Employers Plan to Expand Summer Intern Hiring This Year

BETHLEHEM, PA—Internship hiring is on the rise this year as employers expect to bring in 3.9% more interns in 2025-26 compared with 2024-25, according to a new report from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).

The positive news from NACE’s 2026 Internship & Co-op Report comes in contrast to last year, when overall intern hiring projections fell 3.1%, as large companies across industries reported plans to trim their intern roles. (See Figure 1.)

This year, more than half of participating employers said they will increase their number of interns.  

“The increase could be a positive indicator for entry-level hiring in general, as many employers offer their summer interns full-time positions to start after graduation,” says Shawn VanDerziel, NACE president and chief executive officer.

In fact, the average rate at which employers convert their interns to full-time hires is at a five-year high, according to VanDerziel. (See Figure 2.)

Other key metrics for internship programs increased as well with 2024-25 interns.

“Employers extended more offers of full-time jobs to their 2025 interns and more of those interns accepted the offer compared to the previous year,” he said.

“Taken together, the increases underscore the value and importance of internships for both employers and students, especially in a tight job market,” VanDerziel notes.

“For employers, internships are a way to ‘recruit once, hire twice,’” VanDerziel says. “It’s an effective use of resources, helping employers to get the most out of their recruiting budgets and identify and build relationships with potential employees early.”

“For students, internships are a great way to practice skills, understand the world of work, test out the employer, and potentially be offered a full-time position at the conclusion.”  

About the 2026 Internship & Co-op Survey: NACE surveys its employer members yearly to gather benchmarks on internship and co-op programs. NACE conducted the survey for the 2026 Internship & Co-op Report, sponsored by 12twenty, from October 15, 2025, to January 4, 2026. A total of 284 organizations took part, including 192 NACE member organizations (26.1% of eligible member organizations), 48 12twenty member organizations, and 44 other companies.

About the National Association of Colleges and Employers: Established in 1956, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) is the only professional association in the United States that connects more than 13,000 college career services professionals, more than 3,800 early career talent acquisition professionals, and more than 400 business solution providers that serve this community.

NACE is the premier source of market research on career readiness, the employment of recent college graduates, and the college-to-career transition. NACE forecasts hiring and trends in the job market; tracks salaries, recruiting and hiring practices, and student attitudes and outcomes; and identifies best practices and benchmarks.

NACE offers its members unparalleled research, networking and professional development opportunities, guidance on standards and ethics, and advocacy on key issues. For more information, visit www.naceweb.org. NACE maintains a virtual press room for the media.