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What is an accounting internship and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
Quoted experts
Claudia Kocher Ph.D.,
Jodi Olson
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An accounting internship is an opportunity for a student training to become an accountant to learn from a professional. Accounting interns usually work under the supervision of a CPA or other accounting professional. They assist certified accountants with their duties, such as preparing reports, analyzing financial data, and completing tax returns. Interns also handle clerical tasks such as entering data into software management systems. Usually, interns are expected to have some familiarity with common accounting software such as QuickBooks and some mathematical ability, but not too much professional experience. An accounting internship offers a valuable opportunity for a future accountant to gain hands-on experience and make professional connections that could lead to a full-time position.

Most accounting interns are recent graduates from a bachelor's or master's program in accounting. Many others are current students in those programs. They usually don't need much professional experience to get hired as an intern.

Accounting internships usually pay an average salary of $28,001 a year. However, this varies widely between businesses. Many internships are unpaid and only for college credit, while others are paid quite generously.

What general advice would you give to an accounting internship?

Claudia Kocher Ph.D.Claudia Kocher Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Associate Professor, Finance, University of Michigan Dearborn

Continue to hone your communication, networking, and problem-solving skills. Study how successful public firms are creating value and stay current on the news related to business and economics. Develop familiarity with certifications in your area of interest, and consider pursuing certifications that are a good fit with your career goals.
ScoreAccounting InternshipUS Average
Salary
2.4

Avg. Salary $30,642

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
6.0

Growth rate -5%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
2.7
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.63%

Asian 6.50%

Black or African American 6.69%

Hispanic or Latino 14.25%

Unknown 3.96%

White 67.98%

Gender

female 46.70%

male 53.30%

Age - 53
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 53
Stress level
6.0

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level
6.4

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
7.3

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Accounting internship career paths

Key steps to become an accounting internship

  1. Explore accounting internship education requirements

    Most common accounting internship degrees

    Bachelor's

    73.3 %

    Associate

    12.5 %

    Master's

    10.5 %
  2. Start to develop specific accounting internship skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Reconciliations14.25%
    Data Entry7.31%
    Payroll6.48%
    First Hand6.02%
    Work Ethic5.79%
  3. Complete relevant accounting internship training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New accounting interns learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as an accounting internship based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real accounting internship resumes.
  4. Gain additional accounting internship certifications

    Accounting internship certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific accounting internship certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for accounting interns include Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and Certified Management Accountant (CMA).

    More About Certifications
  5. Research accounting internship duties and responsibilities

    • Acquire training on the automated ADP payroll system which lead to a recommendation for the payroll manager position.
    • Manage revenue ledger including other subsidiary ledgers and responsible for the reconciliation of various income accounts to ensure accuracy of postings.
    • Prepare and process accounts payable checks and ACH payments.
    • Code diagnosis and add appropriate modifiers to CPT codes.
  6. Prepare your accounting internship resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your accounting internship resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on an accounting internship resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable accounting internship resume templates

    Build a professional accounting internship resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your accounting internship resume.
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    Accounting Internship Resume
  7. Apply for accounting internship jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for an accounting internship job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first accounting internship job

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Average accounting internship salary

The average accounting internship salary in the United States is $30,642 per year or $15 per hour. Accounting internship salaries range between $24,000 and $38,000 per year.

Average accounting internship salary
$30,642 Yearly
$14.73 hourly

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How do accounting interns rate their job?

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Accounting internship reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Feb 2020
Cons

Business owners that do not know or understand compliance and GAAP, or the patience to follow the rules... generally common in small companies.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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