Ross Stores Internship 2027–2028: Programs, Deadlines & How to Apply

Last updated: September 2026

Ross Stores is the largest off-price retailer in the United States, operating over 2,100 locations under Ross Dress for Less and dd’s DISCOUNTS with $24.5 billion in annual revenue. Its internship program is exclusively housed in the Buying Office, not broad corporate, and it recruits roughly 10 months ahead. Summer 2027 applications are active now for students graduating August 2027 through May 2028. Two tracks exist: Assistant Buyer Intern and Assistant Planner Intern, both paying $22 per hour across the New York Garment District and Downtown Los Angeles offices.

Quick Facts

Ross runs a focused 8-week buying-office internship with just two tracks. Applications for Summer 2027 are active now. Rolling admissions are likely, so applying early in the window maximizes your odds of securing an interview.

Build the retail marketing and e-commerce analytics skills Ross screens for before your interview. The TikTok Social Media Content Brand Strategy Externship develops brand positioning instincts relevant to off-price merchandising, while the Breaking Games E-Commerce Data Analysis Strategy Externship builds the data-driven buying judgment that Ross values. Both run remotely. Explore all Externships.

What Is a Ross Stores Internship?

A Ross Stores internship is a paid, 8-week placement inside the Buying Office where interns work alongside Assistant Buyers and Planners learning the off-price retail model from the inside. Ross is not a traditional retailer: it buys opportunistically from brands and manufacturers, often at steep discounts, then allocates merchandise across 2,100+ stores. Interns gain hands-on exposure to purchase order management, vendor negotiations, retail mathematics, and allocation strategy. The program feeds directly into Ross’s Associate Buyer and Associate Planner full-time pipeline. With a 3.3 out of 5 Indeed rating across 18,919 reviews (heavily weighted toward store employees, not the buying office) and $76.7 billion in market capitalization, Ross is a Fortune 500 off-price powerhouse that moves fast and values analytical rigor.

When Do Ross Stores Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?

Ross recruits approximately 10 months before the internship start date, which means the Summer 2027 cycle is already active. The two tracks (Assistant Buyer and Assistant Planner) post on jobs.rossstores.com and Indeed, and rolling admissions are likely based on posting behavior. Expect the Summer 2028 cycle to open around August or September 2027, following the same pattern shifted forward one year. The key insight: because Ross fills seats on a rolling basis, submitting early in the window gives you the widest set of available team placements.

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

Ross recruits 10 months ahead and fills on what appears to be a rolling basis. The Summer 2027 postings are already active, and every week you wait is a week closer to seats being claimed. Because the program is small (two tracks in two cities), the total intern class is limited compared to larger retailers. There is no published deadline, which is itself a signal that rolling review governs the process. Applying this week, with a polished resume and demonstrated retail or analytical skills, puts you in the earliest review window when all seats are still open.

Which Ross Stores Internship Programs Should You Target?

Ross runs its internship exclusively through the Buying Office, not across broad corporate functions. The two tracks feed directly into the Associate Buyer and Associate Planner full-time roles that form the backbone of Ross’s off-price merchandising engine.

Both tracks are based in the New York Garment District or Downtown Los Angeles offices. See current openings at Ross Internships & Entry-Level Programs.

What Are the Eligibility Requirements?

Ross keeps eligibility requirements straightforward, focusing on graduation timing rather than academic pedigree:

• Graduation window: must graduate between August 2027 and May 2028 for Summer 2027 roles. This means rising seniors and fifth-year students are the primary audience.

• Major: no specific major stated. Ross values retail interest and analytical ability over a particular degree field.

• GPA: no minimum GPA published in any available job description. Strong Excel skills and retail math fluency likely carry more weight than transcript numbers.

• Work authorization: not explicitly stated in available postings, but US work authorization is standard for domestic retail internships. Confirm during application.

• Location: you must be able to work in New York (Garment District) or Los Angeles (Downtown) for 8 weeks. No housing or relocation assistance is provided, so plan accordingly.

Does Ross Require Retail Experience?

No prior retail experience is explicitly required, but every JD emphasizes retail math, Excel proficiency, and organizational skills. Candidates who can demonstrate analytical thinking applied to buying or inventory scenarios, even from coursework or personal projects, will be stronger than those relying on generic business backgrounds. The off-price model is unique enough that genuine curiosity about how Ross buys opportunistically matters more than time spent behind a register.

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

Reading across three Ross Stores buying-office intern job descriptions (two Assistant Buyer variants and one Assistant Planner), the pattern is unmistakable. MS Excel proficiency appears in all three, as do organizational skills, attention to detail, and retail mathematics. Purchase order management appears in two of three. The JDs lean heavily on quantitative and operational skills rather than creative or strategic thinking, reflecting the fast-paced, numbers-driven nature of off-price buying. Every skill maps to daily work: calculating markup and markdown percentages, managing open-to-buy budgets, and organizing vendor deliveries across thousands of stores.

How Is Demand for Retail Merchandising Interns Moving Right Now?

Build These Skills Before You Apply

Every skill in that chart maps to a remote Externship where you finish a real project before applications close.

The Breaking Games project hands you e-commerce data analysis and strategic decision-making evidence that mirrors the daily open-to-buy calculations a Ross buyer performs. The TikTok project builds brand awareness and consumer trend instincts that translate directly to spotting opportunistic buys.

What Is the Ross Stores Application and Interview Process Like?

Ross has not publicly documented its full interview process, but available information from job postings and community sources reveals a streamlined funnel:

1. Apply online at jobs.rossstores.com or through Indeed. Select the Assistant Buyer or Assistant Planner track. Tailor your resume to emphasize Excel, retail math, and organizational skills.

2. ATS screening. Ross uses an applicant tracking system that filters for keyword alignment with the JD. Ensure your resume mirrors the language in the posting: Excel, purchase orders, retail math, attention to detail.

3. Interview (format undocumented). Expect behavioral and situational questions probing your understanding of off-price retail, your analytical skills, and your ability to work in a fast-paced environment. Prepare STAR stories with quantified outcomes.

4. Retail math or case exercise (likely). Based on industry norms for off-price buying-office internships, prepare for scenarios involving markup, markdown, sell-through calculations, or vendor deal evaluation.

5. Offer decision. Timeline is undocumented, but rolling admissions suggest decisions come relatively quickly after interviews complete.

The biggest unknown is the interview format, since Ross does not publish it. Prepare the way TJX and Burlington candidates do: brush up on retail math (markup %, markdown %, sell-through, open-to-buy), practice STAR behavioral stories, and be ready to articulate why the off-price model appeals to you specifically.

What the Community Says

Ross Stores holds a 3.3/5 on Indeed across nearly 19,000 reviews, though those numbers are overwhelmingly driven by store-level employees, not the buying office where interns work.

How Do You Stand Out for a Ross Stores Buying-Office Internship?

Three moves, all executable before you apply. First, learn the off-price model cold: Ross does not buy like Macy’s or Nordstrom. It buys opportunistically, often close to or after season, capitalizing on manufacturer overruns, order cancellations, and brand closeouts. Walk into your interview able to explain why Ross can offer 20 to 60% off department-store prices and how that model requires speed, judgment, and vendor relationships rather than long-term seasonal planning. Second, master retail math in Excel: markup percentage, markdown percentage, sell-through rate, open-to-buy calculations, and gross margin analysis. Ross JDs cite Excel proficiency in every single posting, and the buying office runs on spreadsheets. Third, demonstrate brand and trend awareness by building a mock buy sheet or allocation scenario using publicly available data, showing you can identify an opportunistic deal, calculate whether the margin works, and allocate inventory across stores. A finished project like this does double duty: it proves the skill and gives you a STAR story for the behavioral round.

What Other Companies Should You Consider?

Ross sits in the off-price retail segment alongside a small set of direct competitors and adjacent retailers. If you are building a retail merchandising internship list, these are the natural neighbors:

For the full retail landscape, see our Marketing Internships Summer 2027 Guide.

FAQ

When do Ross Stores internship applications open for summer 2027?

Applications are active now. Ross recruits approximately 10 months ahead, and Summer 2027 postings are already live on jobs.rossstores.com and Indeed for students graduating August 2027 through May 2028. Rolling admissions are likely, so applying immediately gives you the widest selection of available placements across both buying-office locations.

How much does a Ross Stores internship pay?

Ross pays $22 per hour for both the Assistant Buyer and Assistant Planner tracks, confirmed from live job descriptions. Benefits include health insurance, 401(k), life insurance, PTO, and an employee stock purchase plan. No housing or relocation assistance is provided, so factor living costs in New York or Los Angeles into your planning.

Where are Ross Stores internships located?

Exclusively in the Buying Office, which operates from two locations: New York City in the Garment District and Downtown Los Angeles. There is no remote option and no housing or relocation assistance provided, so interns must arrange their own accommodation in one of these two major metro areas for the full eight weeks.

What tracks does the Ross Stores internship offer?

Two tracks exist: Assistant Buyer Intern and Assistant Planner Intern. The Buyer track focuses on sourcing opportunistic deals, managing vendor relationships, and making purchase decisions. The Planner track focuses on inventory allocation, sales data analysis, and optimizing distribution across more than 2,100 Ross Dress for Less and dd’s DISCOUNTS stores nationwide.

Does Ross Stores require a specific major or GPA?

No specific major or minimum GPA is stated in any available job description. Ross looks for Excel proficiency, retail math aptitude, organizational skills, and analytical capabilities rather than a particular academic background. Demonstrated interest in off-price retail and the ability to work in a fast-paced buying environment matters more than transcript numbers.

Do Ross Stores interns get return offers?

Ross states that many future full-time opportunities await but does not publish a specific conversion percentage. The internship feeds directly into the Associate Buyer and Associate Planner full-time roles that form the backbone of Ross’s merchandising organization. Strong performance during the 8-week program positions you for these pipeline roles upon graduation.

What is the Ross Stores internship interview process?

Ross has not publicly documented its full interview format. Based on available information and off-price industry norms, expect an online application through an ATS, followed by behavioral interviews assessing your understanding of the off-price model, analytical skills, and cultural fit. Retail math exercises involving markup, markdown, and sell-through calculations are likely given the JD emphasis.

How long is the Ross Stores internship?

Eight weeks, running from early June to late July. This is shorter than typical 10-to-12-week retail internships at competitors like TJX or Macy’s, but the compressed timeline means high-intensity exposure to buying-office operations from day one. You will be working alongside full-time buyers or planners and contributing to real purchase decisions throughout the program.

Ross Stores summer 2027 applications are live right now and seats are limited in a two-track, two-city program. Build the retail analytics and brand strategy skills the buying office values with a remote Externship before your interview. Explore all Externships.