Quick Facts
American Equity internship · at a glance
Roles open and close throughout the year. Check American Equity's careers portal for what is live today, and apply in the first week a role posts.
Before you applyWould your profile get you in?6 questions, under a minute. Compared with real interns who landed similar roles.Check my oddsAlso in this guide
Put real project work on your résumé, with the Attronica Financial Planning & Analysis and Private Company Valuation Externship or the Breaking Games SQL Database Architecture Externship.
Explore all externships →All quick facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Where to apply | American Equity openings page (Greenhouse); the Launchpad internship page has a contact form if your area isn't listed |
| Application window (2027–28) | Summer 2027, open now: 12 roles first posted Aug 21 to Sep 17, 2026; more 2027 roles may post during the year. Last cycle's class was full by April 2026. Expected: summer 2028 roles around late August to mid-September 2027 |
| Rolling? | Yes. No posting states a deadline; roles fill as candidates are hired |
| Eligibility | Actively pursuing a bachelor's degree on most roles (bachelor's or master's for actuarial; associate's or bachelor's for the AI architecture role); one passed actuarial exam for actuarial; no GPA or sponsorship statement |
| Duration | 10 to 12 weeks in summer 2027, in person |
| Compensation | "Competitive compensation, including a housing stipend"; no hourly rate published. Sales interns get a sponsored Iowa life license course and one exam fee |
| Return offers | No conversion rate published; the program page features an intern who stayed on full time |
| Locations | Downtown Des Moines, IA (all 12 roles), on site |
| # Programs | One Launchpad program with 12 roles: Actuarial; Accounting, Tax, Expense Management and Investment Accounting; five IT roles; two Sales roles (AEL Distribution and Eagle Life) |
Last updated: October 2026
American Equity's summer 2027 internships are open now. On October 5, 2026 its openings page listed 12 Launchpad Internship Program roles in actuarial, accounting, tax, IT and sales, all first posted between August 21 and September 17 and all based in its downtown Des Moines, Iowa office. Its internship page says "2027 internship opportunities are open" and that more 2027 roles may be posted during the year. In plain words: you apply during 2026, you intern in summer 2027.
The program runs 10 to 12 weeks in person, pays competitively with a housing stipend, and includes an intern Hack-a-thon where teams present ideas to company leaders. Don't wait for spring: last cycle, the same page said all 2026 internship positions were filled by April 2026.
What Is an American Equity Internship?
An American Equity internship is a paid, 10-to-12-week summer role in the Launchpad Internship Program at American Equity Investment Life Insurance Company, a fixed and fixed index annuity insurer that says it funds over half a million retirements nationwide. Interns join one team (actuarial, accounting, IT or sales), work in person in downtown Des Moines, and get mentorship, executive-led lunch and learns, community service, intern networking events and a Hack-a-thon presented to leaders. American Equity has been owned by Brookfield since May 2024, and its sister insurer American National now sits under the same holding company, but the two recruit separately on their own boards. Eagle Life, American Equity's other annuity brand, hires its sales intern through this program.
When Do American Equity Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?
American Equity first posted its 12 summer 2027 roles between August 21 and September 17, 2026 (Greenhouse timestamps, a lower bound on the public posting date), about 8.5 to 9 months before a summer 2027 start. Recruiters then visited Drake, Iowa State, Northern Iowa, the University of Iowa and DMACC between September 18 and 30. The prior class tells you how long the window lasts: in January 2026 the internship page still invited applications, and by April 11 it said all 2026 positions were filled. American Equity runs one summer cohort. Applications for summer 2028 are expected around late August to mid-September 2027, based on one dated cycle.
Applications for summer 2027 are open right now: 12 roles in actuarial, accounting, tax, expense management, investment accounting, IT (data engineering, digital platforms, information security, SAP security, AI architecture) and sales.
Rolling review and interviews. American Equity says more 2027 internship roles may be posted during the year, so check the openings page every few weeks.
The summer 2027 class is likely to be full, based on the April 2026 notice that all 2026 positions were filled.
The 10-to-12-week Launchpad program runs in person in downtown Des Moines, with weekly business presentations, lunch and learns and the intern Hack-a-thon.
Applications for summer 2028 are expected to open, followed by September campus career fairs in Iowa.
How to read this page: our dates come from tracking previous recruiting cycles and daily posting data. Treat them as informed estimates based on historical patterns, not confirmed dates. The company's official careers page is always the most current source. If a role is posted there, go by that, even if this page suggests the window hasn't opened yet.
Why You Must Apply the Week Applications Open
American Equity hires on a rolling basis. None of the 12 postings names a deadline, and the company says more 2027 roles may appear during the year, so there's no single cutoff to plan around. The risk is the opposite: seats fill as offers go out. Last cycle the internship page still invited applications in January 2026 and said every 2026 position was filled by April 11. One more caution: a job mirror lists an "apply by October 9" date for a sales role, but that's the mirror's own 30-day expiry, not American Equity's deadline. Apply in the first weeks either way.
Which American Equity Internship Programs Should You Target?
Each Launchpad role is a separate posting on American Equity's Greenhouse board. The 12 live on October 5, 2026, grouped by area:
| Area | Roles | Focus | Key skills |
|---|---|---|---|
| Actuarial | Actuarial Intern | Integrate models for fixed index annuities, statutory and GAAP reserves, pricing, policy calculators | 1 passed actuarial exam; SQL, R, Python, Tableau |
| Accounting and finance | Accounting, Tax, Expense Management, Investment Accounting Interns | Reconciliations, journal entries, management reporting, budgeting, tax and investment accounting | Accounting or finance major; Excel; detail |
| Data and AI | IT Intern, Data Engineer; IT Intern, Solutions Architecture - AI | Data pipelines and migrations; AI prototypes in a hybrid cloud | SQL, Python; cloud basics |
| IT and security | IT Intern, Digital Platforms; Information Security; SAP Security | Web platforms, security tools, SAP access security | Web development or security fundamentals |
| Sales | Sales Intern, AEL Distribution; Sales Intern, Eagle Life | Supporting wholesalers: illustrations, pre-sale support, advisor segmentation, campaigns in Salesforce | Communication; marketing, finance or economics majors |
See every role on the American Equity openings page; the internship page describes the program.
What Are the Eligibility Requirements?
American Equity's postings keep the gates simple:
• Enrollment: "actively pursuing" a bachelor's degree on most roles; bachelor's or master's for actuarial; associate's or bachelor's for the Solutions Architecture - AI role, so two-year college students can apply.
• Class year: no graduation window is stated on any of the 12 postings.
• GPA: none of the 12 postings names a minimum.
• Exams: the actuarial role requires a passing score on at least one preliminary actuarial exam; sales interns can take a company-sponsored Iowa life license course.
• Work authorization: none of the postings mentions visa sponsorship, so ask the recruiter if you need it.
• Location: in person in downtown Des Moines for all 12 roles.
Does American Equity Have a GPA Cutoff?
Not a published one. None of the 12 summer 2027 postings names a GPA, a class year or a sponsorship rule. The one hard requirement is the actuarial exam: the Actuarial Intern posting says a passing score on at least one preliminary exam "is required." Everyone else is screened on coursework, skills and fit.
Profile Match · Extern Data
Could You Get In at American Equity? Compare Your Profile
Based on 543 investment banking summer analysts at top investment banks from the classes of 2025 and 2026 (public LinkedIn profiles, aggregated). Six questions, under a minute.
Which summer are you applying for?
Recruiting timelines differ by class year, so we compare you with the right group.
Which group is your school closest to?
Firms recruit on campus in tiers. We match you against admits from schools like yours.
Is your major finance, economics, accounting or business?
Math and statistics count too. Major is not a hard filter, but it shifts how much your coursework has to prove.
How many internships, externships or research positions have you held so far?
Count anything with a real employer, mentor or principal investigator attached. Retail and food service do not count.
Has any of that experience been finance-related?
Banking, PE or VC, corporate finance, wealth management, equity research, accounting or consulting. Any size of firm counts.
Are you in a finance club, investment fund or case competition team?
Campus clubs are how most admits get their first deal and modelling reps.
Aggregated from public LinkedIn profiles of people who held the internship. No individual profile is shown. Read the full investment banking intern profile analysis and the cross-industry study of 2,500+ intern profiles.
What Skills Does American Equity Look For, and How Do You Build Them?
All 12 American Equity postings ask for clear written and verbal communication, attention to detail and organization, and 11 ask for Microsoft Office or Excel. Most add analytical problem-solving and meeting deadlines in a fast-paced setting. On top of that, the actuarial role names Milliman Integrate, SQL, R, Python and Tableau, the data and AI roles add Python, SQL and cloud tools, and the sales roles use Salesforce.
What American Equity looks for in interns
Skills across 12 American Equity intern & analyst job descriptions · live US postings, October 2026
Method: keyword analysis of the role-specific requirements in all 12 American Equity summer 2027 intern postings live in early October 2026, with program text removed. The top three bars come from a shared requirements template, so they apply to every role.
How Is Demand for Accounting Interns Moving Right Now?
Accounting intern postings · Sep vs Aug 2026
vs 362 in August
For American Equity applicants: American Equity has four accounting-side intern roles live (Accounting, Tax, Expense Management and Investment Accounting), all in downtown Des Moines with no stated deadline, so apply before the class fills.
Daily US job-posting counts, Sep 1–30 vs Aug 1–31, 2026. Covers under half of US postings; shows direction, not market size. Pay = median of employer-published ranges only (83 postings in September, 44 in August).
Build These Skills Before You Apply
Each American Equity skill maps to a remote Externship that gives you a finished project to discuss in interviews.
| Skill (from real JDs) | JD evidence | Externship that builds it |
|---|---|---|
| Financial analysis and reporting | Accounting, Expense Management and Actuarial roles: reporting, budgeting, reserves and pricing | Attronica Financial Planning & Analysis and Private Company Valuation |
| Investment analysis | Investment Accounting Intern: investment accounting and reporting | Yinan Zhao Investing & Financial Modeling |
| SQL and data pipelines | Data Engineer and Actuarial postings name SQL; data migrations across environments | Breaking Games SQL Database Architecture |
| AI prototypes | Solutions Architecture - AI: AI prototypes in a hybrid cloud environment | Wayfair n8n AI Agent Engineering |
| Security fundamentals | Information Security and SAP Security interns | Hydroficient IoT Cyber Defense |
| Advisor segmentation and campaigns | Sales interns: advisor segmentation and marketing campaigns | Consumer Behavior Insights with Generous Brands |
Match the Externship to your role: Attronica or Yinan Zhao for accounting and actuarial, Breaking Games or Wayfair for data and AI, Hydroficient for security.
What Is the American Equity Application and Interview Process Like?
American Equity publishes the outline of its process on the program page and in the postings:
1. Apply to a specific role. Each Launchpad role is its own posting on the openings page; if nothing fits, use the internship page's form so recruiters can contact you about later 2027 roles.
2. Meet recruiters if you can. The 2026 campus fairs ran September 18 to 30 at Drake, Iowa State, Northern Iowa, the University of Iowa and DMACC.
3. Interviews. American Equity doesn't publish the format, and we found no first-hand intern interview account. Prepare behavioral stories plus the tools your posting names.
4. Offer. Offers go out on a rolling basis until the class is full.
Our behavioral interview guide shows how to build STAR stories for the interview.
What Employees Say on Indeed
Reddit has no first-hand discussion of the internship, so these cards come from American Equity employee reviews on Indeed. They're from full-time staff, not interns.
An actuarial employee in Des Moines described a fast-paced environment with lots of interesting work.
An investment accounting leader said the best parts were local management and early Fridays, and that the Brookfield merger added layers of reporting.
A data architect said the atmosphere changed and people grew nervous as the Brookfield purchase approached.
How Do You Stand Out for an American Equity Internship?
Three moves. First, apply this fall. All 12 roles posted between late August and mid-September, and last year's class was full by April. Second, name the tools in the posting. Actuarial applicants should show SQL, R, Python or Tableau and a passed exam; data applicants SQL and Python; sales applicants comfort with a CRM like Salesforce. Third, prepare for the Hack-a-thon mindset. The program ends with interns presenting solutions to leaders, so bring one example of solving a business problem as a team and presenting it. Two-year students should note that the AI architecture role accepts associate's-degree students. American Equity publishes no applicant count or conversion rate.
What Other Companies Should You Consider?
American Equity competes for Iowa finance, actuarial and IT students with other annuity and life insurers in the Des Moines area.
- F&G Annuities & LifeDes Moines fixed index annuity rival with a smaller intern classGuide →
- Principal Financial GroupDes Moines insurer and asset manager with one of the area's largest intern classesGuide →
- AtheneApollo-owned West Des Moines annuity insurer; summer 2027 hiring done by mid-NovemberGuide →
- Corebridge FinancialNational annuity and retirement insurerGuide →
- American NationalSister insurer under the same Brookfield holding company, recruiting separatelyGuide →
Our insurance internships summer 2027 guide compares calendars across life, annuity and property and casualty insurers.
FAQ
Can I still apply for a summer 2026 American Equity internship?
No. American Equity's internship page said all 2026 internship positions were filled by April 2026, and that summer is over. Summer 2027 is the open cycle: on October 5, 2026 the company had 12 Launchpad roles live in downtown Des Moines, with no stated deadline. Apply now, before the class fills.
When do American Equity internship applications open?
In late August and September. The 12 summer 2027 roles were first posted between August 21 and September 17, 2026, and recruiters visited Iowa campuses in late September. Expect summer 2028 applications around late August to mid-September 2027, and check for extra roles during the year.
Are American Equity internships rolling?
Yes. None of the 12 postings states a deadline, the company says more 2027 roles may be posted during the year, and offers go out as candidates are hired. Last cycle the class was full by April 2026, so applying in the fall gives you the most open seats to compete for.
Does American Equity have a GPA requirement?
None of the 12 summer 2027 postings names a GPA minimum, a class year or a sponsorship rule. Most roles ask that you're actively pursuing a bachelor's degree, and the AI architecture role also accepts associate's students. The actuarial role is the exception: it requires at least one passed preliminary actuarial exam.
Are American Equity internships paid?
Yes. American Equity's postings promise competitive compensation including a housing stipend, but no hourly rate is published for any of the 12 roles. Sales interns also get a company-sponsored Iowa life license study course and one exam fee. Ask your recruiter for the rate once you reach the offer stage.
How long is the American Equity internship?
The Launchpad program runs 10 to 12 weeks in summer 2027, in person at American Equity's downtown Des Moines office. It includes mentorship, weekly business presentations, executive-led lunch and learns, community service, intern networking events and a Hack-a-thon where interns present solutions to company leaders.
Is American Equity the same company as American National?
No, though they're related. Brookfield bought American Equity in May 2024, and the two insurers now sit under the same holding company. They keep separate brands, careers sites and internship programs, so apply to each on its own board and check each company's own calendar.
Do American Equity interns get full-time offers?
Some do, but American Equity doesn't publish a conversion rate. Its internship page features a former intern who stayed with the company because of meaningful work, mentorship and a clear growth path. Treat the summer as a long interview and ask your manager about full-time roles before it ends.
American Equity's 12 summer 2027 roles are open now and last year's class was full by April. Apply this month, and build a project you can point to in interviews: a remote Externship gives you one in about 8 weeks.
About the Author
Bifei Wang has spent 17 years focused on human flow and the growth of young professionals, spanning international education, career training and coaching, and recruitment process outsourcing. Over 7 years at Extern, he has had one-on-one sessions with thousands of students exploring careers in consulting, finance, tech, marketing, and data, giving him a firsthand view of how the job market has shifted for early-career professionals and what it actually takes to break in.
