Extern Pay Survey Results: Class of 2025/2026

I recently ran an anonymous pay survey for the Extern Class of 2025/2026 to help bring more transparency to compensation across the program. Thanks to everyone who participated—we received 64 responses, providing a meaningful snapshot of salaries, stipends, benefits, and compensation structures across a wide range of externship opportunities.

Here are a few highlights from the results:

• 84.4% of respondents reported having a paid externship, while 15.6% were unpaid.

• The most common compensation model was a stipend (47.2%), followed by salary (28.3%) and hourly pay (24.5%).

• Compensation varied considerably depending on the employer and position, with reported stipends ranging from $7,000 to $45,000 and annual salaries ranging from approximately $16,500 to $55,000.

• Only a small percentage of respondents negotiated their compensation, though several reported successfully negotiating higher pay or additional benefits.

• PTO also varied widely, with 41.3% receiving 10 or more days of paid time off, while 31.7% reported receiving no PTO.

While this isn't a complete census, it's a solid sample that should help current and prospective externs better understand the range of compensation packages being offered. As always, pay varies based on factors like employer, location, specialty, experience, and benefits, so these results should be viewed as a reference rather than a benchmark.

I've included a summary of the results below, and for anyone who wants to dig deeper, I've also shared the full anonymized spreadsheet so you can explore all of the responses yourself. (removed gender and city information)

Follow the link to the full spreadsheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1506p3IxaaRIYoXAU6DCFs-ly6bSMOkJd1FJGPcE9qx4/edit?usp=sharing

Thank you again to everyone who contributed. The willingness of this community to share information makes it easier for everyone to make informed career decisions and advocate for fair compensation.