15 Accounting Internships for High School Students in Los Angeles
If you’re a high school student looking to understand the finances of a business, doing an accounting internship can give you firsthand experience in the field. You’ll see how teams record earnings and expenses, review data, and prepare summaries used for company planning. As an intern, you might work with professionals to organize receipts or check financial records. These assignments show how accounting contributes to long-term planning and business management.
Los Angeles is home to many firms and institutions where you can gain accounting experience. Choosing a local internship in Los Angeles also makes it easier to manage your time and expenses. To help you explore these opportunities, here are 15 accounting internships for high school students in Los Angeles!
15 Accounting Internships for High School Students in Los Angeles
1. Ladder Internships
Location: Virtual
Cost: Varies depending on the program; financial aid is available
Acceptance Rate: About 19%, though the exact percentage varies by internship and cohort
Dates: Programs run year-round in 8–12 week sessions during spring, summer, fall, and winter
Application Deadline: Deadlines vary by cohort; Spring (January), Summer (May), Fall (September), and Winter (November)
Eligibility: High school students, undergraduates, or gap year students who can work 10–20 hours a week for 8–12 weeks
Ladder Internships is a remote program that matches high school students with nonprofits and startups worldwide. Many of these organizations are supported by Y Combinator or run by professionals with experience at companies like Google, Microsoft, and McKinsey. Created by Harvard graduates, the program offers internships in various fields, including nonprofits, finance, consulting, health tech, mental health, software engineering, AI, environmental science, and journalism. As an intern, you’ll work on real projects for your host organization and share your results at the end of the program. If you’re interested, you can review the application form in advance to see which internships are currently available.
2. Young Founders Lab
Location: Virtual, with live workshops
Cost: Varies depending on the program; need-based financial aid is available
Cohort Size: 6–12 students (group program)
Dates: Varies based on the cohort
Application Deadline: Varies based on the cohort; you can access the application link here!
Eligibility: All high school students
The Young Founders Lab is a startup incubator founded by Harvard and Stanford alumni for high school students who want to build their own business or nonprofit. You’ll work in a team to create a startup that solves a real-world problem, guided by mentors from companies like Google, Microsoft, and X. You’ll learn about idea development, market research, business strategy, prototyping, and launch planning while also connecting with professionals. You’ll also explore how accounting supports startups by managing cash flow, improving investor readiness, and guiding financial decisions. The program ends with a Demo Day, where you’ll pitch your project to potential investors. For more details, you can check out the program brochure.
3. NABA Inc. Accounting Career Awareness Program (ACAP)
Location: A local sponsoring college or university in Los Angeles, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free | Unpaid
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Dates: One-week program in the summer
Application Deadline: April 15
Eligibility: Minority high school students
The Accounting Career Awareness Program (ACAP), run by NABA Inc., is a week-long summer residency that introduces high school students, especially those from underrepresented backgrounds, to careers in accounting, business, finance, and entrepreneurship. The program takes place at a partner college in Los Angeles, where you’ll take classes on accounting and college prep and join workshops led by professionals. You’ll visit accounting firms, work on group projects, and attend networking events with business leaders and peers. You’ll also get to build useful skills in financial literacy, communication, and time management. The program ends with a closing ceremony celebrating your accomplishments. Year-round programming and webinars are also available for continued learning.
4. LA Promise Fund’s The Intern Project (TIP)
Location: Various locations across Los Angeles, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free | Paid
Cohort Size: Around 115 students participated this year
Dates: June 17 – August 9
Application Deadline: January 13 – March 15
Eligibility: LAUSD and LA County 10th–12th grade high school students
The Intern Project (TIP) by the LA Promise Fund offers paid summer internships for high school students across LA County in areas like finance, arts and media, hospitality, STEM, and nonprofits. Over eight weeks, you’ll take part in workshops, interviews, and small projects. You’ll get hands-on work experience and build skills in project management, communication, and software basics. If you’re looking for accounting-based opportunities, you can learn practical skills such as money management, budgeting, saving, understanding credit, investing, reading financial statements, and managing taxes. You’ll also get to explore business ethics, financial literacy, and personal growth. This internship will also allow you to earn college credit, receive a stipend, and build connections for your future.
5. Port of Long Beach High School Internship Program
Location: Port of Long Beach, around 27 miles from Los Angeles, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free | Paid
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Competitive
Dates: Six weeks between June and August
Application Deadline: January 13 – March 14
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors with at least a 2.5 GPA who live in Long Beach or attend a school in the Long Beach Unified School District area
The Port of Long Beach High School Internship Program allows local students to gain real-world work experience, explore potential careers, and earn a paycheck. You’ll work up to 30 hours a week for six weeks in departments related to international trade and other fields. If you’re interested in finance, you might get to learn how accounting helps global trade by tracking international transactions, managing currency exchange, ensuring tax and customs compliance, and handling financial reporting across multiple currencies. You’ll also participate in Personal Enrichment Training through Future LB, the city’s youth employment center. These sessions cover life skills, financial literacy, work ethics, and career exploration to help you build workplace confidence and essential job skills.
6. CLA (CliftonLarsonAllen) High School Internship Program
Location: Several locations across the U.S., including Pasadena and Los Angeles, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free | Paid
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly selective
Dates: 4 weeks in June and July
Application Deadline: March – April
Eligibility: High school students aged 16–18 who are authorized to work in the U.S. without requiring a work visa
The CLA High School Internship is a four-week program designed for students interested in accounting, business, and professional services. During the program, you’ll work on projects at CLA offices across the country, supported by experienced professionals. You’ll get to apply what you’ve learned in the classroom to real financial and business situations. You’ll work on group projects, review case studies, and shadow professionals to strengthen your analytical and problem-solving skills. You’ll also get mentorship and training in accounting, auditing, and business consulting. Throughout the internship, you’ll work with different clients, experience CLA’s workplace culture and community involvement firsthand, and get an inside look at how the accounting industry operates.
7. LA Metro Summer Internship — Transportation Career Academy Program (TCAP)
Location: Hybrid; virtual and in-person in Downtown Los Angeles, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free | Interns earn a stipend after completing the program
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Over 200 students participated this year
Dates: June 20 – August 1
Application Deadline: February 10 – March 14
Eligibility: Current high school juniors and seniors aged 16–18 with at least a 2.5 GPA who live in LA County near a Metro rail station, attend a school close to Metro’s rail expansion projects, and are U.S. citizens, permanent residents, or legally authorized to work in the U.S.
The Transportation Career Academy Program (TCAP) offers the LA Metro Summer Internship that will allow you to explore careers in transportation at one of the nation’s largest public transit agencies. If you’re interested in accounting, you can explore roles like logistics or transport accounting, where you’ll learn to manage freight costs, fuel expenses, revenue, and asset depreciation to keep operations financially efficient. You’ll gain hands-on work experience, connect your studies to professional settings, and build mentorship relationships with Metro staff. After completing the program, you’ll earn 2 Continuing Education Credits. You can find more details here.
8. Kaiser Permanente KP LAUNCH High School Internship
Location: Various locations across Northern California, including Los Angeles, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free | Interns earn $24 per hour
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Highly competitive
Dates: June 15 – July 31
Application Deadline: Applications open on November 17
Eligibility: High school students, including graduating seniors, aged 16–19 as of June 1, who live in a Northern California Kaiser Permanente service area and can show proof of U.S. work eligibility, can apply; juniors and seniors are given preference
The KP LAUNCH Program, run by Kaiser Permanente, is a seven-week paid summer internship for high school students that explores non-clinical healthcare careers. You’ll work full-time in administrative and support roles, learning about areas like HR, finance, operations, and other business functions. If you’re interested in accounting, you might see how hospitals manage finances through revenue tracking, budgeting, payroll, and financial reporting. You’ll also learn how they oversee resources, monitor patient services, and follow regulations. The program includes weekly skill-building workshops, shadowing opportunities in fields like nursing, pharmacy, and lab sciences, mentorship from supervisors and leaders, and community service projects.
9. Los Angeles World Affairs Council (LAWAC) Internships
Location: Downtown Los Angeles, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free | Unpaid
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Dates: The schedule depends on the opportunity, with multiple cohorts available year-round in fall, winter, spring, and summer
Application Deadline: Varies depending on the cohort and the opportunity; the upcoming deadline for the spring cohort is December 5
Eligibility: Current high school and college students
The Los Angeles World Affairs Council (LAWAC) offers internships for students interested in global affairs, politics, and nonprofit work. You will work on projects, build communication and organizational skills, and attend at least one LAWAC event per month. Tasks can include coordinating events, managing outreach, providing administrative support, researching donors, forming partnerships, or helping with the High School Program. If you’re interested in accounting or finance, working as an events intern will allow you to learn how nonprofits manage and track funds using systems like fund accounting to ensure transparency. R&D interns can learn how organizations report research expenses, while marketing interns explore how accounting supports sales budgets, pricing, and campaign performance analysis. You can also request a recommendation letter from LAWAC leadership.
10. Venice Skills Center Accounting Clerk Program
Location: Venice Skills Center, Venice, Los Angeles, CA
Cost: There’s no tuition, but books and supplies typically cost between $100 and $160
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not specified
Dates: No specific dates; each course requires roughly 80–90 hours to complete
Application Deadline: N/A
Eligibility: California high school students are eligible to apply, though some courses may have specific academic prerequisites
The Accounting Clerk program offers three courses that prepare students for careers in accounting. Accounting 1 and 2 focus on hands-on experience with double-entry accounting systems. You’ll learn the basics, like preparing financial statements, journals, ledgers, and worksheets, as well as adjusting and closing entries, inventories, payroll, taxes, depreciation, and end-of-period procedures. The QuickBooks/Accounting Clerk: Upgrade course will introduce you to computerized accounting. You’ll learn QuickBooks essentials, including company setup, payroll, sales and purchases, inventory, charts of accounts, banking, reports, and general journal entries. All courses are competency-based and follow California High School Academic Content Standards and the Career Technical Education Model Curriculum Standards.
11. Expanding Horizons Institute (EHI)
Location: Various locations across Los Angeles, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free | Paid
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Competitive
Dates: June 15 – July 27
Application Deadline: February 28; the first round of interviews is on March 5–6, with second-round interviews at job sites in April
Eligibility: Current high school sophomores and juniors attending a Title I high school in Los Angeles County, whose parents did not graduate from a four-year college, and who are authorized to work in the U.S.
The Expanding Horizons Institute (EHI) allows first-generation, college-bound high school students in Los Angeles to build skills for college, careers, and civic life. The program starts with interactive seminars and ends with a paid summer internship at a law firm, corporation, government agency, or nonprofit organization. If you’re interested in accounting or finance, interning at a corporation or nonprofit will show you how accounting helps organizations track their finances, make informed decisions, and stay financially healthy. Through EHI, you’ll get to explore career options, connect with professionals, and strengthen your teamwork, communication, and leadership abilities. You’ll also gain independence, confidence, and help with college admissions while getting involved in your community.
12. MOCA Teen Program
Location: Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA), Los Angeles, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free | Paid (amount not specified)
Cohort Size: Over 100 students
Dates: The program runs for an academic year, from September to May
Application Deadline: June 1; applications will open in late April
Eligibility: High school juniors and seniors
The Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) offers a Teen Program for students interested in contemporary art and learning about museum management. You’ll work with local artists, organize Teen Night events, create digital content, or manage social media. The program will help you explore careers in museum education, art curation, and other creative fields. If you’re interested in accounting, you can also learn about the museum’s financial operations, such as budgeting, managing donations and sales, tracking expenses, and using financial data to support museum growth and sustainability. You’ll assist with exhibitions, public events, and artist research, as well as gain insight into how museums run, from marketing to outreach.
13. National Academy Foundation’s Academy of Finance
Location: Multiple locations, including Foshay Learning Center High School in Los Angeles, CA
Cost/Stipend: Free | Paid
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Not listed
Dates: Three-year program; internships run for 6–8 weeks
Application Deadline: Rolling admissions
Eligibility: Local high school juniors and seniors
The National Academy Foundation’s Academy of Finance allows students to explore careers in financial services while learning personal finance skills. You’ll take core classes like Accounting, Banking and Credit, Financial Planning, and Entrepreneurship, along with electives such as Economics and World Finance, International Finance, and AP Economics. You’ll receive industry training, have an opportunity to earn college credit, and get better job prospects after graduation. A key part of the program is a paid internship, where you’ll work at least 200 hours, often during the summer, to gain hands-on experience and connect with professionals. Internships may be at banks, accounting firms, insurance companies, financial exchanges, brokerage houses, or government agencies.
14. UCLA’s Pre-College Introduction to Investments Summer Institute
Location: Virtual or in person at the University of California, Los Angeles, CA
Cost: $2,985 (Commuter) | $2,631 (Virtual); scholarships based on both need and merit are available
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Dates: June 23 – July 11
Application Deadline: June 13
Eligibility: Students in grades 9–12, who are 15 or older, and have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2, can apply; no previous experience in economics or math is required
The UCLA Introduction to Investments Summer Institute allows students to learn about personal finance, investing, and finance career paths. You’ll build skills in money management, personal investing, and banking, as well as earn college credit through UCLA’s economics department. You’ll also learn about U.S. and global financial markets, how they work, and their impact on everyday life. You’ll attend lectures from UCLA faculty on economics and investment topics, plus smaller discussion sessions led by UCLA Economics majors. You’ll work on case studies to apply what you learn. Topics include financial markets, valuation methods, stocks, bonds, commodities, economic cycles, global markets, financial crises, the Federal Reserve, personal investments, venture capital, hedge funds, and private equity.
15. USC’s Exploring Entrepreneurship Program
Location: University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Cost/Stipend: $11,347 (Residential Students) | $7,812 (Commuter Students) + $65 non-refundable application fee
Acceptance Rate/Cohort Size: Selective
Dates: June 22 – July 17
Application Deadline: May 2 (Domestic Students)
Eligibility: Students who have completed at least 10th grade by June 15
USC’s Exploring Entrepreneurship Program allows students to learn what it takes to start and grow a business by combining business theory with practical experience. You’ll hear from guest entrepreneurs, attend talks, and go on field trips to explore Los Angeles’s startup scene. You might learn how accounting supports smart decision-making, budgeting, cash flow management, and business growth. You’ll also learn to apply these concepts by developing your own business idea through group projects and presentations. The program covers topics like accounting and finance, marketing, human resources, business ethics, personal branding, and more, which will help you understand every step of building a successful venture. Past visits have included Downtown LA manufacturing sites, Santa Monica’s Silicon Beach to meet startups and venture firms, and top local retailers.
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