Author: Taylor Warfield, Former Bain Manager and interviewer

Last Updated: July 7, 2026

 

The Strategy& internship is a roughly 10-week paid summer program at PwC's strategy consulting arm that pays penultimate-year students up to $48 per hour and serves as the main pipeline to a full-time Associate offer. This guide covers the pay, eligibility rules, application timeline, interview process, and the exact steps to turn an internship into a return offer.

 

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Key Takeaways

 

The Strategy& internship is a paid summer program for penultimate-year students that pays up to $48 per hour and is the most reliable route to a full-time offer at PwC's strategy practice.

 

• Pay runs from $29.25 to $48.00 per hour, with juniors in major markets like New York earning the top rate

 

• The program targets students in their penultimate year, with a preferred GPA of 3.3

 

• Applications open in the summer and fall for the following summer, on a rolling basis

 

• The interview includes an online assessment, behavioral questions, and candidate-led case interviews

 

• Cases lean quant-heavy, with market sizing and profitability questions appearing often

 

• A strong internship typically converts into a full-time Associate offer

 

What Is the Strategy& Internship?

 

The Strategy& internship is a paid summer program at Strategy&, the strategy consulting business of PwC formerly known as Booz & Company. Interns spend about 10 weeks on live client projects, building market analyses, financial models, and client-ready presentations. The program is designed to feed full-time Associate hiring.

 

PwC acquired Booz & Company in 2014 and rebranded it as Strategy&. The firm operates in more than 60 countries with over 3,000 strategy consultants, which makes it one of the largest pure strategy practices anywhere.

 

What separates Strategy& from PwC's broader consulting services is its focus on high-level corporate and business unit strategy. As an intern, you work on the same kinds of problems full-time consultants tackle, from market entry to cost optimization to deal strategy. In the US, the role is most often posted as the Strategy& Senior Associate Intern.

 

How Much Does the Strategy& Internship Pay?

 

Strategy& interns earn between $29.25 and $48.00 per hour, based on PwC's 2026 US job postings. Penultimate-year students in major markets like New York earn the top rate of about $48 per hour, which annualizes to roughly $8,300 per month during the summer.

 

Intern level	Hourly	Monthly	~10-week total
Junior (penultimate-year), major markets	$48	~$8,300	~$19,200
Sophomore-program intern	~$34	~$5,900	~$13,600
MBA summer intern	varies	varies	~$33,650

 

Figures reflect 2026 PwC postings, Glassdoor, and Levels.fyi data, and pay shifts with location and class year. A 10-week summer at the top junior rate works out to about $19,200 before any housing stipend or benefits. For a side-by-side view across firms, our breakdown of consulting intern salary data shows where Strategy& lands against Deloitte, EY-Parthenon, and the rest.

 

The pay is strong, but the real value is the conversion to full-time. First-year full-time compensation at the Strategy& salary level climbs well past intern rates once you join as an Associate.

 

Who Is Eligible for the Strategy& Internship?

 

Strategy& targets students in their penultimate year, meaning the third year of a four-year degree or the fourth year of a five-year program. PwC's US intern postings list a preferred cumulative GPA of 3.3 and a preferred major GPA of 3.3.

 

The firm shows a preference for certain fields of study, though it recruits broadly. Common majors on the posting include:

 

• Business and economics: the most common background for strategy interns

 

• Engineering: valued for quantitative and structured problem-solving skills

 

• Data analytics and computer science: increasingly relevant as analytics work grows

 

• Information systems: a fit for the technology-leaning strategy projects

 

A GPA below 3.3 does not automatically end your chances. In my experience coaching candidates into Big 4 strategy roles, a slightly lower GPA can be offset by a target school, relevant internship experience, or a strong referral. You will need to work harder on the parts of your application you can control.

 

When Should You Apply to the Strategy& Internship?

 

Apply in the summer and fall before your internship summer. Strategy& accepts applications on a rolling basis, which means roles can fill before any stated closing date, so submitting early in the cycle gives you the best odds.

 

For a summer that starts in June, most applications open between July and September of the prior year. Campus recruiting events, coffee chats, and info sessions usually run in the early fall, and those touchpoints matter more than candidates expect.

 

There is also a sophomore track at many firms for students one year earlier. If you are a second-year student, our guide to consulting internships for sophomores walks through the earlier programs and how they differ from the standard junior internship.

 

How Do You Apply to the Strategy& Internship?

 

You apply online through the PwC careers site with a resume and cover letter, then move through an online assessment and interviews. Here are the steps in order:

 

1. Submit your application: upload your resume and cover letter through the PwC careers portal for the Strategy& intern role in your target office
   
   
2. Pass the resume screen: recruiters review your GPA, school, experience, and fit before deciding whether to advance you
   
   
3. Complete the online assessment: finish PwC's online tests, which can include numerical reasoning, game-based exercises, and a recorded video interview
   
   
4. Interview in the first round: take two roughly 45-minute interviews that each mix behavioral questions with a case
   
   
5. Interview in the final round: complete additional case and partner interviews, often on a single super day, before receiving a decision

 

Your resume and cover letter carry real weight here, because fewer than a third of applicants typically clear the screen. A tight, metric-driven consulting resume is the single most valuable thing you can fix before applying.

 

The same applies to your letter. A focused, office-specific Strategy& cover letter that answers why this firm and why this city beats a generic template every time.

 

What Is the Strategy& Internship Interview Process?

 

The Strategy& interview process usually runs two rounds with four to five interviews total, each blending behavioral questions and a case. According to Glassdoor data, the average hiring process takes about 37 days, with interview difficulty rated 3.31 out of 5 and roughly 71% of candidates reporting a positive experience.

 

First-round interviews are typically conducted by senior associates or managers. Each one opens with 10 to 15 minutes of behavioral and motivational questions, then moves into a case.

 

The cases are candidate-led, so you drive the structure and decide what analysis to run. Strategy& cases lean quant-heavy, and questions often involve market sizing, profitability, and growth. Sophomore candidates sometimes face a group case during an assessment day, where interviewers watch how you contribute to a team.

 

Case interviews are the core of getting in at Strategy&. If you want to learn case interviews quickly, my case interview course walks you through proven strategies in as little as 7 days.

 

The behavioral side matters just as much. Expect classics like "Tell me about yourself," "Why consulting," and "Why Strategy&," plus questions about teamwork and overcoming challenges. For a full walkthrough of formats and sample questions, see our dedicated guide to the Strategy& case interview.

 

One detail candidates miss: Strategy& wants to see real ties to the office you are applying to. Interviewers want confidence you will stay, so a clear, specific reason for that city strengthens your case.

 

What Do Strategy& Interns Actually Do?

 

Strategy& interns join live client teams from week one and own a slice of a real engagement. You will run research, build analyses, and turn findings into slides that reach the client, working alongside associates, managers, and sometimes partners.

 

Day-to-day work usually includes a mix of the following:

 

• Market and competitor research: gathering and synthesizing data on industries, customers, and rivals

 

• Quantitative analysis: building Excel models for sizing, profitability, and business cases

 

• Slide creation: translating analysis into clear, client-ready PowerPoint storylines

 

• Team and client interaction: joining working sessions, interviews, and internal reviews

 

Most interns work around 40 hours a week, though hours flex up near client deadlines. PwC uses a hybrid model, so expect a blend of office, client-site, and remote days depending on the project.

 

How Do You Turn the Internship Into a Full-Time Offer?

 

The internship is essentially a 10-week audition for a full-time Associate role, and strong performers are the ones who get return offers. Treat every task as a chance to prove you can do the job, not just observe it.

 

Three things separate interns who convert from those who do not. First, the quality and reliability of your work product. Second, how proactively you ask for feedback and act on it. Third, the relationships you build with your team and your staffing contacts.

 

Deliver clean, accurate analysis on time, flag problems early, and make your manager's life easier. Interns who do that consistently, and who fit the team, are the ones holding a Strategy& offer at the end of the summer.

 

Tips to Land a Strategy& Internship

 

Tip #1: Apply the moment the role opens

 

Rolling recruiting rewards speed. Submit your application in the first few weeks of the cycle, since spots disappear well before any posted deadline.

 

Tip #2: Build genuine ties to one office

 

Strategy& wants interns who will stay in the city they are hired into. Pick a target office, learn its industries, and connect with people there so your interest reads as real.

 

Tip #3: Drill your mental math

 

Strategy& cases are quant-heavy, and slow or sloppy math sinks otherwise strong candidates. Practice quick calculations under time pressure until they feel automatic.

 

Tip #4: Prepare a sharp "Why Strategy&" answer

 

Interviewers can spot a generic answer instantly. Name what draws you to PwC's strategy arm specifically, from its deal strategy work to the breadth of the PwC network behind it.

 

Tip #5: Practice cases out loud with a partner

 

Reading about cases is not the same as solving them under pressure. Run live, timed practice so you get comfortable structuring, calculating, and communicating at the same time. Working with a coach who has interviewed candidates can accelerate this more than any book.

 

Landing a Strategy& internship comes down to applying early, preparing for a quant-heavy case interview, and showing real commitment to your target office, so start your case practice now rather than the week before your first round.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

 

How much does a Strategy& intern make?

 

Strategy& interns earn between $29.25 and $48.00 per hour, depending on location and class year. Penultimate-year students in major markets like New York earn the top rate of about $48 per hour, while sophomore-program interns earn closer to $34 per hour.

 

What GPA do you need for a Strategy& internship?

 

Strategy& lists a preferred cumulative GPA of 3.3 and a preferred major GPA of 3.3 on its US intern postings. A lower GPA does not automatically disqualify you, but you will need other strong signals like a target school, relevant experience, or a referral to offset it.

 

When should you apply to the Strategy& internship?

 

Apply in the summer and fall before your internship summer. Strategy& accepts applications on a rolling basis, so roles can close once enough candidates apply. Submitting early in the cycle gives you the best odds.

 

Is the Strategy& internship hard to get?

 

Yes. Strategy& is one of the most selective strategy practices in the world, and only a small share of applicants make it past the resume screen. The interview itself is quant-heavy and includes candidate-led cases, so strong preparation matters.

 

Does a Strategy& internship lead to a full-time offer?

 

Yes, the internship is the main pipeline to a full-time Associate role. Interns who perform well on their projects and build strong relationships typically receive a return offer at the end of the summer.

 

What is the difference between Strategy& and PwC Consulting?

 

Strategy& is the dedicated strategy consulting arm of PwC, focused on high-level corporate and business unit strategy. PwC Consulting Services covers a broader set of work, including operations, technology, and implementation. The interview formats are similar, but Strategy& cases tend to be more strategy-focused.

 

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