15 Business Internships for Undergraduates in California

Doing an internship during college is a great way to bridge the gap between classroom learning and the professional world because it gives you experience in the field you want to pursue. This practical experience is incredibly valuable, as it shows future employers that you already have the required skills for the job. By adding this experience to your resume, you make your profile much more appealing to hiring managers. Ultimately, having that experience boosts your chances of landing a great job after graduation. 

Why should I do a business internship in college?

Completing a business internship during college can significantly improve your career prospects. Employers often look for candidates who not only understand business concepts but have also demonstrated the ability to apply them in professional settings. Through an internship, you gain experience in areas such as market research, financial analysis, operations, or business strategy while developing transferable skills like teamwork, leadership, and time management.  You also have the chance to work with experienced professionals who can mentor you. Internships can lead to return offers or full-time roles after graduation, making them an important stepping stone into competitive industries. Additionally, internships help you clarify your interests within business, allowing you to make more informed decisions about your career path.

To help you find meaningful opportunities, we’ve narrowed down a list of 15 of the best business internships for undergraduates in California that combine valuable experience and mentorship.

1.TikTok — Business Analyst Intern (Business Integrity)

Location: San Jose, CA; Los Angeles, CA
Stipend: $18.50–$23/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; cohort size not disclosed
Dates: May – August (12-week duration; start dates available in May and June)
Application Deadline: April 30 (Rolling basis)
Eligibility: Currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate students

In this internship, you will focus on keeping the advertising platform safe while still helping the company grow its revenue. During the program, you will explore important topics like ad safety, controlling risks, and balancing user protection with the needs of advertisers. Your main activities will include researching business strategies, spotting potential risks, leading data analysis projects from start to finish, and designing helpful solutions for different teams. A truly unique part of this program is how it combines standard business growth with user safety, all while offering fun social events and skill-building workshops.

2.Ladder University Internship Program

Location: Virtual
Cost/Stipend: Costs vary depending on the program type; financial aid is available / No stipend
Acceptance rate/cohort size: 10–25% acceptance; 70–100 students per session
Dates: Multiple cohorts throughout the year, including Spring, Summer, Fall, and Winter
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary depending on the cohort. Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November); apply here
Eligibility: Undergraduate and gap year students who can work for 10-20 hours/week, for 8-12 weeks

The Ladder University Internship Program is a selective virtual internship that connects you with startups and nonprofits working on real operational and strategic challenges. During the program, you are assigned to a team and work on a project that directly supports the organization’s goals, allowing you to gain hands-on experience in areas such as business strategy, marketing, operations, and research. You collaborate closely with a supervisor or project manager who provides mentorship and regular feedback as you progress through the internship. Rather than completing simulated assignments, you contribute to meaningful projects that organizations actively need help with, helping you develop practical professional skills.

3.Campus Reels – Campus Marketing & Outreach Intern

Location: Westminster, CA
Stipend: $18–$35/hour + commission
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Selective; typically 1–2 interns per specific campus
Dates: Part-time; flexible schedule during the academic term
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Currently enrolled college students in or near Westminster, CA

The Campus Marketing & Outreach Internship provides hands-on experience in social media marketing, campus engagement, and grassroots outreach. In this role, you help promote financial wellness resources for students by creating and sharing content on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, and other social channels. You may develop creative campaigns that raise awareness about funding tools and opportunities that help students manage education expenses. During the internship, you collaborate with student organizations, academic departments, and local businesses to organize events such as pop-ups, workshops, and tabling sessions. You also help design marketing materials, including flyers and email campaigns, and track engagement to evaluate the effectiveness of your outreach efforts.

4.Cla-Val (Griswold Industries) — Business Internship (Western Region – Sales)

Location: Costa Mesa, CA
Stipend: $18.50–$31.38/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; small cohort sizes
Dates: 8-week summer internship (Typically June – August)
Application Deadline: Mid-April or until filled
Eligibility: Undergraduate students currently enrolled in a 4-year university program; ability to read schematics and engineering drawings; typing speed of 45+ wpm; valid driver's license

During this eight-week summer program at Cla-Val’s headquarters in Costa Mesa, you gain exposure to departments such as sales, production, engineering, and accounting. The internship is designed to provide insight into how products move from design and manufacturing to customer delivery. Throughout the program, you work closely with the Southern California sales team while also shadowing staff in inside sales and production. You may spend time on the factory floor learning about valve assembly and product specifications, participate in Cla-Val University training sessions, and assist with tasks such as order entry, quotations, and reviewing purchase documentation. 

5.Solidigm — Undergraduate Business Internship

Location: Rancho Cordova, CA (additional locations may include Folsom, CA; San Jose, CA; or Longmont, CO)
Stipend: $20–$23.50/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective
Dates: 3 to 6 months (Typically Summer with flexible start dates)
Application Deadline: May 30 (Rolling basis)
Eligibility: Undergraduate students pursuing a degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Data Science, Information Systems, Computer Science, or a related field

The Solidigm Undergraduate Business Internship offers you the opportunity to gain hands-on experience in business operations within a global technology company focused on advanced memory and data storage solutions. Interns join teams within Solidigm’s Global Operations Group and contribute to projects that support areas such as business analysis, supply chain operations, and business management. Through this role, you will gain exposure to strategic planning, logistics coordination, and enterprise systems used to support large-scale technology manufacturing. Depending on your assigned track, you may analyze operational data to support forecasting and pricing strategies, collaborate with stakeholders to document business requirements, or help improve supply chain processes through demand planning and inventory analysis.

6.STMicroelectronics – Business Intern

Location: Santa Clara, California (Hybrid and on-site options available)
Stipend: $24–$24/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; typically 10–25 interns per business site
Dates: May/June – August; 10–12 week duration
Application Deadline: Rolling; typically closes between February and March 30
Eligibility: Currently enrolled undergraduate students (typically juniors or seniors) majoring in Business, Marketing, Economics, or Engineering with a business focus; legal authorization to work in the U.S. required

In this internship, you will explore business automation, data analytics, and sales operations within the semiconductor industry. Your day-to-day work will involve documenting functional requirements, structuring data acquisition projects, and helping develop forecasting web applications. Additionally, you will support daily sales unit operations for some of the company's most critical tech clients. The program uniquely places you at the crossroads of hardware engineering and commercial strategy in a hybrid Silicon Valley setup. Ultimately, you will build highly practical skills in data structuring, process automation, workflow streamlining, and cross-functional stakeholder communication.

7.Tencent — Global Business Development Internship

Location: Palo Alto, CA
Stipend: Paid; $23.38–$40.39 per hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; cohort size not publicly disclosed
Dates: 3 to 6 months in duration (minimum 2-month commitment required)
Application Deadline: April 5
Eligibility: Currently enrolled undergraduate or graduate students 

The Tencent Global Business Development Internship provides an opportunity to gain experience in international business strategy within the cloud computing industry. You will support Tencent Cloud Media Services in expanding its presence in global markets by researching industry trends, identifying growth opportunities, and contributing to strategic initiatives. The role offers exposure to the intersection of cloud technology, media services, and global partnerships. During the internship, you may help build relationships with key stakeholders such as universities, venture capital firms, incubators, and developer communities. You may also conduct market research on emerging trends in sectors such as media, online education, and live e-commerce, providing insights that support Tencent’s global expansion strategy.

8.BioMarin — Business Development Internship

Location: San Rafael, CA (Hybrid)
Stipend: $32–$50/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; cohort size not publicly disclosed
Dates: 10–12 weeks (June–August)
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Full-time undergraduate (typically 3rd or 4th year) or graduate students at an accredited U.S. university; must be returning to school in the fall or have graduated within one year of the program start

This internship allows you to gain hands-on experience in corporate strategy and deal evaluation within a leading biotechnology company. You support the Business Development team in identifying strategic opportunities that help shape the company’s drug development pipeline. The internship is designed to expose you to the intersection of scientific research and business strategy in the pharmaceutical industry. During the program, you may conduct primary and secondary research on potential therapeutic assets, analyze the competitive deal landscape, and monitor industry publications and market developments. Interns also assist with evaluating new opportunities by synthesizing scientific literature, analyst reports, and other data sources into presentations or internal documents.

9.Western Digital — Financial Analyst Internship

Location: San Jose, CA or Irvine, CA
Stipend: Paid; $25–$43 per hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; cohort size not specified
Dates: Summer; typically 10–12 weeks from May/June through August
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Undergraduate or MBA students pursuing a degree in Business, Finance, Accounting, Economics, or a related field; must have at least one semester remaining; authorization to work in the U.S.

This internship offers hands-on experience within the finance and accounting teams of a global data storage technology company. During the internship, you work on real business projects that support corporate financial operations while collaborating with cross-functional teams across the organization. The program is part of Western Digital’s Early Career initiative, which provides structured onboarding, mentorship, and professional development opportunities for students beginning their careers. Depending on your placement, you may work in areas such as Financial Planning & Analysis (FP&A), internal audit, treasury, tax, revenue accounting, or business unit finance. Interns often assist with financial modeling, data analysis, budgeting, reporting, and preparing presentations that help inform strategic decision-making.

10.OmniAb – Summer Intern, Business and Market Analyst

Location: Emeryville, California (Headquarters); Onsite
Stipend: $22–$37/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; small cohort sizes
Dates: 10-week program; Mid-June to Mid-late August
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Undergraduates (3rd year+) or Master’s students in Business, Economics, Life Sciences, or related fields; proficiency in Excel and PowerPoint

As an intern, you will explore the intersection of science and commerce by covering topics like technology development, global therapeutic areas, and industry trends. During this 10-week program, you will research clinical development trends, conduct basic market research on antibody and peptide markets, build analytical benchmark models, and present your findings at the annual Internship Showcase. Uniquely, you will collaborate directly with executive leadership, including the CEO, while receiving personalized support from a dedicated Intern Manager and Advocate. Through these tasks, you will master vital skills in competitive intelligence, data analysis using Excel, and translating complex scientific data into clear business summaries.

11.Syufy Group — Summer Internship Program

Location: San Rafael, CA (On-site; remote Fridays)
Stipend: $25/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; typically 5–15 students
Dates: June 16 – August 6
Application Deadline: January 11
Eligibility: Undergraduate students between junior and senior year 

This internship provides hands-on exposure to business operations within a diversified entertainment and hospitality company. Based at the company’s headquarters in San Rafael, interns work on project-based assignments while learning about Syufy’s portfolio of businesses, which includes athletic clubs and spas, golf venues, restaurants, shopping centers, and drive-in theaters. The program is designed to give you practical experience in how a growing company plans and executes its business strategy. During the internship, you may work in departments such as marketing or residential real estate, assisting with research, strategic planning, and operational projects. Interns participate in internal meetings, job shadowing sessions, and presentations that provide insight into how different divisions collaborate across the organization.

12.K1 – Intern, Business Development

Location: Manhattan Beach, CA
Stipend: $30/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly competitive; small cohort sizes
Dates: Summer (typically a 10-week program from June to August)
Application Deadline: Rolling basis
Eligibility: Current college juniors (rising seniors during the summer) 

The K1 Business Development internship introduces you to the world of private equity and software investing. During the summer, you will research target companies, participate in outreach, shadow calls with top management, and manage information in proprietary data systems. Through this hands-on work, you will learn the fundamentals of private equity analysis and figure out exactly what makes a business a strong investment prospect. The program uniquely stands out by welcoming students from all college majors, providing daily in-office lunches, and offering a direct path to a full-time job for top performers.

13.Yami – Marketing Intern, Korean Market

Location: Brea, CA (Fully On-site)
Stipend: $21–$22/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Competitive; cohort size not disclosed
Dates: Summer (May/June start)
Application Deadline: April 24
Eligibility: Currently pursuing or completing a Bachelor's or Master's in Marketing, Business, Communications, or a related field; proficient in social media platforms (TikTok, Instagram, YouTube)

As a Marketing Intern for the Korean Market at Yami, you dive into influencer marketing to scale the brand's creator ecosystem across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube. You will cover essential topics like talent sourcing, campaign execution, data optimization, and market intelligence surrounding K-culture e-commerce. Daily, you will research high-potential creators, coordinate campaign timelines, review their generated content for brand alignment, and optimize budgets to lower acquisition costs. The role stands out for its hands-on organic seeding within niche Korean community platforms, all while working in a Brea office equipped with an on-site pool and game rooms.

14.CloroxPro – B2B Digital Marketing Summer Intern

Location: Pleasanton, California (Hybrid)
Stipend: $23–$26/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; 21–50 interns (company-wide)
Dates: 10 weeks (June – August)
Application Deadline: April 15
Eligibility: Enrolled in a 4-year degree program (Marketing, Communications, or related); Junior or senior class standing; Minimum 3.0 GPA; U.S. citizenship or permanent residency required

This internship immerses you in the core of revenue marketing and digital platform management. You will collaborate with the team to conduct website content audits, propose SEO improvements, plan LinkedIn campaigns, and support daily marketing automation tasks. It also features a formal three-day state-wide orientation, which is paired with peer mentorship and community engagement days. Through these hands-on assignments, you will learn how to efficiently navigate content management systems and execute digital strategies. Ultimately, this role equips you with tangible skills in search engine optimization, social media management, basic video editing, and cross-functional communication.

15.Rocket Lab – Business Development Intern Summer

Location: Long Beach, California (On-site)
Stipend: $25/hour
Acceptance rate/cohort size: Highly selective; small cohort sizes
Dates: Minimum of 12 consecutive weeks beginning in May or June
Application Deadline: Varies by role; typically late winter
Eligibility: Enrolled in a UG/Grad program (Business, Engineering, CS, or Physics); 3.0+ GPA; 3+ months experience; U.S. Person status (ITAR)

As a Business Development Intern at Rocket Lab in California, you will explore the space industry and connect customers with advanced launch solutions. During the 12-week program, you will primarily focus on understanding both government and commercial sector needs. Your daily activities will include conducting industry research, collaborating with mentors to build tailored mission solutions, and networking through employee tech talks. You get to work inside an end-to-end space company that gives you the autonomy to lead actual projects in small, agile teams. Ultimately, you will learn how to interpret complex technical specifications, white papers, and patents.