how much to pay interns for a Summer job?

[space-time]

I am interested in hiring some college students for 2-3 months to work in my lab this Summer, full time (40-45 hours/week). This is a technical job, suitable for someone seeking an engineering degree. I have plenty of work for them (I can train them) and they can use the extra time to learn something new. I think I have work for 25-30 hours per week and there are downtime (waiting for a component to be ready for next process step) so they can learn to use other tools in the lab, talk to other engineers, or go watch the production line and see how that works, or if they want just text message, I don't care, as long as they are completing their expected task in a reasonable time and show some interest to show up on time and show a positive attitude. This is in NJ where things are expensive. How much should I offer them? I want them to feel useful and earn some bucks, but I can't afford to pay more than I pay some of my regular staff. I am looking for students who can work at least 2-3 months.

[C(-)ris]

I'm going to go with somewhere in the $10 to $16 per hour range. For students, cost of living doesn't really matter as much. The assumption is that they are staying with their parents for the summer or have college housing. They would get minimum wage for work study.

[Janit]

What do you pay your regular staff? What would you pay an entry-level tech that you needed to train?

I have become uneasy with the whole "internship" phenomenon, as so many employers now treat it as a way to get work out of students for slave wages.

Better to honor what you are offering by calling it a summer job.

[Filliam H. Muffman]

I was lucky in one of my summer jobs, I got base part time union wages without benefits. There was an intern two years ago and it was the same way. If they are not getting work/study credit, as a minimum I would go at least halfway between the local wage for fast food and base wage for a new employee. You might want to consider recent hires grumbling the intern is getting the same pay as them with no degree and no experience.

[Ombligo]

Whatever it is, it's better than teaching interns -- in our state at least, they must work a full semester for free.

It's a crock, but that is what the state ed department requires and the colleges went along (if they are paid, they won't receive credit)

[space-time]

Janit wrote:
What do you pay your regular staff? What would you pay an entry-level tech that you needed to train?

I have become uneasy with the whole "internship" phenomenon, as so many employers now treat it as a way to get work out of students for slave wages.

Better to honor what you are offering by calling it a summer job.

yes, it is a Summer Job, but I also view it as a learning opportunity for the students. On some cases, if the student likes the job, they return the next Summer, and more often than not, if an opportunity comes up, the get hired when they finish college. I was shooting for $16-18 which is not too far below some of the entry levels in our company, although my staff is paid in mid to higher 20s, but they do have experience.
I see that the poll (8 votes by now, and no, I didn't vote) reflects this.

[OWC Jamie]

Pay them with opportunity and teachable moments.
They should be paying you !!

They can still go to the beach on sunny days right ?

[sekker]

I voted $14-16; that's a little higher than what I pay my summer students, but your COL is higher.

[TLB]

Upper class students in an engineering track typically get $18-25 here, especially if they have strong testing, MATLAB or CAD skills. "Hard" science majors may have just as rigorous curriculum, but without the engineer tag they only draw $12-15. Comp Sci majors can name their price and unfortunately often don't return to school because they get paid so much without even finishing their degree.

[cbelt3]

If you treat interns as just summer workers, then pay them for the job they are doing. So you don't piss off the people who have to work with them.

If you treat interns as a summer long interview, then pay them for the job they are doing and offer some additions like training, opportunities to practice actual science-y stuff in their field of interest, and a hands on mentoring relationship with an experienced person. Consider it more of a recruitment expense.

Loyalty to employees is returned as loyalty to the employer. Summer interns WANT to learn.