How Much Do Los Angeles Interns Get Paid?

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Home to some of the world’s largest companies, Los Angeles is fertile ground for ambitious and self motivated people to make a splash in their industry. Whether you have a degree in finance, healthcare, business, or the arts, Los Angeles has an internship program for you. It’s no surprise college students and graduates alike are flocking to LA to launch their career and build up their resume. Better still, Los Angeles interns earn more on average than interns anywhere else in the United States. Here’s a rundown of what Los Angeles interns need to know to get started.

What Types of Companies Offer Internships in Los Angeles?

It can be overwhelming looking for your first internship. Los Angeles is home to some of the biggest names in finance, tech, and entertainment. This makes the market very competitive across all fields. Depending on your chosen profession, there are a lot of opportunities. Los Angeles is the banking capital of the West Coast. There are hundreds of investment banks and financial law firms, who all need a  interns to help with auditing, data entry, and portfolio management.

Marketing agencies also need interns to help with daily activities that go beyond creating promotions and sales. If you want to break into the entertainment industry, Los Angeles is absolutely the best place to start. With a long history of film and television production, LA best known for its movie and television studios. Whether you’re working on the production line or in the back office, movie studios need interns to keep their productions in order.

Where Do Los Angeles Interns Live?

After you secure an internship in LA, the next step is finding affordable housing. The Los Angeles housing market is even more competitive than the job market.  You can still find one bedroom apartments in Westwood, Anaheim, and the North Valley for less than $1,500 a month. If you’re willing to split the space, staying in a one bedroom apartment with a friend will secure stable housing while you develop your skills and expand your portfolio. If you don’t know anyone in the area, websites like Craigslist can be great for finding shared housing. Many aspiring business professionals look for like minded housemates online.

How Can Interns Get To Work?

There are a lot of ways to get around Los Angeles, but COVID-19 has made things a little more complicated. Los Angeles is a massive, sprawling city, which makes it hard to get anywhere on foot. Along with that, many companies require that their interns have a car, so they can reliably get to work on time. This rules out public transportation, which can be limiting for some. Ridesharing apps get expensive very quickly, so securing a vehicle is the best way to get around.

If you don’t have the means to purchase a car outright, long-term rental is a viable option. You’ll have all the benefits of owning a vehicle without having to shoulder the full cost of ownership. This is also a great option if you’re only interning at a business for a few months out of the year. Independent rental agencies offer the most competitive rates, especially for long term rentals.

How Much Do Los Angeles Interns Make?

While interns in Los Angeles make more on average than in any other city in America, it entirely depends on your industry and expertise. The average hourly wage is about $23.50 – $24.05 if you already have a degree and some work experience. Here’s a quick rundown for the top ten industries hiring interns in Los Angeles from highest to lowest hourly wages:

Low Hourly WageAverage Hourly WageHigh Hourly Wage
Legal$             55.68$                   69.47$               83.25
Computer Science$             47.18$                   56.36$               65.54
Real Estate$             24.54$                   30.92$               37.30
Sales$             26.94$                   27.63$               28.32
Graphic Design$             25.08$                   27.49$               29.89
Social Media$             22.11$                   26.42$               30.72
Accounting$             17.00$                     23.00$               29.00
Human Resources$             16.41$                   19.09$               21.77
Hospitality$             12.80$                   17.79$               22.77
Healthcare$             15.00$                   15.50$               16.00
How much do los angeles interns get paid infographic
Need a Vehicle for Your Internship in Los Angeles?

At Value Rental Car we want to help you get to your destination quickly and safely. We offer clean and affordable rental cars for local driving in LA and Pasadena, with complimentary pickup and drop off service within seven miles of our two locations. If you’re a college student, we want to help you get on the road. We rent to drivers under the age of 21, and we offer cash and debit card car rentals. Check out some of our other articles to learn more about how car rental works!