Charles River Associates Internship 2027–2028: Programs, Deadlines & How to Apply

Last updated: July 2026

Charles River Associates posted record FY2025 revenue of $751.6 million, its eighth consecutive year of record annual revenue, up 9.3% year over year. The firm ranks #17 in Vault’s 2026 Best Consulting Internships and counts 88% of the Fortune 100 among its clients. For the 2027 cycle, intern applications open mid-August 2026 and are reviewed rolling until March 2027. So the calendar, not just your transcript, is the filter.

Quick Facts

CRA hires 51–100 interns per year across six practice-area tracks. Applications are rolling within an August–March window, so earlier applicants face more open seats. No published GPA cutoff, but a 3.5+ and strong quantitative coursework are the competitive benchmarks.

Externships are short, remote projects where you finish real work for a real company. The Attronica Financial Planning & Valuation Externship and Beats by Dre Data Analytics Externship build the financial modeling, quantitative analysis, and business-facing communication evidence a CRA application rewards. Explore all Externships.

What Is a Charles River Associates Internship?

A Charles River Associates internship is a paid, full-time placement, typically 10 weeks in the summer, that puts students on live client projects within one of CRA’s six practice areas. Founded in 1965 by MIT and Harvard economists, CRA is a publicly traded (NASDAQ: CRAI) global consulting firm with 21+ offices worldwide and over 1,000 consultants. The firm hosts 51–100 interns per year across economics, finance, cyber forensics, management advisory, and life sciences. The reviews hold up: 4.1 out of 5 on Glassdoor with 78% of employees recommending the firm. Top performers are extended full-time Analyst or Associate offers upon completion.

When Do Charles River Associates Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?

CRA’s recruiting calendar is predictable. All intern tracks typically post in mid-August and the firm reviews rolling through March. The Rising First-Year program has a separate January deadline. For the summer 2027 cycle you apply fall 2026, about 9 to 10 months ahead. But the date that matters is when you submit, because rolling review rewards early applicants.

Why You Must Apply the Week Applications Open

Rolling is not a footnote, it’s the whole dynamic. CRA’s FAQ says recruiting typically concludes in March, but positions may fill well before then. The firm reviews applications as they arrive, sends interview invites rolling, and a seat filled in October is one fewer seat in January. Community threads on Wall Street Oasis confirm that earlier applicants hold an edge. So set an alert on crai.com/careers, and submit within the first week of posting.

Which Charles River Associates Internship Programs Should You Target?

CRA runs six distinct intern tracks, each tied to a specific practice area. Which one should you target? The honest answer is the track whose quantitative skills and subject-matter interest you can already evidence, because every round interviews you against that practice’s analytical demands.

See every open track on the CRA careers page. All six tracks typically post simultaneously in mid-August, so you can apply to up to two geographic and practice preferences at once.

What Are the Eligibility Requirements?

CRA’s requirements are practice-specific, but a few lines repeat across nearly every intern posting:

• Enrollment: penultimate-year undergrads or Master’s students with one or more years of education remaining. PhD candidates are also welcome; 35% of CRA’s senior staff hold PhDs.

• Academic focus: economics, business, statistics, mathematics, computer science, finance, accounting, or related quantitative fields. All disciplines are considered, though quantitative coursework is strongly preferred.

• Graduation window: graduating December 2027 or Summer 2028 for summer 2027 internships.

• Work authorization: CRA does not explicitly address visa sponsorship in US intern JDs. International offices in London, Brussels, and Munich hire locally. Contact CRA directly for sponsorship questions.

Does CRA Have a GPA Cutoff?

No official minimum exists. But CRA places heavy emphasis on very high GPA and academic research per Wall Street Oasis data. A competitive benchmark is 3.5+ for most practices, with quantitative coursework carrying more weight than overall GPA. An economics or math major with a 3.6+ and a research project is well-positioned. Non-target school candidates can and do receive offers: CRA’s All-Access Initiative specifically expands recruiting to minority-serving institutions.

What Skills Does Charles River Associates Look For, and How Do You Build Them?

Read across CRA’s intern JDs from the 2026–27 cycle, covering economics, finance, cyber, management advisory, and life sciences tracks, and the pattern holds. Quantitative and statistical analysis appears in every track, programming tools (Stata, R, Python, SQL) in most, and Excel plus financial modeling across all. But the skill list only tells half the story. CRA’s economy-focused case interviews test economic reasoning, not generic business frameworks, and the firm’s interview prep page emphasizes precision of analysis over speed. So bring the quantitative skills, then wrap every story in a real analytical project.

How Is Demand for Economic Consulting Interns Moving Right Now?

Build These Skills Before You Apply

And every skill in that chart maps to a remote Externship where you finish a real project before a role opens.

How close is the overlap? The Attronica project is financial planning and valuation work that yields the modeling evidence CRA’s finance track probes for, and the Beats project ends on the quantitative data-analysis story an economics case interview wants.

What Is the Charles River Associates Application and Interview Process Like?

CRA’s funnel blends behavioral, case, and technical evaluation, with offers communicated within days of the final round:

1. Find open positions on crai.com/cra-careers/jobs. Filter by Students/Recent Graduates, select up to two geographic and practice preferences, and submit via Greenhouse ATS with your resume, cover letter, and unofficial transcript.

2. First-round interview (rolling, after application review). A 45-minute virtual interview with two interviewers: approximately 20 minutes of behavioral/experience questions plus a mini economy-focused case. Common themes: Why CRA? Why economic consulting? Walk me through a quantitative project.

3. Second-round interview (1–3 weeks after Round 1). In-person at a CRA office with practice-specific interviewers. Deeper case work, technical assessment, and fit evaluation with Associates, Vice Presidents, or Principals.

4. Offer decision. Communicated within days of the final round, typically by phone call or email.

So the two skills to drill are clear: economic reasoning for the case rounds (antitrust, damages estimation, market analysis scenarios) and four to six behavioral stories backed by real quantitative projects. Mention tools like Stata, R, or Excel from prior work, and reference understanding of CRA’s specific industries.

What Students on Reddit Say

Three community threads show the process from the inside, all paraphrased from Wall Street Oasis.

CRA tends to recruit on the earlier side for economic consulting. Applications usually open in late summer, and interviews can wrap up by early fall, so start preparing your materials well before senior year begins.

r/Non_MBB_Consulting consensus, paraphrased · read the thread

CRA interviews lean heavily on economics fundamentals and case-style questions rooted in real litigation scenarios. Brush up on regression analysis, causal inference, and be ready to walk through how you would design a damages study step by step.

r/Non_MBB_Consulting consensus, paraphrased · read the thread

Day-to-day work at economic consulting firms like CRA revolves around data analysis for legal cases, which means strong Stata or R skills matter more than PowerPoint decks. The learning curve is steep, but the exposure to real expert testimony and litigation strategy is hard to find anywhere else at the entry level.

r/consulting consensus, paraphrased · read the thread

How Do You Stand Out in a Class of 50–100?

Three moves, all before a role opens. First, apply in week one: rolling review within an August–March window means timing and prep beat prestige. Second, lead with quantitative proof. CRA’s interview is more academic than MBB: economy-focused cases test antitrust reasoning, damages estimation, and market analysis. A regression project or research paper you can walk through beats vague coursework claims. Third, know CRA’s practices. Mention a specific practice area (Antitrust & Competition, Energy, Life Sciences) and reference a recent CRA case or publication. The firm values genuine intellectual curiosity and deep subject-matter interest over polished generalist consulting answers.

What Other Companies Should You Consider?

CRA competes for the same quantitative, economics-minded candidates as these firms. If you’re building an economic consulting internship list, these are the obvious neighbors:

• NERA Economic Consultingthe other top-tier economic consulting shop; similar litigation-heavy workCareers site
• Cornerstone Researchacademic-partnership model; strong in antitrust and securities casesCareers site
• Analysis Grouplargest economic consulting firm by headcount; deep healthcare and finance practicesCareers site
• FTI Consultingbroader advisory footprint spanning forensic, restructuring, and economic consultingGuide →
• Oliver Wymanstrategy consulting with strong financial services and risk practiceGuide →

Our consulting internships guide maps the whole landscape, timeline by timeline.

FAQ

What GPA do I need for a CRA internship?

CRA does not publish a minimum GPA cutoff. However, the firm places heavy emphasis on very high GPA and academic research per Wall Street Oasis data. A competitive benchmark is 3.5+ for most practices, with quantitative coursework carrying more weight than overall GPA. An economics or math major with a 3.6+ is well-positioned.

Does CRA hire from non-target schools?

Yes. While CRA recruits at top-tier schools including Harvard, MIT, Cornell, and Wesleyan, the firm accepts applications from all universities. Off-cycle hires from non-target schools are confirmed. CRA's All-Access Initiative specifically expands recruiting to minority-serving institutions.

How does CRA's interview differ from MBB consulting interviews?

CRA uses economy-focused case scenarios rather than strategy cases. The first round is a 45-minute virtual interview with two interviewers combining behavioral questions and a mini-case. Precision of analysis matters more than speed. Cases often involve antitrust, damages estimation, or market analysis rather than general business frameworks.

What programming languages should I know for a CRA internship?

CRA JDs list Excel, Stata, R, Python, SQL, and SAS as relevant tools. Stata and R are most frequently cited for economics roles. Python is increasingly valued for data processing. You do not need mastery of all, but proficiency in at least one statistical package plus strong Excel skills is expected.

How much does a CRA internship pay?

For New York and Washington DC offices, the base wage is $30 to $36 per hour from the official JD. Glassdoor reports an average of $57K annualized with a range of $25 to $44 per hour across all offices. For a typical 10-week program at 40 hours per week, total compensation is approximately $12,000 to $14,400.

When should I apply for a CRA summer 2027 internship?

CRA typically posts all intern tracks in mid-August and reviews applications rolling through March. For summer 2027, expect positions to open mid-August 2026. Apply as early as possible since spots may fill before March. The Rising First-Year program deadline is typically in January.

What diversity and inclusion programs does CRA offer?

CRA maintains four Employee Resource Groups: OutLoud@CRA (LGBTQI+), Mosaic@CRA, Women@CRA, and PAC@CRA (Parents & Caregivers). The firm's All-Access Initiative expands recruiting to minority-serving institutions. CRA appointed its first Chief Inclusion and Engagement Officer in 2021.

What are the exit opportunities after a CRA analyst role?

CRA analysts commonly exit to top-15 MBA programs, PhD programs in economics, government positions (DOJ Antitrust Division, FTC, SEC), in-house economics roles at tech companies like Google and Amazon, and law school. Average analyst tenure is 2 to 3 years before exit.

CRA’s intern class is selective but built on quantitative proof, not prestige signals alone. Spend the runway building evidence: a remote Externship turns ‘interested in economic consulting’ into a finished analytical project you can walk through in a case interview.

---

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.