Khoury College’s co-op program connects employers of all sizes with motivated, creative students ready for the evolving demands of industry. Our rigorous, interdisciplinary programs represent all the key areas within computer science disciplines, and our students come equipped with deep knowledge and diverse perspectives that make them an asset from day one.

Join more than 500 co-op partners across our global network — including Amazon, Google, Verizon, Wayfair, Hubspot, and Tesla — and see how Khoury College co-ops and interns can contribute to your business.

Fresh perspectives, immediate impact

Khoury College co-ops and interns span four undergraduate programs, eight master’s programs, and a wide range of combined majors, but the core benefits of the program are universal:

Built-in talent pipeline: Mentor up-and-coming talent to become your company’s future stars. Two-thirds of Khoury undergraduate students are offered full-time positions by their co-op employers upon graduation.

Outstanding education: Khoury College is one of the nation’s top schools for programming languages, and our interdisciplinary programs produce capable workers ready to meet the demands of the tech industry.

Students ready to excel: Khoury students choose Northeastern University for its emphasis on experiential learning, including research and co-op. Our students are driven to work, contribute, and make the most of their experience at your organization, and they come well prepared thanks to a required co-op prep course.

Extended employment, crucial contributions: Most Khoury co-ops are full-time for four, six or eight months — much longer than most internships. Extended timelines enable co-ops to train fully and contribute meaningful work.

Employers get to decide: You control the process — choose who you interview, who you hire, and what type of work they do.

Starting your co-op partnership with Khoury College

Curious about the time and resources needed for a co-op partnership with Khoury College? Here’s what to know.

No long-term commitment: You decide every six months whether your organization will continue to hire co-ops.

No need to pay benefits: Co-ops are recognized as full-time students and do not require company benefits. Students should be considered temporary, full-time hourly workers, not independent contractors.

No fee: There are no employer fees for posting a co-op position.

No obligation: Posting a co-op position doesn’t obligate you to hire a student. We understand that your staffing needs and financial resources may change.

Partner expectations and support

The Cooperative Education and Career Development Employer Handbook describes in detail the role employers play in the co-op process. Students are your exclusive employees during the co-op period and should be treated in the same manner as other full-time staff. Please consider the following responsibilities:

• Per federal law, hire a student as an employee, not a contractor.
• Throughout the co-op period, ensure there’s ample work related to the job accepted.
• Help the student develop learning outcomes at the beginning of the co-op. 
• Provide mentorship and training to the student throughout the co-op.
• Notify your co-op faculty coordinator of any concerns as they arise.
• Complete a student evaluation at the end of the co-op.

The Khoury Employer Welcome Packet provides in-depth information on best practices for training, enhancing the co-op experience, specifying learning outcomes, handling student evaluations, and addressing student issues.

For questions or concerns related to the co-op process, employees, or experience, please contact your co-op faculty coordinator.

Timelines, recruiting, and search

Creating a job description

Khoury co-op students and interns are in high demand, and attracting the students who fit best with your organization and job opportunity starts with a good job description. We recommend:

• Defining your business needs and identifying how the student will contribute.
• Considering projects, timelines, planning, processes, required skills, communications, and management. Develop and rank key responsibilities in order of priority.
• Being as comprehensive as possible when describing the job, and ensuring that its responsibilities are important and achievable.
  

Posting a job description

Submitting a new co-op or internship position (or reposting a current one) is easy, and it’s all done through NUworks — Northeastern’s one-stop shop for job postings. Just follow the instructions to complete the online form, select “Khoury College of Computer Sciences” from the college dropdown menu, and choose your primary co-op contact if you know who they are. (Either way, your position will get posted.)

If you have questions about posting your position, please contact your co-op faculty coordinator.

Co-op interview process

Applications are available for review immediately upon submission. Use student profile filters to hone your search for additional candidates. Log in and review candidates at your discretion, and contact them directly to schedule interviews.

It’s up to each employer whether to conduct interviews via video conferencing or in person; Khoury applicants are prepared to engage in your hiring process like any other prospective hires. However, we recommend that you don’t delay — Khoury students are in high demand, and top students typically secure positions very early in the application window.

Typical co-op timelines

Undergraduate

	Post job description	Start co-op	End co-op
January–June	August–October	January 1–February 1	End of June
July–December	December–February	First week of July	Third week of December

Graduate

	Post job description	Start co-op	End co-op
January–June	August–October	January 1–February 1	End of June
January–August	August–October	First week of January	End of August
May–August	December–February	First week of May	End of August
May–December	December–February	First week of May	Third week of December
July–December	December–February	First week of July	Third week of December

Job offers and compensation

Making a job offer

Job offers should be made through your organization’s normal hiring channels — directly to the student, both verbally and in writing. We recommend giving students two to three business days to respond to offers.

There are no additional fees or employer paperwork to hire an international student, and you don’t need to sponsor their visa. Northeastern’s Office of Global Services coordinates student documentation to ensure compliance with federal employment regulations.

Recommended compensation

As with any new hire, your organization is free to determine appropriate compensation for co-op positions. Pay rates vary based on a range of factors, including:

• Student’s level of skill and experience
• Type of position
• Industry and type of company
• Distance from campus

Salaries below are based on earnings from recent co-op cycles. The Khoury co-op team can discuss the details of your co-op position and help determine a competitive salary based on your industry and the level of student you’re looking for.

Average hourly pay rates (2023–24)

Student level	Average hourly wage	Top 25% average hourly wage
Master’s	$31.35	$45.00
1st undergraduate co-op	$23.73	$34.00
2nd/3rd undergraduate co-op	$30.13	$41.00