CBIZ Internship 2027–2028: Programs, Pay & How to Apply

Last updated: August 2026

CBIZ just became impossible to ignore. The firm closed its Marcum acquisition in 2024 to become the 7th-largest US accounting firm by revenue, and in July 2026 Grant Thornton announced a $5 billion take-private deal to acquire it outright. That means interns who join now walk into a company mid-transformation with 9,500 employees, 122 offices, $2.76 billion in fiscal-2025 revenue, and an S&P 500 listing. And the door is wide open: CBIZ posts internships on a rolling basis with no published deadline, so the only thing between you and an offer is a polished application and the timing to submit it before seats fill.

Quick Facts

Two things define CBIZ recruiting: rolling admissions with no fixed deadline, and multi-season options (spring busy season, summer, fall part-time). Pay averages $24–$27/hr for interns and up to $32/hr for summer analysts, with no published GPA cutoff.

Externships are short, remote professional experience programs where you complete a real project with a real company. The Yinan Zhao Investing & Financial Modeling Externship builds the financial-analysis and modeling skills CBIZ Tax and Audit interviewers look for, and the HP Tech Ventures Deal Sourcing Externship develops the research and due-diligence thinking Advisory roles demand. Explore all Externships.

What Is a CBIZ Internship?

A CBIZ internship is a paid, multi-season placement at the 7th-largest US accounting firm (NYSE: CBZ), where students rotate through real client engagements in Tax, Audit, Advisory, Business Operations, or Benefits & Insurance across 122 offices. Ranked No. 15 among accounting firms by Vault with top-10 marks for Client Interaction and Forensic Accounting, CBIZ offers the breadth of a national firm with the direct partner access of a regional one. And with the pending Grant Thornton acquisition set to create a combined top-5 firm, an intern class entering now sits at the ground floor of a major industry reshaping.

When Do CBIZ Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?

CBIZ runs rolling admissions with no published deadline, which sounds forgiving but actually rewards early movers. Postings typically surface four to six months before each season starts, and seats fill quietly as recruiters review applications in real time. The firm recruits across multiple seasons: a busy-season cohort from January to April, a summer cohort from June to August, and a fall part-time track. For summer 2028 roles, expect postings to appear in late 2027 or early 2028, and for busy-season 2028 postings to surface in late summer or fall 2027. Contact campusrecruiting@cbiz.com to confirm timing for your target office.

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

CBIZ reviews applications as they arrive and fills seats on a first-qualified, first-placed basis. There is no batch review, no Super Day, no single decision date. That means the candidate who applies the week a posting goes live competes against a thinner pool and gets first pick of office location. Meanwhile, the candidate who waits two months applies after the best seats are spoken for. And because CBIZ has 122 offices but posts for specific locations, a popular metro like Denver can fill weeks before the listing is officially taken down. So treat every new posting as a soft deadline: apply within the first week, not when you feel ready.

Which CBIZ Internship Programs Should You Target?

CBIZ runs internships across five service lines, each with its own client mix and skill profile. The right target depends on which skills you can already demonstrate, because a rolling reviewer who sees proof in your resume moves faster than one waiting on a transcript alone.

See live postings at CBIZ Students & Recent Graduates. Note the multi-season structure: busy-season roles (January to April) let you experience tax or audit at peak intensity, while summer gives a broader rotation, and fall part-time tracks accommodate students still in class.

What Are the Eligibility Requirements?

CBIZ publishes straightforward requirements across its intern job descriptions:

• Education: working toward a Bachelor's degree in Accounting, Finance, or a related field for Tax and Audit tracks. Business Operations accepts candidates working toward an Associate's degree.

• Class year: typically juniors or seniors for Tax and Audit (on a CPA-eligibility path with 150 credit hours planned). Sophomores may qualify for Business Operations or Benefits tracks.

• GPA: no published minimum. Peer firms in the same tier typically screen at 3.0, and CBIZ's Indeed reviews suggest a similar inferred floor, but the firm does not state one publicly.

• Work authorization: US work authorization required. No explicit statement on visa sponsorship for interns; contact campusrecruiting@cbiz.com to confirm for your situation.

Does CBIZ Have a GPA Cutoff?

Not officially. Unlike the Big Four, which state a preferred 3.0 on every posting, CBIZ does not publish a minimum GPA in its internship descriptions. Based on peer-firm norms for top-10 accounting firms and community reports, a 3.0 is a reasonable inferred floor, and competitive candidates typically sit between 3.2 and 3.6. The practical signal? CBIZ weighs relevant coursework (especially CPA-track progress) and prior experience more heavily than a single number, so a slightly lower GPA paired with a finished project or leadership role can still clear the bar.

What Skills Does CBIZ Look For, and How Do You Build Them?

CBIZ internship postings across Tax, Audit, Advisory, and Business Operations converge on a consistent skill profile. Communication and teamwork appear in every track. Analytical reasoning and Excel proficiency show up across Tax, Audit, and Advisory. And CPA-track accounting coursework anchors the technical roles. The pattern tells you CBIZ hires people who can collaborate, analyze, and communicate clearly, then trains the firm-specific methods on the job. But the emphasis shifts by line: Advisory adds financial modeling and research depth, while Business Operations prioritizes process thinking over technical accounting.

How Is Demand for Accounting Interns Moving Right Now?

Build These Skills Before You Apply

And every skill in that chart maps to a remote Externship you can finish before the next posting goes live.

The overlap is direct: the Yinan Zhao deliverable is financial modeling in the vocabulary CBIZ Tax and Audit postings use, HP Tech Ventures builds the research rigor Advisory JDs describe, and the Eric Ries Corporate Strategy project produces the client-facing strategic thinking every CBIZ track values.

What Is the CBIZ Application and Interview Process Like?

CBIZ keeps its hiring process lean and conversational, typically two to three touchpoints from application to offer:

1. Apply at cbiz.com/careers/students-recent-graduates via Oracle Cloud HCM. Select your target office and service line. Upload a resume and transcript; a cover letter is optional but helpful for explaining your interest in a specific location.

2. Recruiter phone screen (15–20 minutes). A campus recruiting team member confirms your timeline, target track, and basic qualifications. Expect questions like 'why CBIZ' and 'why this office.' This is a fit check, not a technical exam.

3. Behavioral interview with a manager or partner (30–45 minutes). STAR-format questions about teamwork, problem-solving, and client situations. CBIZ's mid-size culture means you may interview directly with the partner who would supervise your work, which is rare at larger firms.

4. Offer decision within one to three weeks. Rolling review means offers extend as interviews conclude. No Super Day, no case study for most tracks. Advisory may include a light analytical exercise.

The process rewards preparation over test-taking. CBIZ interviewers value specificity: 'I want to work in your Denver Tax practice because...' beats generic interest. Rehearse STAR stories mapped to the JD skills above, and come prepared to explain why a mid-size firm appeals to you over a Big Four factory.

What the Community Says

Here is what employees and interns report about working at CBIZ, drawn from Indeed reviews and Vault rankings.

How Do You Stand Out for a CBIZ Internship?

Three moves separate you from the pack at a rolling-admissions firm. First, apply the week a posting goes live; with no batch deadline, the earliest qualified applicants get reviewed first and offered first. Second, target a specific office and articulate why: CBIZ recruiters notice when a candidate names Denver or Nashville with a reason, rather than checking every box. Third, bring proof in the JD's vocabulary: a finished financial-modeling project or a due-diligence deliverable answers 'tell me about your analytical skills' with an artifact, not an anecdote. And lean into the mid-size value proposition in your interviews. Saying 'I want direct partner access and end-to-end client work' signals you understand what CBIZ offers that a Big Four firm cannot.

What Other Companies Should You Consider?

CBIZ competes for talent with the other top-10 US accounting firms, particularly those in the mid-market and advisory space. Here is how the closest peers compare.

Our Big Four accounting and audit internships 2027 guide compares the largest firms side by side. CBIZ sits in the tier just below the Big Four, offering similar work with more direct responsibility and a faster path to client-facing roles.

FAQ

When do CBIZ internship applications open?

CBIZ uses rolling admissions with no fixed open date. Postings typically appear four to six months before each season starts, so expect summer 2028 roles in late 2027 or early 2028 and busy-season 2028 roles in fall 2027. Check the careers page regularly and set job alerts through Oracle Cloud HCM.

Does CBIZ have a GPA requirement for interns?

No published minimum exists. CBIZ does not state a GPA cutoff in its internship postings, unlike Big Four firms that list 3.0 explicitly. Based on peer-firm norms, a 3.0 is a reasonable inferred floor, but relevant coursework and experience can compensate for a slightly lower number.

How much does a CBIZ internship pay?

About $24 to $27 per hour for standard intern tracks, based on Indeed data from 384 reviews. Summer analyst roles pay higher at roughly $32 per hour. The hub page range of $25 to $34 per hour captures the full spread across offices and seniority levels.

What majors does CBIZ accept for internships?

Accounting and Finance are primary for Tax and Audit tracks, ideally on a CPA-eligibility path with 150 credit hours planned. Business Operations accepts broader majors and even Associate's-degree candidates. Advisory welcomes Finance, Economics, and related analytical fields. The common thread across every track is quantitative coursework and communication skills.

Does CBIZ offer busy-season internships?

Yes. CBIZ runs a January-to-April busy-season cohort alongside its summer program, one of few firms offering this multi-season structure. Busy-season interns work during peak tax and audit filing periods, gaining intense real-world experience under deadline pressure. Some offices also offer fall part-time tracks for students still in class.

How many offices does CBIZ have?

122 offices across the United States as of 2026, expanded significantly after the Marcum acquisition. Current intern postings concentrate in Denver, Colorado Springs, and Nashville, but availability shifts as the firm continues integrating acquired offices. Contact campusrecruiting@cbiz.com for your region.

What is the CBIZ interview process like?

Lean and conversational: a recruiter phone screen followed by one behavioral interview with a manager or partner. No case study for most tracks, no Super Day, no coding test. STAR-format questions dominate, focused on teamwork, problem-solving, and why you want a mid-size firm specifically.

Will the Grant Thornton acquisition affect CBIZ internships?

The $5 billion take-private deal was announced in July 2026 and is expected to close in 2027. Until close, CBIZ recruits independently under its own brand. Post-close, the combined entity will likely expand intern seats. Applying now positions you inside the organization before the integration reshuffles teams.

CBIZ posts on a rolling basis with no deadline to hide behind, so the only runway that matters is what you build before the next listing appears. A remote Externship turns 'interested in accounting' into a finished deliverable a rolling reviewer can see the week you hit submit.