More than 115K young people applied for internships at Citadel—just 350 interns made the cut, making the acceptance rate a record low of 0.36%

Up-and-coming professionals are vying for limited summer work, with some early-career opportunities growing more competitive than Ivy League colleges. Unlike other employers reeling back their entry-level hiring, financial holding company Citadel just welcomed its biggest internship class yet. But even as Ken Griffin’s companies expand their entry-level ranks, landing the summer gig has never been harder. More than 350 interns across Citadel and the company’s sister firm, Citadel Securities, just kicked off their program this Monday with an offsite in Palm Beach, Florida. It’s the biggest international intern cohort the business has ever had, but that didn’t mean fresh-faced professionals had an easier time landing a spot. This year’s competition hit a boiling point, with more than 115,900 applications flooding in for the limited spots, up 6.4% from the 2025 record. Only 0.36% of candidates wound up making the cut this year, marking another record for some of Gen Z’s most coveted internship spots. Inside Citadel’s internship: real business responsibilities with $4,300 weekly salaries During the summer gig, Citadel interns work on team projects that have a tangible effect on the business. And throughout the process they’ll be clued in with other company employees alongside weekly one-on-one conversations with their managers. At the end of the program, the early-career talent will present their projects in hopes of securing a return offer. Citadel’s leadership predicted that most interns will receive a full-time work opportunity after the program, as many have in years past. And they turn out to be more successful hires in the long-run; the company found that campus recruits are twice as likely to one day become a high-performer at the financial titan. During their 11-week-long stint, the interns won’t have to survive on ramen noodles and instant coffee while working at the financial giant. Interns at Citadel and Citadel Securities receive around $4,300 to $5,800 week