# Co-op

**Source**: https://www.northeastern.edu/co-op/

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Learn what you ***love*** to do

Spend months exploring career fields before you graduate

Apply your classroom skills to real-world needs

Work with mentors invested in your success

Gain confidence in your potential

Accelerate your transition from student to professional

***Danielle Murad Waiss**: Co-op at NATO Defense College in Rome*

What is co-op?

Co-op is our most immersive experiential program—a full-time, months-long professional work experience that positions you not just for a job, but for your future.

Experiential learning is at the heart of a Northeastern education, engaging you in meaningful work and teaching you to lead in some of the world’s most critical emerging fields.

***Danielle Murad Waiss**: Co-op at NATO Defense College in Rome*

## Graduate ahead of the pack

[For more information, please visit Northeastern’s Career Outcomes page.](https://careeroutcomes.northeastern.edu/)

97%

of Northeastern students get a job or are in\
grad school within 9 months of graduating

58%

are offered a job from a previous co-op employer

33%

higher starting salary over national average\

[For more information, please visit Northeastern’s Career Outcomes page.](https://careeroutcomes.northeastern.edu/)

Enam Fiattor, ’25

**Noguchi Memorial Institute,\
Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital**

## No one supports your path like Northeastern

Co-op is synonymous with Northeastern for good reason: We’ve been a leader in cooperative education for 115 years, and no one does it like we do. Whether you’re exploring, applying, or recruiting, we’re here for you. Our academic advisors and co-op coordinators take the journey with you, aligned in lockstep with your goals.

[For employers](https://www.northeastern.edu/co-op/for-employers/)

[For students and parents](https://www.northeastern.edu/co-op/inside-co-op/)

Just a few of our **4,000+** co-op employer partners

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## Chart your course, define your future

By diving into experiential learning through co-op, these students uncovered their paths toward meaningful careers, combining their talents and passions.

Watch video

Smeet Patel, ’24

**Plasma Science and Fusion**\
**Center at MIT**

## Chart your course, define your future

By diving into experiential learning through co-op, these students uncovered their paths toward meaningful careers, combining their talents and passions.

[Watch video](https://studentlife.northeastern.edu/)

## 5 things every student asks about co-op

[Undergraduate co-op handbook](https://www.northeastern.edu/wp-content/uploads/Co-op-Undergrad-Student-Handbook-2026.pdf)

[Graduate co-op handbook](https://www.northeastern.edu/wp-content/uploads/Co-op-Grad-Student-Handbook-2026.pdf)

1. How do I find a good co-op? 

Securing a co-op is competitive, but it’s a game-changer for maximizing your education. Northeastern has been supporting students through the co-op process for over a century, so you’ll have lots of resources and guidance. Take advantage of them! For undergrads, build your resume during your first year at Northeastern and throughout the summer—join clubs, work in a professor’s lab, do a summer internship. Graduate students, work your network. Most important: Be curious, keep your options open, and work closely with your co-op coordinator each step of the way.

2. Does co-op pay students?

It typically does. In fact, the average pay is $20-plus an hour. Some research, service, arts, and nonprofit co-ops pay less. Know that we work with students to remove cost barriers wherever possible, and some stipends—from Northeastern and employers—are available. Northeastern also offers some scholarships for global co-ops and low-paying fields. Keep in mind that because co-op jobs are full-time, we discourage simultaneous work and study.

3. Where do students live during co-op?

You don’t pay tuition when you’re on co-op. Undergraduates only pay room and board if they live in a residence hall on campus while working. If you do a co-op outside Boston, you’ll secure your own housing. But we can help. Furnished apartments leased by the university are available for undergraduate co-op students in New York City, Chicago, and Portland, Maine (where we also have a campus). And many students find accommodations with the assistance of our Campus Relocation office, through student networking events, and through our broader Northeastern network.

4. What types of companies participate in co-op?

All sizes and all types. Company sizes vary from under 100 employees to more than 100,000. The majority of jobs are at organizations with between 1,000 and 100,000 employees. Job types include business, healthcare, finance and accounting, research, engineering, marketing and communications, software development, art, media, and design. Those are fields, not industries—meaning you can land a finance position at a healthcare company, or a software job at an engineering firm. The options are many! Your co-op coordinator will help you think through what makes the most sense for you.

5. Do international students need a special visa for co-op?

Co-op is a great way for undergraduate and graduate international students studying in the U.S. to gain professional experience. You’ll need to work with Northeastern’s Office of Global Services to obtain authorization (called Curricular Practical Training, or CPT) as an eligible F-1 student. With authorization, you can work full-time, part-time, or hybrid (a mix of in-person and remote).

Have questions?

[Current students](mailto:huskyco-op@northeastern.edu)

[Prospective students](mailto:admissions@northeastern.edu)

More questions?

[Current students](mailto:huskyco-op@northeastern.edu)

[Prospective students](mailto:admissions@northeastern.edu)

Take Action

[For employers](https://www.northeastern.edu/co-op/for-employers/)

[Inside co-op](https://www.northeastern.edu/co-op/inside-co-op/)

[Get in touch](mailto:HireACoop@northeastern.edu)

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