Is Washington University in St. Louis or Northwestern better for internships?

The biggest practical tradeoff is location and employer density versus a more campus-centered experience. Northwestern sits right next to Chicago, which gives students easier access to in-semester internships, more frequent employer events tied to a major city, and a broader range of nearby industries. WashU has strong career support, but St. Louis usually does not offer the same volume or variety of internship options during the school year.

For overall internship access, Northwestern has an edge. Being in Evanston with direct access to Chicago matters a lot if you want internships during fall, winter, or spring, not just summer. It also helps with networking, coffee chats, employer visits, and short-notice opportunities that are simply easier when a major business hub is close by.

Northwestern students benefit from recruiting pipelines across consulting, finance, media, tech, healthcare, and nonprofits in the Chicago area. On top of that, Northwestern’s alumni network is especially visible in Chicago, which tends to help with introductions and local recruiting.

WashU is still very good for internships, especially because its students are well supported by the career center. For summer internships, the gap narrows since many students at both schools go to New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Boston, or other cities. WashU also has notable strength in pre-med, research, healthcare, and some business pathways, but the day-to-day convenience of internship hunting is usually less favorable than at Northwestern.

If internships are a major deciding factor and you mean broad access across industries, I would lean Northwestern. WashU can absolutely get you strong internship results, but Northwestern tends to offer the more convenient and opportunity-rich setup overall.