University of Maryland vs USC: Which offers better internship opportunities?

The biggest practical tradeoff is geography: Maryland puts you within reach of Washington, D.C.’s government, policy, research, cybersecurity, and defense-employer ecosystem, while USC places you in Los Angeles, with direct access to entertainment, media, startups, business, design, and Southern California tech. At Maryland, students can use the nearby Metro connection to pursue semester internships in D.C. while enrolled, which is especially valuable for public policy, international relations, computer science, engineering, public health, and communications. USC’s Los Angeles location can make it easier to build relationships through the film, television, music, advertising, fashion, real estate, and startup communities throughout the city.

Both schools have structured career support, campus recruiting, alumni connections, and opportunities for academic-year and summer internships. Maryland is particularly well positioned for federal agencies, congressional offices, nonprofits, national research institutions, and government contractors. Its proximity can allow students to sustain an internship over multiple semesters rather than relying only on summer work.

USC’s internship edge is strongest in fields where industry networking and local creative or commercial experience matter. Its large alumni presence in Los Angeles can be meaningful in entertainment and media, and its location also supports opportunities in tech, healthcare, engineering, and business. The main logistical drawback is that Los Angeles is spread out, so commuting and finding opportunities near your housing can require more planning than the D.C. Metro corridor.

For internship access alone, USC has the broader advantage for entertainment, media, creative industries, and Los Angeles-based business networks. Maryland is the more compelling choice for government-facing work, policy, research, cybersecurity, and defense-related careers, particularly if you want to intern during the school year in D.C.