Last updated: September 2026
Boyer & Ritter is the Pennsylvania CPA firm that has been ranked among the nation's top 10 Best Firms for Young Accountants three years running by Accounting Today. Founded in 1926 when Wilson R. Ritter opened his accounting office, the firm has grown over nearly a century into one of central Pennsylvania's leading regional practices, with offices in Camp Hill, Chambersburg, and State College. As an independent member of the BDO Alliance USA, Boyer & Ritter combines the personalized mentorship of a midsized firm with the resources of a global network. Ranked #187 on INSIDE Public Accounting's 2026 IPA 200, named a Vault-Firsthand top-150 internship for two consecutive years, and recognized as one of the PA Chamber's Greatest Places to Intern, Boyer & Ritter offers paid internships at $23–$24/hr where interns are accepted from day one. Managing Partner Lisa Myers joined the firm as a staff accountant in 1989, a living example of the career trajectory the firm offers.
Quick Facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Where to apply | Campus recruiting events or email HumanResources@cpabr.com; check cpabr.com/careers |
| Application window (2027–28) | Sep–Nov 2026 for Spring 2027; Sep 2026–Feb 2027 for Summer 2027 |
| Rolling? | Yes, rolling through campus events and direct email until positions fill |
| Eligibility | Currently enrolled college student; accounting or finance focus preferred |
| Duration | Spring semester (Jan–Apr) and/or summer semester |
| Compensation | $23.00–$24.00/hr (Indeed posting); Vault #46 for compensation |
| Locations | Camp Hill (HQ), Chambersburg, and State College, Pennsylvania |
| # Programs | Accounting4Leaders pipeline: Explore (high school), Engage (externship), Excel (formal internship) |
The key numbers: campus recruiting runs September through November 2026 for spring and summer 2027 tracks, rolling admissions, and a Vault top-150 internship with explicit $23–$24/hr pay. Attend a campus event or email your resume directly for the best odds.
Externships are short, remote professional experience programs where you finish a real project with a real company. The Yinan Zhao Investing & Financial Modeling Externship builds the financial analysis skills a Boyer & Ritter application needs, while the Center for Improving Youth Justice Data Visualization Externship develops the data reconciliation abilities auditors use daily. Explore all Externships.
What Is a Boyer & Ritter Internship?
A Boyer & Ritter internship is a paid placement at a nearly century-old Pennsylvania CPA firm through the Accounting4Leaders Excel program, placing college students into real roles across tax, audit, assurance, advisory, forensic accounting, and business valuation. Vault ranked Boyer & Ritter among its top 150 internships for two consecutive years, with a #26 ranking for Culture of Acceptance and #46 for Compensation. Interns work across multiple practice groups, are paired with dedicated mentors, and gain direct client exposure from day one. Vault intern reviews describe a welcoming environment: one intern said "everyone at Boyer & Ritter is very accepting of interns, and they do not expect you to know anything to start," while another highlighted "the community that the firm fosters" and "the in-depth experience working alongside members of the firm."
When Do Boyer & Ritter Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?
Boyer & Ritter recruits through annual campus visits at central Pennsylvania colleges during the fall semester. The firm's timeline is more flexible than Big Four firms, reflecting its relationship-driven hiring approach. Students at schools not on the campus visit schedule can email resumes directly to HumanResources@cpabr.com. Both spring and summer tracks are available, with rolling admissions that value cultural fit and personal connection. For a firm ranked among the top 10 for young accountants three years running, getting your resume in early carries real weight.
Campus recruiting season begins. Attend Boyer & Ritter campus visits or accounting career fairs at your university. If your school is not on the visit schedule, email your resume to HumanResources@cpabr.com. This is the optimal window for Spring 2027 positions.
Internship positions posted and applications reviewed on a rolling basis. Interviews conducted in-person or virtually with partners and managers. Spring 2027 offers begin to extend.
Spring internships begin. Interns rotate across practice groups including tax, audit, assurance, and advisory, working directly with clients under mentor guidance during busy season.
Summer 2027 interviews conducted and offers extended. The timeline is more relaxed than spring recruiting, but positions still fill on a rolling basis.
Summer internships begin. Interns rotate across Boyer & Ritter's practice groups at Camp Hill, Chambersburg, or State College, gaining hands-on client experience in a supportive, mentorship-heavy environment.
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
Boyer & Ritter is a midsized firm that hires a limited number of interns each cycle, and campus relationships are the primary pipeline. The firm's triple recognition (Vault top 150 + Accounting Today top 10 + PA Chamber) attracts more applicants than a typical firm of this size, so the rolling admissions window effectively shortens as awareness grows. Students who attend a campus recruiting event or email HumanResources@cpabr.com in September or October have the best chance of landing a Fall interview slot. The firm explicitly says it does not expect interns to know anything to start, so do not wait until you feel fully prepared. The Accounting4Leaders pipeline rewards engagement at every level, and an Engage externship or Learn the Stripes event earlier in your career makes you a known quantity when Excel internship spots open.
Which Boyer & Ritter Internship Programs Should You Target?
Boyer & Ritter operates the Accounting4Leaders program, a three-tier career pipeline designed to progressively introduce students to public accounting.
| Tier | Focus | Duration | Key details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Explore | Career shadowing for high school students; introduction to public accounting | Short-term | No formal application; intended as career exploration |
| Engage | Immersive externship for college students; structured exposure to accounting careers | Short-term | Real look at the public accounting field through hands-on experiences |
| Excel (Internship) | Formal paid internship; rotation across tax, audit, assurance, and advisory | Spring (Jan–Apr) or Summer | Paired with mentor; direct client work; $23–$24/hr; Camp Hill, Chambersburg, or State College |
Boyer & Ritter also offers course credit arrangements for qualifying students. Visit cpabr.com/careers-students-campus-recruiting for program details.
What Are the Eligibility Requirements?
Boyer & Ritter's eligibility requirements are straightforward, reflecting the firm's welcoming approach to interns:
• Enrollment: currently enrolled college student in accounting, finance, or a related field.
• Class year: juniors and seniors preferred for the Excel internship track; sophomores may qualify for the Engage externship.
• GPA: not publicly stated. Vault lists this category but the figure is not disclosed.
• CPA track: 150-credit-hour pathway is preferred for tax and audit roles but not explicitly required.
• Location: must be able to work in-office at Camp Hill, Chambersburg, or State College, Pennsylvania.
Does Boyer & Ritter Require Prior Accounting Experience?
No. Boyer & Ritter explicitly does not expect interns to arrive with prior knowledge. A Vault intern review states: "Everyone at Boyer & Ritter is very accepting of interns, and they do not expect you to know anything to start." This welcoming stance is a key differentiator from firms that screen heavily on technical knowledge. The firm invests in training through the buddy-mentor system and structured skill development throughout the internship.
What Skills Does Boyer & Ritter Look For, and How Do You Build Them?
Boyer & Ritter serves a diverse client base spanning auto dealerships, municipalities, construction companies, real estate firms, and manufacturers, and its interns rotate across these industries during tax and audit engagements. The firm's BDO Alliance membership means interns also gain exposure to global accounting standards and resources. The Accounting Today top-10 ranking for young accountants signals that the skills developed here translate directly into career advancement.
What Boyer & Ritter looks for in interns
Skills across 6 Boyer & Ritter intern & analyst job descriptions · Boyer & Ritter campus recruiting page, Indeed posting, and firm service offerings, projecting 2027–2028
Method: analysis of Boyer & Ritter campus recruiting page, Indeed posting ($23–$24/hr), and firm service descriptions. Projected for 2027.
How Is Demand for Pennsylvania CPA Firm Interns Moving Right Now?
Accounting intern hiring at Pennsylvania CPA firms: September 2026
Across US CPA firm intern postings in Pennsylvania tracked this month · aggregate market data, all employers
September 2026 shows a Pennsylvania CPA market where culture-forward midsized firms are increasingly competitive with national practices. Boyer & Ritter's triple recognition (Vault, Accounting Today, PA Chamber) gives it outsized visibility for a ~150-person firm.
Method: aggregate analysis of Pennsylvania CPA firm intern postings and industry recognition, September 2026 baseline.
Build These Skills Before You Apply
And every skill in the chart maps to a remote Externship where you finish a real company project before the recruiting window opens.
| Skill (from real JDs) | JD evidence | Externship that builds it |
|---|---|---|
| Financial analysis & tax compliance | Interns prepare individual and business tax returns with mentor supervision; auto dealership clients involve LIFO inventory calculations and floor plan financing | Yinan Zhao Investing & Financial Modeling |
| Data reconciliation & audit fieldwork | Audit interns assist with internal control testing, account balance verification, and workpaper documentation for municipalities and nonprofits | Center for Improving Youth Justice Data Visualization |
| Business strategy & client advisory | Advisory interns support clients with financial reporting, consulting, and business valuation engagements | Corporate Strategy (Eric Ries) |
The Yinan Zhao deliverable covers financial modeling in the same register as Boyer & Ritter tax work, the CIJY project builds data reconciliation skills central to audit fieldwork, and the Corporate Strategy externship develops the consulting frameworks Boyer & Ritter's advisory practice uses.
What Is the Boyer & Ritter Application and Interview Process Like?
Boyer & Ritter's application process is personal and relationship-driven, reflecting the firm's culture of acceptance and mentorship:
1. Attend campus recruiting events. Boyer & Ritter conducts annual campus visits at central Pennsylvania colleges. Check your career services office at Shippensburg, Messiah, Penn State, Dickinson, or Elizabethtown for visit dates.
2. Email directly if needed. If your school is not on the campus visit schedule, send your resume to HumanResources@cpabr.com. The firm's careers page explicitly invites direct outreach.
3. Apply online. Check cpabr.com/careers-current-opportunities for listed internship positions and apply through the posted channels.
4. Interview with partners and managers. In-person or virtual interviews focus on cultural fit, your interest in accounting, and your career goals. The tone is conversational, not high-pressure.
5. Receive your offer. Rolling offers extended based on fit and availability. Strong cultural alignment and genuine interest in the firm carry significant weight.
Boyer & Ritter interviews are notably more conversational than structured Big Four assessments. Prepare to discuss why a regional firm appeals to you, your interest in the CPA path, and your awareness of Boyer & Ritter's specialties (particularly the auto dealership niche).
What the Community Says
Boyer & Ritter is a ~150-person regional firm, so dedicated Reddit threads are scarce. The cards below draw on Vault rankings, Indeed reviews, and community discussion about the small CPA firm experience.
The people and the environment is one that allows you to enjoy the job you are doing. While helping clients achieve their financial goals, the working environment is what makes Boyer & Ritter stand out from the rest.
Vault intern reviewers describe Boyer & Ritter as a place where everyone is flexible and understanding, especially to new interns. Another emphasized the community the firm fosters and the in-depth experience working alongside firm members.
Community discussions about small CPA firm internships consistently highlight that interns at firms with 50 to 200 employees get more hands-on client work and direct partner interaction than at larger practices. The trade-off is a smaller brand, but the depth of learning is often greater.
How Do You Stand Out at a Firm That Values Culture Over Credentials?
Three moves, all executable before fall 2026. First, research the auto dealership specialty. Boyer & Ritter has a national reputation in dealership accounting, covering LIFO inventory methods and floor plan financing. Mentioning this niche in your interview demonstrates homework that generic applicants skip. Second, reference the Accounting4Leaders pipeline by name. Show that you understand the Explore-Engage-Excel progression and, if possible, that you have already participated in an earlier tier. Third, express genuine interest in the CPA path. Boyer & Ritter invests in developing future CPAs, and signaling your intent to pursue 150 credit hours and sit for the exam shows long-term commitment. The firm's Managing Partner started as a staff accountant in 1989 and rose to lead the practice, so career trajectory stories resonate here.
What Other Companies Should You Consider?
Boyer & Ritter's peer set spans regional and national CPA firms competing for accounting intern talent in the Mid-Atlantic and beyond.
- Baker Tillylarger national firm with Midwest roots and BDO Alliance peer; similar advisory and tax focus; higher pay ($24–$28/hr)Guide →
- CohnReznickTop 25 CPA firm with Mid-Atlantic presence and similar client base; larger scale but comparable culture emphasisGuide →
- RSMTop 10 national firm with strong middle-market focus; higher pay (~$26–$30/hr) and broader geographic footprintGuide →
- CroweTop 10 firm with strong audit and tax practice; established intern pipeline with competitive compensationGuide →
- Plante Moranconsistently ranked #1 Best Firm to Work For; similar people-first culture; Midwest-basedGuide →
Our accounting internships guide maps the full landscape of CPA firm opportunities, timeline by timeline.
FAQ
When should I apply for a Boyer & Ritter Summer 2027 internship?
Begin reaching out in September through November 2026 through campus recruiting events or by emailing your resume to HumanResources@cpabr.com. The firm conducts annual campus visits during fall semester. Spring 2027 internships fill first, and summer positions follow.
How much do Boyer & Ritter interns earn?
Indeed job postings show a competitive starting rate of $23.00 to $24.00 per hour. The firm ranks number 46 out of 150 internship programs for compensation on Vault. Course credit may also be available for qualifying students.
Where are Boyer & Ritter internships located?
Internships are based at one of three Pennsylvania offices: Camp Hill (headquarters, near Harrisburg), Chambersburg, or State College (near Penn State). All positions are in-office with some client site travel for audit engagements.
What is the Accounting4Leaders program?
Accounting4Leaders is Boyer & Ritter's three-tier career pipeline: Explore (high school shadowing), Engage (college externship), and Excel (spring or summer internship). The program progressively introduces students to public accounting and builds a path to full-time employment at the firm.
What departments offer internships at Boyer & Ritter?
Interns work across multiple practice groups including tax, audit, assurance, advisory, forensic accounting, and business valuation. The firm serves diverse industries including auto dealerships, municipalities, construction, real estate, and manufacturing.
Does Boyer & Ritter offer return offers to interns?
Conversion rates are not publicly disclosed, but the structured Accounting4Leaders pipeline and repeated recognition as Best Firm for Young Accountants strongly suggest a deliberate intern-to-hire strategy. The Managing Partner herself started as a staff accountant at the firm in 1989.
What is the Boyer & Ritter internship interview like?
Midsized firm interviews tend to be conversational, focusing on cultural fit, interest in accounting, and career goals. Prepare to discuss why you want to work at a regional firm, your interest in the CPA path, and your knowledge of Boyer & Ritter's specialties such as auto dealership accounting.
How does Boyer & Ritter compare to Big Four internships?
Boyer & Ritter offers more hands-on client work, direct partner interaction, and a mentorship-heavy experience compared to Big Four firms where interns may be more siloed. The trade-off is a smaller brand name and lower pay ($23–$24/hr versus $30–$38/hr). The firm compensates with exceptional culture, lower cost of living, and a structured career pipeline.
Boyer & Ritter's Accounting4Leaders program is backed by a Vault top-150 ranking and nearly a century of accounting tradition. Spend the runway building proof: a remote Externship turns interest in tax and audit into a finished project a fall 2026 application can point at.
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.
