per month on living expenses, not including tuition. This, combined with the fact that overall consumer prices are up 3.3% in 2026, creates an unwinnable situation for college students.

Students simply cannot afford an entire summer of 25 to 30-hour workweeks without pay. With rent, groceries and gas prices continuing to rise, asking students to work for free becomes financially impossible. Unpaid internships force some students to decide between gaining valuable experience and meeting their basic needs — a choice no student should ever have to make. 

Why should college students have to give up their resume to take an underemployed job because they can’t afford to take an internship that won’t pay for their time and effort?

Students provide valuable work to companies

Internships are more than just observing and taking lunch orders; they involve quality work that directly impacts companies. A 2024 Forbes article citing a 2023 National Association of Colleges and Employers poll found that 80% of employers consider internships one of the best returns on investment. The productivity, innovation and dedication interns provide help a company flourish and directly support operations.

Interns are much more than just temporary workers who help out. Instead, companies benefit meaningfully from their time and ideas. They are part of the everyday workflow, productivity and output. Paying interns isn’t just fair — it reflects the hard work they provide and the reality of the workplace.

Paid internships lead to better career outcomes

Both financially and professionally, paid internships lead students to more promising futures in the workforce. A 2023 research article from the National Association of Colleges and Employers found that paid internships are 32% more likely to lead to a full-time job than unpaid ones. Additionally, paid interns receive an average of 1.61 job offers, while unpaid interns receive 0.94. 

If employers properly invest in interns, it benefits both the student and the employer, and provides students with the valuable workplace experience and habits they need to get a job. It’s a mutual relationship: interns put in harder work, the company accomplishes more and interns not only get a great opportunity for their resume, but also make money.

Some argue that the experience alone from an unpaid internship is compensation enough, and that it provides opportunities with companies who have tight budgets. 

However, experience doesn’t cover rent, groceries, gas and other necessities. 

Furthermore, when students are juggling classes, internships and other responsibilities, experience does not cover the summer of unpaid labor. If an organization truly values interns and the services they provide, it must find a way to pay them.

Since internships are supposed to prepare students for work in the real world, they should reflect the expectations of the real-world workplace. Students should never be asked to sacrifice financial stability for career growth. They shouldn’t have to work for free to gain experience and prove their ambition, and they absolutely shouldn’t be expected to go an entire summer without making money. 

It’s time for colleges, employers and lawmakers to push a simple policy that benefits college students: if interns are doing real work, then they should be making real pay. We must stop viewing unpaid internships as a milestone college students must check off on their way to a career and instead treat students with the respect and pay they deserve.