BETHLEHEM, PA—New graduates who took part in an internship program are more likely to have received a job offer than their peers who decided to forgo the experience, according to a new study from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE). 

NACE’s 2010 Student Survey shows 42.3 percent of the seniors who had internship experience and applied for a job received at least one job offer. Conversely, only 30.7 percent of seniors without internship experience who applied for a job received an offer.  

The study also found that those who had an internship were more likely to accept the offer—and have a job to go to following graduation. More than one-quarter of the intern group with offers accepted them; less than 20 percent of the non-intern group did so. 

One possibility for interns’ higher acceptance rate: a higher salary than the average offered their non-intern counterparts. 

“Results of our study show the median accepted salary offer for seniors with an internship was $45,301—nearly 31 percent higher than the $34,601 median accepted salary offer to non-intern seniors,” says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director. 

NACE expects to release additional highlights from the 2010 Student Survey throughout the month. A final report on the study’s finding will be available later this year.

About NACE: Since 1956, the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has been the leading source of information about the employment of college graduates. For more information, visit www.naceweb.org. NACE maintains a virtual press room for the media at www.naceweb.org/pressreleases/ .  

See also ENGINEERING SUMMER INTERNSHIP