What is a finance internship and how to become one

Q: How long does it take to become a Finance Internship?

It takes one year or less to become a finance internship. That is the time it takes to learn specific finance internship skills, but does not account for time spent in formal education. If you include the normal education requirements to complete a college degree, then it takes 4 to 6 years years to become a finance internship.

Q: Do finance interns get paid?

Yes, finance interns typically get paid. It depends mostly on the employer but varies depending on the specific position, geographic location, and experience. Some internships offer academic credit instead. However, many internships do offer pay with yearly salaries ranging from $26,000 to $47,000. At major companies and firms, the pay can be higher than $80,000.

Q: How do I prepare for an internship in finance?

To prepare for an internship in finance, you generally need to be enrolled in an accredited university. Most internships require enrollment in a college/university in relevant finance, accounting, or business. Also, university programs typically offer academic credit for internships.

Q: How to get into finance

To get into finance, you need to have the right educational credentials, experience, skills, and network. Finance is a highly competitive and rewarding field, and getting into it can be a challenging task. However, with the right knowledge, skills, and mindset, anyone can break into the finance industry and start building a successful career.

Q: What skills do you need for a finance internship?

The skills you need for a finance internship generally are communication, analysis, and management. A finance internship is typically fast-paced, so you'll want to work efficiently in a busy environment. You'll also want to be familiar with Microsoft Office Suite, such as Excel and PowerPoint. Furthermore, excellent verbal and written communication skills will also be helpful.

Q: What to do with a finance degree and no experience?

You should get an internship, craft a stellar resume, and network when you have a finance degree and no experience. Here are some details on these strategies and others you can employ when you have a finance degree with no experience:

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Dr. Jon Hooks Ph.D., CFA, CFP®,

Julianne Jones

A finance internship is a work experience program designed to provide students or recent graduates with hands-on training and exposure to the financial industry. Interns work closely with professionals in various areas of finance, including accounting, investment banking, corporate finance, and asset management. They may assist with research, analysis, financial modeling, and other tasks to support the team's work. The goal of a finance internship is to give interns practical experience.

What general advice would you give to a finance internship?

Dr. Jon Hooks Ph.D., CFA, CFP®

Professor of Economics and Management, Albion College

Do not underestimate the importance of your GPA. Work hard in every class to get a 4.0. An increasing number of employers are requesting students with at least a 3.7 or 3.8 GPA. Also, set yourself apart. Add some skill that distinguishes you from the huge number of other finance graduates.

ScoreFinance InternshipUS Average

Salary

3.0

Avg. Salary $38,458

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.6

Growth rate 15%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

5.7

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.34%

Asian 10.00%

Black or African American 8.57%

Hispanic or Latino 9.58%

Unknown 3.87%

White 67.65%

Gender

female 35.37%

male 64.63%

Age - 43

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 - 43

Stress level

6.6

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

8.9

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

5.6

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a finance internship?

Pros

Valuable experience in the finance industry
Potential for a job offer after completion
Chance to develop technical skills
Chance to work on real-world financial projects
Possibility of earning academic credit

Cons

Low pay or unpaid internship

Limited opportunity for creativity or innovation

Some tasks may be repetitive or mundane
High pressure to perform well and meet deadlines
Potential for limited mentorship or guidance from supervisors

Key steps to become a finance internship

Explore finance internship education requirements

Most common finance internship degrees

Bachelor's

78.6 %

Master's

11.5 %

Associate

5.7 %

Start to develop specific finance internship skills

Skills	Percentages
Risk Management	6.38%
Internal Audit	6.13%
Power Bi	5.84%
Math	5.57%
First Hand	5.34%

Research finance internship duties and responsibilities

Ensure office equipment run smoothly and properly and manage inventories, order equipment and supplies.
Manage team of underwriters and loan processors through the funding and secondary market sale of mortgage-backed securities.
Manage A/R and financial functions for large automotive global account, generating annual revenues in excess of $100M/contract year.
Manage administration of SalesForce accounts as well as creating and automating various business specific reports.

Prepare your finance internship resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your finance 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 a finance 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 finance internship resume templates

Build a professional finance 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 finance internship resume.