Plan, Compete, and Win Talent in 2026: Internship & Co-op Benchmarks from NACE’s National Survey

• Summary

  Make smarter, data-backed decisions for your 2026 early talent strategy.
  
  The average wage for bachelor’s-level interns is now $23.35/hour, and conversion rates have reached a five-year high (63.1%).
  How does your program compare—and what should you be adjusting now?
   
  Get a clear view of how leading employers are structuring internship and co-op programs so you can benchmark your approach and stay competitive.

  You’ll learn:
  
  •    Where internship hiring is headed for 2026—so you can align your targets
  •    How your conversion rates, wages, and retention compare to national benchmarks

  Walk away ready to:
  
  •    Set competitive intern pay and conversion goals
  •    Strengthen your pipeline and retention strategy
  •    Make data-backed recommendations to leadership
  
  Stay competitive. Plan confidently.

• Presenters

  

  Shawn VanDerziel, President & Chief Executive Officer, NACE

  As president and chief executive officer of the National Association of Colleges and Employers, Shawn VanDerziel leads the association of 18,000 college career services professionals, early talent recruiting professionals, and business solution providers that serve the community. As a leading voice on the employment of the college educated and advocate for opportunity and access for all students, VanDerziel is featured regularly as an industry expert and is a sought-after speaker on a range of topics, including internships, hiring, career readiness, and trends in the workforce and college job market. Prior to joining the NACE staff, VanDerziel was with the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago for 23 years, where he most recently served as chief human resources officer and as chief of staff. His earlier roles included corporate recruiting with Norrell Corporation and a position in higher education as associate director of student enrollment at National Louis University.

  

  Mary Gatta, Director of Research and Public Policy, NACE

  Mary Gatta, Ph.D., is the director of research and policy at the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), where she leads research on the employment of the college educated, and forecasts hiring and trends in the job market; tracks starting salaries, recruiting and hiring practices, and student attitudes and outcomes; and identifies best practices and benchmarks. She has more than 20 years of teaching, research, and advocacy experience working on issues of career education and workforce development in colleges and nonprofit associations. Prior to joining NACE, Dr. Gatta served as an associate professor of sociology at City University of New York-Guttman and faculty director of the Ethnographies of Work program. In addition, she was the research director at the Rutgers University Center for Women and Work and a senior scholar at Wider Opportunities for Women in Washington D.C. She has written numerous books, articles, and policy papers on education and work. Dr. Gatta also served on NJ Governor Phil Murphy's Labor and Workforce Development Transition Team. She holds a bachelor’s degree in social science from Providence College and a master’s degree and doctorate in sociology from Rutgers University.

  

  Jeff Beavers, Vice President, Business Development, 12twenty

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