Earn while you learn
In addition to earning academic credit, some internships are also paid by the employer or grants secured by JCC. If an internship is paid by the employer, the student will not also get paid by a JCC grant.
Internships may or may not be paid, and completing an internship for academic credit does not guarantee payment. The potential internship pay does not account for any tuition or fees you may be responsible for paying by adding a credit internship to your course load. Contact Financial Aid and Billing to accurately determine any costs.
- Students seeking to be paid through a grant must be enrolled in at least six academic credits in addition to their internship credits.
- All students should consult with Financial Aid & Billing to determine if accepting an internship stipend from a JCC grant will affect their financial aid.
Payment limit & amount
If an internship is eligible to receive a stipend, students will be eligible to be paid for up to three internship credit hours per academic year. Each new academic year begins with the fall semester and will include the fall, spring, and summer semester.
Generally, internships are paid at New York State minimum wage, which is $16/hour in Chautauqua County as of January 1, 2026. If you are completing a credit-bearing, paid internship, you can expect to earn the following:
| Internship Credits | Hours of Work Per Semester | Potential Pay Per Semester |
|---|---|---|
| 1 credit | 45 hours (3 hours/week) | $720 |
| 2 credit | 90 hours (6 hours/week) | $1,440 |
| 3 credit | 135 hours (9 hours/week) | $2,160 |
If an on-campus, paid intern does not completed required onboarding paperwork from Human Resources, the stipend request will be canceled and the internship will remain an unpaid internship.