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Last updated: September 2026
Staples is a private company that doesn't publish applicant volumes, but its small corporate intern class and $8 billion revenue make the math clear: seats at HQ in Framingham are scarce and competition is real. You apply during fall 2026, you intern in summer 2027: applications for summer 2027 are projected to open around September–October 2026 based on prior-cycle patterns, which means the window is opening right about now. The company hires on a rolling basis and favors candidates who apply early and show retail-relevant skills. With an average intern salary of $20.88/hr across 7 reported data points on Indeed and a 3.4/5 company rating from 14,844 reviews, the opportunity is solid but the window is narrow.
Quick Facts
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Where to apply | careers.staples.com/en/internships. Follow Staples on LinkedIn for posting alerts |
| Application window (2027–28) | Applications for summer 2027 projected to open September–October 2026 (based on prior-cycle patterns; check careers.staples.com now, postings may already be live) |
| Rolling? | Likely yes. Staples reviews on a rolling basis within defined windows based on historical patterns |
| Eligibility | Enrolled undergrad or grad student; US work authorization required |
| Duration | 10–12 weeks (summer internship); 6 months (co-op, Northeastern partnership) |
| Compensation | ~$20.88/hr average (Indeed, 7 reports); range $10.50–$31.50/hr depending on track and location |
| Locations | Framingham, MA (HQ, primary); distribution centers nationwide |
| # Programs | Summer Internship, Co-op (6 months), Rotational Program (2 years), Merchandising Training Academy (6 months) |
The two numbers that matter: a September–October 2026 projected opening for summer 2027, and rolling review that fills seats progressively. Apply within the first two weeks of postings for the best odds.
Externships are short, remote professional experience programs where you finish a real project with a real company. The Breaking Games E-Commerce Data Analysis Externship and the TikTok Social Media Content Brand Strategy Externship build exactly the e-commerce and digital marketing evidence a Staples application needs. Explore all Externships.
What Is a Staples Internship?
A Staples internship is a paid, 10–12 week summer placement that puts college students into real roles across Technology, Merchandising, Finance, Supply Chain, Marketing, Sales, HR, and Data Science at a private retail company generating $8 billion in annual revenue. The company, owned by Sycamore Partners since 2017, operates under CEO Mike Motz with approximately 12,000 employees. Beyond the core summer program, Staples runs a 6-month co-op in partnership with Northeastern University, a 2-year rotational program for recent graduates, and a 6-month Merchandising Training Academy. Interns rate Staples 3.4 out of 5 on Indeed from 14,844 reviews, with former interns noting real project ownership and exposure to cross-functional retail operations.
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When Do Staples Internship Applications Open for 2027–2028?
Staples is privately held, so it publishes less recruiting-calendar detail than public Fortune 500 peers. Based on prior-cycle patterns and aggregated intern reports, the summer internship typically posts in early fall (September–October) for the following summer. The company's co-op program with Northeastern runs on a separate 6-month academic calendar. For summer 2027, you should expect to apply in fall 2026, roughly 8–9 months before the June start, with rolling review that fills seats progressively. The Framingham HQ hosts the majority of corporate interns, though supply-chain roles may place at distribution centers.
Applications for summer 2027 are projected to open right about now (September to October 2026) based on prior-cycle patterns. Check careers.staples.com this week and set a LinkedIn alert; Staples reviews on a rolling basis, so the first applicants get the most seats.
Summer 2027 internship postings expected to go live across Technology and E-Commerce, Merchandising, Finance, Supply Chain, Marketing and Data Science. Rolling review means the class fills progressively; apply in week one.
Phone screens and interviews. Expect behavioral questions about teamwork, retail operations and problem solving, plus a hiring-manager round for the competitive Technology and E-Commerce tracks.
Offers extended and onboarding logistics confirmed. If you have not heard back by March 2027, the class is likely full for that track.
10–12 weeks, June to August 2027, across Technology, Merchandising, Finance, Supply Chain, Marketing and other departments at Framingham HQ, with supply-chain roles at distribution centers.
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
Staples is privately held with a relatively small corporate intern class compared to public retail giants. That means seats fill quickly once the window opens. Rolling review rewards early applicants, and the company's emphasis on cross-functional retail skills means they're looking for candidates who already show e-commerce fluency, data analysis capability, or supply-chain understanding. Don't wait until January 2027 to apply for something that posts in September or October 2026. By the time late applicants submit, the hiring managers for competitive tracks like Technology and E-Commerce have already been interviewing for months. Early application plus shown skills is the formula.
Which Staples Internship Programs Should You Target?
Staples offers multiple pathways for early-career talent, from short summer placements to multi-year rotational roles. Which one to target depends on your academic timeline and whether you want a focused project or a broad leadership-development experience.
| Program | Focus | Duration | Key details |
|---|---|---|---|
| Summer Internship | Department-specific project work across Technology, Merchandising, Finance, Supply Chain, Marketing, Sales, HR, or Data Science | 10–12 weeks | Paid; primarily at Framingham HQ; cross-functional exposure |
| Co-op (Northeastern Partnership) | Extended hands-on experience integrated with academic schedule | 6 months | Partnership with Northeastern University; deeper project ownership than summer track |
| Rotational Program | Multi-department leadership development for recent graduates | 2 years | Post-graduation entry; rotations across business functions; management pipeline |
| Merchandising Training Academy | Intensive merchandising and category management training | 6 months | Specialized retail buying and planning track; leads to Merchandising roles |
See all openings on the official Staples internship careers page. The summer internship is the most accessible entry point for current students, while the co-op and rotational programs suit candidates looking for longer commitments with clearer conversion paths.
What Are the Eligibility Requirements?
Staples has not published a rigid list of eligibility criteria, but patterns from prior cycles and recruiter expectations point to the following:
• Enrollment: currently enrolled in an accredited undergraduate or graduate degree program, with coursework remaining after the internship ends.
• GPA: not published as a hard requirement. Staples does not list a GPA threshold on its careers page. Competitive candidates typically maintain a 3.0+ but practical skills and relevant experience carry significant weight.
• Work authorization: US work authorization required. No public information on visa sponsorship for interns.
• Availability: full 10–12 weeks for summer internship; 6 months for co-op track. On-site presence at Framingham HQ expected for most corporate roles.
Does Staples Have a Hard GPA Cutoff?
No published cutoff exists. Staples is a privately held company that communicates less about its hiring thresholds than public-company peers. What matters more in practice is shown retail-relevant capability: e-commerce projects, data analysis work, merchandising case experience, or supply-chain problem solving. The company values hands-on skills and cross-functional thinking over pure academic metrics. If your GPA is below 3.0 but you have a finished e-commerce or operations project, that evidence speaks louder than a number.
What Skills Does Staples Look For, and How Do You Build Them?
Staples sits at the intersection of physical retail and e-commerce transformation, and its intern hiring reflects that dual identity. Across job descriptions, interview reports, and the company's public messaging, the pattern is clear: data analysis and digital fluency appear in nearly every track, while customer-service orientation and communication are baseline expectations. The company's ongoing shift toward B2B solutions and digital commerce means Technology and E-Commerce roles emphasize modern tooling, while Merchandising and Supply Chain tracks value analytical rigor applied to physical operations. What does this tell you? Staples hires people who can bridge the digital and physical retail worlds.
What Staples looks for in interns
Skills across 6 Staples intern & analyst job descriptions · 2025–2026 cycle job descriptions and interview reports, projecting 2027–2028
Method: analysis of Staples job descriptions, Indeed interview reports, and Glassdoor intern profiles from 2025–2026 cycles. Prior-cycle basis; counts skew toward transferable skills shared across multiple tracks.
How Is Demand for Retail & E-Commerce Interns Moving Right Now?
Retail & e-commerce intern hiring right now: September 2026
Across US software engineer intern postings tracked this month · aggregate market data, all employers
September 2026 is the fall recruiting wave: software engineer intern postings jumped 60.5% from August, and 59.4% of new listings already carry Summer 2027 in the title. Seats fill on rolling review, so the applications that go in this month meet the widest pool of open roles.
Method: aggregate analysis of US software engineer intern postings on Adzuna's US index, August average versus September 2026 to date (3 collection days). Sample indexes under half of all US postings; figures show direction and relative level, not total market share.
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 window opens.
| Skill (from real JDs) | JD evidence | Externship that builds it |
|---|---|---|
| E-commerce & data analysis | Technology & E-Commerce tracks: web analytics, data pipelines, customer segmentation, conversion optimization | Breaking Games E-Commerce Data Analysis |
| Digital marketing & brand strategy | Marketing track: social media strategy, content planning, brand positioning, campaign analytics | TikTok Social Media Content Brand Strategy |
| Supply chain & operations strategy | Supply Chain track: fulfillment optimization, people analytics, process improvement, logistics planning | Amazon Fulfillment Center Operational Strategy |
How close is the overlap? The Breaking Games deliverable is e-commerce data analysis in Staples' own vocabulary, the TikTok project builds the digital marketing and brand strategy evidence every marketing-track JD asks for, and the Amazon operations project maps directly to Staples' supply-chain and distribution-center optimization work.
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What Is the Staples Application and Interview Process Like?
Staples does not publish a step-by-step hiring timeline, but aggregated intern reports and recruiter patterns suggest a 4–8 week process from application to offer:
1. Apply at careers.staples.com with a tailored resume. Highlight e-commerce, data analysis, or retail-relevant project work. Use keywords from the specific posting.
2. Recruiter phone screen (weeks 1–2). A 20–30 minute call covering your background, interest in Staples, and availability. Expect questions about why retail and why Staples specifically.
3. Hiring manager interview (weeks 2–4). A 30–45 minute behavioral interview using STAR-format questions. Common themes include teamwork, handling ambiguity, and customer-focused problem solving.
4. Final round or panel interview (weeks 4–6). For competitive tracks (Technology, E-Commerce), expect a case-based scenario or technical discussion. Merchandising roles may include a category-analysis exercise.
5. Offer and onboarding (weeks 6–8). Background check and logistics for Framingham HQ placement.
Because Staples is private and publishes fewer process details than public-company peers, timelines can vary by department. Prepare for behavioral interviews by practicing STAR-method answers focused on data-driven decisions and cross-functional collaboration. Our HireVue question guide with a free AI mock tool covers the same behavioral-question pressure and format.
What the Community Says
Glassdoor data could not be verified for Staples (employer ID mismatch), so the cards below draw on Indeed, where 14,844 reviews paint a consistent picture.
Staples sits at 3.4 out of 5 across nearly 15,000 Indeed reviews, which is solid for brick-and-mortar retail. Work-life balance scores the same 3.4, and reviewers highlight a supportive environment where you can meet personal goals. Culture lands at 3.2 and management at 3.1, so the vibe is decent without being exceptional.
Intern pay averages $20.88 an hour based on 7 salary reports, with a range stretching from $10.50 to $31.50 depending on the track. Pay and benefits score only 3.0 out of 5 company-wide, the lowest sub-rating, so negotiate if you land a corporate offer rather than a store-level role.
The recurring theme in reviews is that Staples works as a stepping stone to build up your resume. Job security and advancement scores 2.9 out of 5, the weakest category, with some reviewers flagging corporate layoffs. That said, the company runs a 2-year rotational pipeline, so strong interns do have a conversion path if the headcount holds.
How Do You Stand Out at a Private Company With Limited Public Data?
Three moves, all executable before fall 2026. First, apply in week one of postings going live; Staples reviews rolling and fills its small class quickly. Second, show the digital-plus-physical bridge that defines Staples' current strategy. The company is transforming from office-supply retailer to B2B solutions provider, so show you understand that evolution with e-commerce or data-analysis project work. Third, speak their language. Staples interview questions test for customer-centric thinking, cross-functional collaboration, and comfort with ambiguity in a company undergoing transformation. Arrive with a finished project that shows you made data-driven decisions in a retail or e-commerce context, not just talking points about coursework. And remember: the small class size means every seat matters. Interview like someone auditioning for the rotational program pipeline, because strong interns get tracked for the 2-year post-grad rotational.
What Other Companies Should You Consider?
Staples' peer set spans office-supply and general retail competitors, all with corporate internship programs that recruit from the same candidate pool.
- Office Depotdirect competitor in office supplies with a smaller corporate footprint and fewer intern seatsCareers site
- Best Buyconsumer electronics retailer with a large, well-documented internship program and higher tech-role payGuide →
- Kohl'sdepartment-store retailer with merchandising and e-commerce internship tracks at its Menomonee Falls HQGuide →
- TargetMinneapolis-based mass retailer with one of the largest and most competitive retail internship programsGuide →
Our marketing internships summer 2027 guide maps the full landscape of retail and marketing opportunities, timeline by timeline.
FAQ
Can I still apply for a summer 2026 Staples internship?
No. The summer 2026 class started in June 2026 and those postings closed in early 2026. The next open cycle is summer 2027: based on prior-cycle patterns, Staples posts summer internships around September to October the year before, so check careers.staples.com now and apply in the first week postings appear.
How much do Staples interns get paid?
Staples interns earn approximately $20.88 per hour on average based on 7 salary reports on Indeed. The range spans $10.50 to $31.50 per hour depending on track, location, and academic level. Technology and data roles tend toward the upper end, while general business roles sit closer to the average.
Where are Staples internships located?
Most corporate internships are based at Staples headquarters in Framingham, Massachusetts. Supply-chain and logistics roles may place at distribution centers nationwide. The company does not widely advertise remote internship options, so plan for on-site presence at HQ for the majority of corporate tracks.
What departments offer Staples internships?
Staples offers internships across Technology and E-Commerce, Merchandising, Finance, Supply Chain, Marketing, Sales, Human Resources, and Data Science. Beyond summer roles, the company runs a 6-month co-op with Northeastern, a 2-year rotational program, and a Merchandising Training Academy for specialized retail buying.
Does Staples require a minimum GPA for internships?
No published GPA requirement exists. Staples does not list a minimum GPA on its careers page or in job descriptions. Competitive candidates generally maintain a 3.0 or above, but practical skills, relevant project work, and shown retail interest carry more weight than academic metrics at this company.
What is the Staples internship interview process like?
Expect a recruiter phone screen followed by a behavioral hiring-manager interview and potentially a final panel round. The process runs 4 to 8 weeks total. Common questions focus on teamwork, customer-centric thinking, and comfort with ambiguity. Technical tracks may include a case-based scenario or data-analysis exercise.
Does Staples sponsor visas for interns?
No public information confirms visa sponsorship for Staples interns. The company requires US work authorization. International students with existing CPT or OPT authorization may be eligible, but Staples has not published a policy on H-1B sponsorship for intern-to-full-time conversion paths.
What is the Staples co-op program with Northeastern?
Staples partners with Northeastern University for a 6-month cooperative education program. Co-op students work full-time at Framingham HQ on extended projects with deeper ownership than the summer track. The program aligns with Northeastern's academic calendar and provides a longer runway to prove impact and earn return consideration.
Staples' small corporate class fills fast on rolling review once postings go live. Spend the runway building proof: a remote Externship turns "interested in retail e-commerce" 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.
