How Much Do NASA Interns Make? [And Other Things To Know!]

Have you ever wanted to work for NASA? Considering an internship as a way to get your foot in the door? Wondering if you would get paid for such a position? Here is all you need to know.

So, how much do NASA interns make? NASA interns make around $15 per hour, on average. These are paid as stipends (a fixed regular sum paid to help cover internship-related expenses). Although the hourly rate and resulting total amount an intern receives will vary based on their education level and the length of the internship.

In reality, some interns earn much more than the $15 average – gravitating toward $25-$30 per hour, whereas some earn a lot less ($6-$8).

There is therefore not one definitive amount NASA will pay.

Nevertheless, we can get a rough estimation of how much an intern will earn.

So keep reading.

Besides, you’ll also learn a lot more about the application and general process too.

So if you are interested in applyinging, this information could prove invaluable.

Do You Get Paid For NASA Internship?

Most interns will receive a stipend during their time at NASA, however, there are also some volunteer opportunities that do not involve a salary.

Either way, internships that are, and are not paid, will be clearly noted throughout the application process.

How Much Money Does A NASA Intern Make?

How much money an intern makes is entirely dependent on the applicant’s academic level and the length of the internship.

Either way, the money is designed to help cover the expenses incurred by the student while working at NASA.

For instance, interns are responsible for paying their own housing and relocation expenses – NASA does not cover these.

When it comes to calculating the amount an intern will roughly make, we can do this via a little bit of math.

Most internships are 16 weeks.

Internships are full-time, so around 40 hours of work per week.

40 Hours x $15 (average hourly rate) x 16 weeks = $9,600 total paid per internship.

What Are The Eligibility Requirements To Apply For An Internship At NASA?

There are a few fundamental prerequisites for being able to apply for an internship at NASA.

These are:

• You must be a US Citizen, or otherwise you will need to apply for an International Intern position only.
• Need to have at least a 3.0 GPA,
• Be at least 16 years of age,
• Are currently enrolled in a degree at an accredited college or university.

No former experience is required to apply for an internship, although any prior experience will be valuable, likely taken into account, and may be preferred by some particular internship positions, or projects.

Here is what a former intern had to say on the eligibility criteria:

They don’t just look for academics, but also look for passion and ability to work with others. If you are persistent your chances for getting in increase.

They accept people from a range of years from high school students to past 4th year undergrad seniors. Just apply, show that you are really interested and don’t get yourself down. If you don’t get in the first time just keep trying, heck it took me multiple tries.

How Do You Apply To Be An Intern At NASA?

The application process for an Internship at NASA requires searching the current opportunity listings, signing up for an account, and filling out the relevant forms.

You can see all current opportunities on NASA’s official website here.

Before you make your application, be sure to review the project description (to get an idea of what you will be doing), along with looking at the academic requirements.

You will need to upload your school transcript, although it could be an unofficial copy.

Also, a letter of recommendation will really support your application so be sure to upload those too!

When applying, be sure to list all of your previous experiences; including projects you have contributed to at school or in extracurricular activities.

It’s good to include any awards or memberships to societies you may be a part of, and skills you possess.

Finally, it’s important to share why you want a NASA internship.

Be sure to fill out as much of the application as you can – you want to ensure you have a decent chance of being accepted.

After submitting your application you can monitor the status in your account/dashboard.

If you get accepted, well NASA will be in contact!

What Will You Do As A NASA Intern?

Internships provide students with the opportunity to participate in either research or other experiential learning, under the guidance of a mentor at NASA.

You will work on a specific project, which will likely be outlined in the project description during your application.

Although the specifics of what you could be doing can vary dramatically.

Either way, you will be actively contributing to NASA missions.

Where Do NASA Interns Take Place?

NASA internships take place at the various NASA locations in the following states: Texas, Virginia, Mississippi, Florida, Ohio, Alabama, Maryland, California, New York and the District of Columbia (D.C.).

You could be stationed at any one of the following:

• Johnson Space Center
• Langley Research Center
• Marshall Space Flight Center
• Kennedy Space Center
• Glenn Research Center
• Goddard Space Flight Center
• Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS)
• Independent Verification and Validation Facility (IVV)
• Ames Research Center
• Jet Propulsion Laboratory
• Armstrong Flight Research Center
• White Sands Test Facility
• Wallops Flight Facility
• Stennis Space Center
• NSSC

Or even more interestingly, at NASA’s headquarters!

Finally

I cannot think of a better internship than over at NASA.

And thankfully, they have so many different positions, most of which are paid too.

While you won’t make a significant amount of money during your 10-16 week internship, you should easily be able to cover your expenses.

And let’s be honest, an internship at NASA really is not just about the money!