Is RPI or GWU better for internships?

The biggest practical tradeoff is location versus technical concentration. GWU gives you day-to-day access to employers in Washington, DC, which makes part-time internships during the school year much more realistic, especially in policy-adjacent business, consulting, data, government tech, and finance roles. RPI, on the other hand, has a more engineering-centered environment and a long-standing reputation with technical employers, so for engineering and some tech paths, its employer network can be especially relevant even though Troy is a smaller market.

For internships during the academic year, GWU has the clearer edge. Being in DC matters because students can commute to internships at agencies, contractors, startups, nonprofits, and companies without having to wait for summer. That kind of access is harder to match at RPI, where opportunities are more likely to be concentrated in summers, co-ops, or positions you secure beyond the immediate local area.

For engineering specifically, I would lean toward RPI. Employers that hire engineers tend to know RPI well, and the student body is more heavily concentrated in technical disciplines, which usually means more targeted recruiting for engineering, computer science, and related fields.

For business, and for tech roles that overlap with policy, analytics, consulting, product, or federal contracting, GWU is likely more advantageous. DC creates access not just to big-name employers but also to many smaller organizations where students can build experience early. That can be especially useful if you want multiple internships before senior year.

GWU is better for internship access overall because of its location and school-year opportunities, while RPI is often stronger for traditional engineering internship pipelines. If engineering is your core focus, RPI probably gives you the better internship ecosystem. If you want broader access across business, policy-connected tech, and in-semester work experience, GWU has the more practical advantage.