How to Answer "What Are Your Salary Expectations?" for an Internship

"What are your salary expectations?" is a strange question to get when you've never been paid for this kind of work. Say too high and you worry you'll lose the offer. Say too low and you might leave real money on the table for a whole summer. So most people panic and type "flexible."

You don't have to guess, and you don't have to be awkward about it. Here's how to come up with a real answer in about fifteen minutes, and what to actually say.

Why they ask

Usually it's practical, not a trick. The employer has a budget for the role, and they want to know early whether you're in the same ballpark. For a lot of internships the pay is already set, so your answer won't change much. But when there's a range, the number you say first often becomes the starting point.

That's why "flexible" isn't great. It doesn't help them, and it gives up the one moment where you get to set the anchor.

Step 1: find what similar internships pay

You want a range for this kind of role, in this city, at roughly this kind of company. Places to look:

• The posting itself. A lot of internship listings now state a pay range, especially in states that require it, like California, Colorado, New York and Washington. If it's in the posting, that's your best starting point.
• Similar listings. Look up five to ten internships in the same field and city that do show pay. You can browse internships that state their pay and read the ranges off real listings.
• Your career center. Many schools publish what their own students were paid last summer, by major. Ask if yours does.
• People who did it. Upperclassmen who interned at the same company or in the same field usually know the number, and most are happy to tell you.

Write down what you find as hourly rates. Internship pay is almost always hourly, so compare like with like.

Step 2: set your range

Look at the numbers you collected and pick a range of a few dollars an hour that sits in the middle of them. Two rules:

1. The low end has to be a number you'd genuinely be happy with. Employers often aim for the bottom of whatever range you give, so don't put a number there that you'd resent.
2. Keep it believable. A range that's far above every comparable listing reads like you didn't do the research.

Adjust for location (expensive cities usually pay more), the field (software and finance roles tend to pay more than many others), and your year in school.

Step 3: say it

Keep it short and calm. You're sharing information, not making a demand.

In an interview:

"Based on what similar internships in [city] are paying, I'm looking for something in the range of $[low] to $[high] an hour. But I'm most interested in the role itself, and I'm open to talking about the full package."

On an application form with a free-text box:

"$[low] to $[high] per hour, based on comparable internships in [city]. Open to discussion."

On a form that only accepts one number: use the middle of your range.

If you'd rather hear their number first:

"Could you share the range budgeted for this role? I want to make sure I'm in line with it."

That's a perfectly normal question. If they ask you again after that, give your range.

If the pay is already set

Plenty of internships have one fixed rate for every intern. If the recruiter tells you that, don't argue the hourly number. You can still ask about the things around it:

• Is there a housing stipend or relocation help?
• Are hours guaranteed, and is overtime paid?
• Is there a signing or return bonus?

These can matter as much as the rate, especially in an expensive city. Our post on how to get paid for internships covers more of them.

What not to say

• "Whatever you think is fair." It sounds polite, but it hands them the whole decision.
• A number you made up on the spot. If you haven't looked, ask for their range instead.
• Why you need the money. Your rent is real, but the answer should be about what the role is worth, not your budget.

The short version

• Research five to ten similar internships that show pay.
• Pick an hourly range whose low end you'd be happy with.
• Say it plainly, and say you're open to the full package.
• If you'd rather not go first, ask for their range. That's normal.

Where UTern fits

UTern Birdee shows pay on every listing that states it, lets you set your own pay target, and shows how each role compares, so you already have your range by the time someone asks. UTern is free, and we never submit an application without you. Browse internships that state their pay.