Purdue students have work experiences with thousands of employers each year, including Fortune 500 companies, startups and government employers.  

Purdue University was ranked No. 6 in the 2026 U. S. News & World Report (USNWR) Best College rankings, in recognition of its diverse breadth of internship and cooperative education experiences.

The Cooperative Education Program (Co-op), hosted within the Office of Professional Practice (OPP), was launched in 1954 with eight students studying mechanical engineering, to help students finance their education. Now, over 80% of graduating Purdue Engineering students complete at least one co-op or internship as a means to both help finance their education and gain experience to elevate their careers.

Purdue students take on work experiences with thousands of employers each year, including most of the Fortune 500 companies, startups and government employers. Since 2020 Purdue’s co-op and internship ranking has risen from No. 13 due to a concerted effort to make its Co-op program more flexible for students and employers, increase employer partners and provide better industry preparation for students during their first year on campus.

Purdue’s Co-op program allows students to gain 12-22 months of full-time paid work experience through progressively challenging work responsibilities related to their academic discipline. Purdue allows for multiple co-op work patterns to best fit the needs of students and employers.

“We are one of the few voluntary co-op programs in the country to have expanded over the course of the past five years.” said Joe Tort, OPP’s managing director. “We have put a high priority on listening to our students and industry partners to better prepare students and match with opportunities in high demand.”

Prior to a Co-op rotation, students are prepared through OPP courses, such as ENGR 10301 (Intro to Professional Practice) or ENGR 29701 (Global Engineering Pre-departure). Students can also hone skills through free MILESTONES workshops, a series of skills-based, micro credential certifications on engineering and prototyping skills. More than 2,500 first-year students participated in these courses during the 2024-2025 academic year — and even more are scheduled to complete the courses in 2025-2026.

“ENGR 103 equipped me with the essential skills and confidence to effectively engage with industry professionals, sharpen my networking abilities and clearly articulate my academic goals,” said David Chin, a sophomore studying biomedical engineering in Indianapolis. “This course was pivotal in helping me secure valuable opportunities and set the foundation for my engineering career.”

New Industry Knowledge Certificates — Innovation to Public Service in collaboration with NobleReach, Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, and Semiconductors and Microelectronics — integrate work, research and in-demand industry skills into the Purdue Engineering curriculum. Each certificate enhances the Co-op experience with industry-specific coursework and work-integrated learning.

“The advent of the certificate programs embedded into the academics with internship-specific-type opportunities (has been critical),” Tort said. “We’re really focused on being the leading producer of talent for the semiconductor and pharmaceutical industry. We have a strong focus on developing opportunities for students at startups where they can utilize their talents to make a big impact. We also continue to be one of the only universities in the country dedicated to helping students connect with paid internship opportunities abroad. We believe gaining knowledge of how engineering or business is done around the world provides value to the student’s future employer while maximizing future opportunities.”

Another unique aspect of Purdue’s co-op and internship programs is student and alumni mentorship. OPP employs more than 40 students with industry experience to help guide and mentor its newest students toward industry opportunities aimed to enhance career paths. Student organizations like Professional Practice Ambassadors and GEARE Ambassadors provide support and camaraderie throughout the students' work experience. Multiple opportunities to connect with successful Purdue alum via events, workshops and LinkedIn groups further enhance students’ skills and enable them to land some of the most prestigious co-op and internship opportunities around the world.

Demand for Co-op experiences from both students and employers continues to grow while Purdue continues to find innovative ways to partner with industry to develop the talent of the future.