Is Charles River Associates a good company to work for?

Charles River Associates has an overall rating of 4.0 out of 5, based on over 670 reviews left anonymously by employees. This rating has increased by 10% over the last 12 months. 74% of employees would recommend working at Charles River Associates to a friend and 70% have a positive outlook for the business. The best reviews about Charles River Associates have been left by employees working as Analyst Intern , Senior Associate and Associate Principal .

Does Charles River Associates pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Charles River Associates employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.5 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Charles River Associates. This rating has improved by 6% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Charles River Associates?

74% of Charles River Associates employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Charles River Associates 3.3 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.8 for culture and values and 3.6 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Charles River Associates?

Associate (140) , Analyst (93) , Consulting Associate (65) , Senior Associate (39) , Associate Principal (25) , Principal (18) , Analyst Intern (12) , Consultant (12) , Intern (12) , Executive Assistant (4) , Manager (4) , Vice President (4) , Forensic Analyst (3) , Life Sciences Analyst (3) , (2)

What are the pros of working at Charles River Associates according to real employee reviews?

"Great people and exposure to high profile experts and cases." ((in 99 reviews)); "intellectually compelling and smart colleagues" ((in 75 reviews)); "They have really great benefits" ((in 27 reviews)); "good work life balance" ((in 23 reviews)); "The pay is good and the work isn’t monotonous." ((in 19 reviews))

What are the cons of working at Charles River Associates according to real employee reviews?

"Long hours occasionally but this is consulting" ((in 29 reviews)); "The major con at CRA is the unpredictable and long hours." ((in 15 reviews)); "Not very supportive environment, will throw others under the bus, low salary compared to other similar companies" ((in 13 reviews)); "Nothing much unless you end up with a bad manager." ((in 13 reviews)); "Formal training doesn't really match that of its peers" ((in 10 reviews))

What are employees saying about Charles River Associates layoffs in 2026?

Explore Glassdoor’s employee reviews to understand what current and former employees are saying about Charles River Associates layoffs and their outlook for job security at Charles River Associates in 2026.

What are the top reviewed Charles River Associates locations?

Boston , New York , Chicago , Washington , Oakland , San Francisco , Tallahassee , Los Angeles , Summit , College Station , Dallas , Marlborough , Princeton , Salt Lake City , Oklahoma City , Houston , Pasadena , Philadelphia , Beverly , Northborough , Venetian Village

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Charles River Associates

Charles River Associates reviews

4.0

74% would recommend to a friend

(603 total reviews)

Paul Maleh

71% approve of CEO

70% positive business outlook

Ratings by category

3.8

Culture & values

3.8

Diversity & inclusion

3.6

Career opportunities

3.5

Compensation and benefits

3.3

Work/Life balance

3.2

Senior management

Charles River Associates has an employee rating of 4.0 out of 5 stars, based on 603 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Charles River Associates employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Management & Consulting industry (3.5 stars).

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

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Parent or family caregiver

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Reviews by job title

603 reviews

2.0

Jul 22, 2009

Great people, poor pay

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Great work-life balance Some very interesting projects Relaxed atmosphere Really friendly people

Cons

Poor pay, poor bonuses Career review process is not very transparent - you are never clear whether you're close to promotion, what skills you need to develop to get promoted Career reviews are often delivered late rahter than at the end of a project

3.0

Jul 1, 2009

Capacity Swings

Senior associate

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Benefits were good and 401K match vested immediately, Salaries were OK, Very Smart Coworkers, Limited Administrative Burdens and or challenges

Cons

Work was very spotty, sometime we were extremely busy (multiple all nighters) other times we went dry for two weeks at a time.

2.0

Apr 10, 2009

Change needed

Consulting associate

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Access to bright minds and sharp thinkers in diverse fields. There are some very interesting, helpful and knowledgable people who are an absolute pleasure to work with. Their dedication in the face of a tough working environment is amazing.

Cons

Silo mentality, very poor communication throughout, lack of clarity on promotion routes and distinct divide between the business and those who support it, nepotism. There is a significant problem with too many 'rainmakers' not delivering results and maintaining their status. Poor performance just doesn't really get dealt with. I joined because I thought it was diamond in the rough but its just shiny glass.

Viewing 598 - 600 of 603 Reviews

Jobs at Charles River Associates

Senior Associate/Cybersecurity Consultant Due Diligence Advisory (Forensic Services practice)

Senior Associate/Cybersecurity Consultant Due Diligence Advisory (Forensic Services practice)

Senior Associate/Cybersecurity Consultant Due Diligence Advisory (Forensic Services practice)

Senior Associate/Cybersecurity Consultant Due Diligence Advisory (Forensic Services practice)

Senior Associate/Cybersecurity Consultant Due Diligence Advisory (Forensic Services practice)

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Ratings by category

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Great people, poor pay

Capacity Swings

Change needed

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