Which has better internship opportunities, Tulane or American University?

American University has the edge for internship opportunities, especially during the school year. Its location in Washington, DC makes part-time internships much easier to do alongside classes, and AU has especially strong access to government, policy, nonprofit, communications, and international affairs roles. The school is built around that kind of professional engagement, so internships are woven into the student experience in a very direct way.

The biggest differentiator is location-to-opportunity density. At American, students can reach federal agencies, think tanks, embassies, advocacy groups, media organizations, and major nonprofits without needing to wait for summer. That matters because semester-time internships often turn into repeat placements, stronger references, and earlier career clarity. For students interested in politics, public affairs, journalism, public policy, law-adjacent work, or international relations, AU benefits from being in the middle of the hiring ecosystem.

Tulane does offer solid internship access, but it is more regionally shaped and less concentrated in one dominant internship market. New Orleans creates real opportunities in healthcare, public health, business, hospitality, entrepreneurship, environmental work, and community-based organizations, and Tulane has a strong civic engagement culture that can translate into meaningful experiential work. Those internships can be hands-on and distinctive, but the volume and year-round variety are usually not as broad as what AU students can tap into in DC.

The alumni and employer network also functions differently at the two schools. American’s network is especially useful in fields where proximity and recurring in-person contact matter, because employers in DC are already used to hiring students during the semester. Tulane’s network is loyal and active, especially in the South and in certain industries, but for pure internship access while enrolled, American tends to make the process more immediate and routine.