10 best companies for internships

Challenging projects. Real-world impact of one's work. Access to company leaders. Free food.

These are some of the hallmarks of a great internship, according to reviews on the jobs site Glassdoor, which recently published its annual list of the highest-rated companies for interns.

Four of the firms in the top 10 are big tech companies; two are in the oil and gas sector; and there's one each in media, finance, health and business consulting.

The interns who offered anonymous reviews of the companies where they worked also reported their pay. Average amounts for each company ranged from $1,722 to $7,214 a month.

CNNMoney contacted the 10 companies: three confirmed the pay numbers were in the ballpark, four wouldn't confirm but said they pay competitively, and three didn't respond. The survey didn't distinguish between undergrad and grad student interns. Companies may pay graduate students more, so the average pay reported may be higher than what undergrad interns could earn in some cases.

Each company on the list is actively hiring for interns. And geographically, Glassdoor data show that New York currently has the most open internships (2,500), followed by San Francisco (1,500) and Los Angeles (1,400).

  • Company

  • Avg. monthly pay interns reported

  • What interns say

  • Facebook
    $6,779 (software engineer intern) $6,058 (intern)
    Great culture, challenging tasks, access to anyone in company
  • Chevron
    $6,001
    Professionalism, they invest in you, lots of opportunities
  • Google
    $6,788 (software engineer intern) $7,214 (intern)
    Able to make an impact, supportive managers and co-workers, lots of training
  • Quicken Loans
    $1,850
    Learned a lot about mortgage industry, room for personal growth, free lunch
  • eBay
    $5,893 (software engineer intern)
    Felt appreciated, got to work with top execs, “Bagel Wednesdays”
  • Yahoo
    $5,178
    Everyone's energetic and dedicated; Marissa Mayer a great leader
  • Epic Systems
    $5,003 (software developer intern)
    Well-defined projects, flexibility, fun events for interns every few days
  • Schlumberger
    $5,607
    Lots of learning opportunities, real projects, everyone helpful
  • NBCUniversal
    $1,722
    Great program, professional development sessions beyond your specific job
  • Boston Consulting
    Group
    $5,566
    Surrounded by talent; friendly management; career development made a priority
Glassdoor survey of 25 highest-rated companies for interns By: Jeanne Sahadi and Tal Yellin / CNNMoney