Private equity internship education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a private equity internship. Private equity interns usually study finance, business, or economics. 73% of private equity interns hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 1,516 real private equity internship resumes to see exactly what private equity internship education sections show.

The most common colleges for private equity interns are the New York University and the New York University.

There are also many online private equity internship courses to help get the education required to be a private equity internship.

What education do you need to become a private equity internship?

What degree do you need to be a private equity internship?

The most common degree for private equity interns is bachelor's degree, with 73% of private equity interns earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 17% and master's degree degree at 5%.

Bachelor's, 73%

Master's, 17%

Associate, 5%

High School Diploma, 2%

Other Degrees, 3%

What should I major in to become a private equity internship?

You should major in finance to become a private equity internship. 30% of private equity interns major in finance. Other common majors for a private equity internship include business and economics.

Finance, 30%

Business, 15%

Economics, 12%

Psychology, 7%

Other Majors, 36%

Most common colleges for private equity interns

Private equity interns often get their degrees at New York University, University of California - Davis, and University of Chicago. Here are the most common colleges for private equity interns in the US based on their resumes.

Private equity internship common college	Percentages
New York University	11.68%
University of California - Davis	8.12%
University of Chicago	7.11%
University of Southern California	6.60%
Cornell University	6.09%

Show more common private equity internship colleges

Best majors for private equity interns

Rank	Major	Percentages
1	Finance	30.2%
2	Business	15.0%
3	Economics	12.0%
4	Psychology	7.1%
5	Accounting	6.7%

Show more common private equity internship majors

Best colleges for private equity interns

The best colleges for private equity interns are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Vanderbilt University.

A private equity internship with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for private equity interns. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become private equity interns.

1. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

2. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

3. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

4. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

5. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

6. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,625

Enrollment

17,407

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

8. University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, IN • Private

In-state tuition

$53,391

Enrollment

8,568

9. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

10. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$51,354

Enrollment

7,083

20 best online courses for private equity interns

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Top 10 most affordable universities for private equity interns

The most affordable schools for private equity interns are Baruch College of the City University of New York, suny farmingdale, and california state university - long beach.

If the best universities for private equity interns are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for private equity interns.

1. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

2. SUNY Farmingdale

Farmingdale, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$8,306

Cost of attendance

16,091

3. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

4. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

5. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

6. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

7. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

8. University of Puerto Rico - Mayaguez

Mayaguez, PR • Private

In-state tuition

$4,094

Cost of attendance

14,302

9. Florida International University

Miami, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,556

Cost of attendance

19,434

10. USF Sarasota-Manatee

Sarasota, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,587

Cost of attendance

13,043

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for private equity interns

The hardest universities for private equity interns to get into are Northwestern University, University of Pennsylvania, and Vanderbilt University.

Some great schools for private equity interns are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for private equity interns based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,508

2. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,492

3. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

4. Carnegie Mellon University

Pittsburgh, PA • Private

Admissions rate

17%

SAT average

1,507

5. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

6. Washington University in St Louis

Saint Louis, MO • Private

Admissions rate

15%

SAT average

1,506

7. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

8. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

9. University of Notre Dame

Notre Dame, IN • Private

Admissions rate

18%

SAT average

1,502

10. Stanford University

Stanford, CA • Private

Admissions rate

SAT average

1,497

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for private equity interns

The easiest schools for private equity interns to get into are Oklahoma Wesleyan University, holy names university, and notre dame college.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a private equity internship without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for private equity interns.

1. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

2. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

3. Notre Dame College

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

90%

SAT average

994

4. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

5. University of Houston - Downtown

Houston, TX • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

1,012

6. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

7. Iona College

New Rochelle, NY • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,089

8. William Paterson University of New Jersey

Wayne, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

994

9. San Francisco State University

San Francisco, CA • Private

Admissions rate

72%

SAT average

1,054

10. Oregon Institute of Technology

Klamath Falls, OR • Private

Admissions rate

96%

SAT average

1,139

Average private equity internship salary by education level

Private equity interns with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $57,471 annually. With a Master's degree, private equity interns earn a median annual income of $47,375 compared to $39,782 for private equity interns with an Bachelor's degree.

Private equity internship education level	Private equity internship salary
Master's Degree	$47,375
Bachelor's Degree	$39,782
Doctorate Degree	$57,471

Private equity internship education FAQs

What is the best college for Private Equity Interns?

Have more questions? See all answers to common business and financial questions.

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Updated January 8, 2025

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.

Updated January 8, 2025

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