USC vs. Ohio State for business internship opportunities

For a student seeking internships in entertainment, media, real estate, startups, consumer brands, or Southern California finance and consulting, USC offers convenient access to Los Angeles employers and a highly connected Trojan network. Marshall students can pursue part-time internships during the academic year, not only over the summer, because many relevant offices are in the LA area. USC’s alumni presence is particularly visible in Southern California, where personal introductions and campus recruiting relationships can matter.

Ohio State is compelling for a student who wants structured access to large, established employers in Columbus and across the Midwest. Columbus also has a growing technology and logistics ecosystem, and internships there can be more compatible with a traditional corporate business path.

The practical distinction is that USC’s advantage is the density of industry-specific opportunities around Los Angeles and an alumni network that is especially influential locally. Ohio State’s advantage is a broad, enormous alumni base and close relationships with Midwest employers that regularly hire interns for finance, marketing, supply chain, accounting, analytics, and operations roles. At either school, joining business organizations early and using career-center recruiting matters more than simply relying on the school name.

Choose USC when you want to build a career in Southern California or in industries tied closely to LA. Choose Ohio State when you are drawn to corporate business roles, Midwest recruiting, and a large university pipeline into major Columbus-based employers.