UMD vs. USC: Which school offers better access to business internships?

For business internships, USC offers a particularly strong platform for students targeting Los Angeles industries and a large, highly engaged private-university alumni network. Marshall students can pursue opportunities in entertainment, media, consumer brands, real estate, technology, startups, and Southern California finance while enrolled. Its Los Angeles location makes relationship-building through alumni events, student organizations, and semester-time internships especially relevant.

USC fits the student who wants to build a career in the West Coast private sector and is prepared to network actively. A student interested in entertainment business, brand strategy, venture-backed startups, or real estate would find USC’s local ecosystem especially useful.

Maryland’s Smith School is compelling for a different internship market: Washington, D.C., Northern Virginia, Baltimore, and the I-270 corridor. It has strong access to consulting, government-adjacent business roles, federal contracting, cybersecurity, data and technology, healthcare, nonprofits, associations, and public-sector finance. College Park’s location also makes it more realistic to seek a part-time internship during the academic year in the D.C. area, rather than relying only on summer recruiting.

Maryland may be the more natural match for someone drawn to policy-connected business, consulting, analytics, cybersecurity, or organizations that work with the federal government. Its large regional employer base can be especially valuable for students who want practical experience early and are comfortable navigating a broad public-university network.

Compare the schools by looking at the internship destinations for your intended concentration, not just their general career-center claims. Review each business school’s recent employer lists, student organization sponsors, alumni chapters in your target city, and whether first- and second-year students can access structured internship programs.