Citi quantitative analyst candidates describe a behavioral screen followed by probability, derivatives and math-heavy technical rounds, plus a coding component. Here is what the reports say and how to prepare.
$135K
Avg. Base Comp
$163K
Avg. Total Comp
2-4 rounds
Typical Rounds
Not reported
Process Length
Candidates who interviewed for Citi quantitative analyst roles describe a process that opens with a conversational, largely behavioral screen and then moves into technical material. One candidate's screen was a 30-minute call built around their resume and a past project, including the hardest part and how they solved it. Another described a first round with a quant interviewer that was mostly behavioral but included a few brain teasers.
The technical content leans on probability and derivatives. Reported questions include the chance of getting 10 heads in a row, a card-picking probability problem, Black-Scholes and the Greeks, and statistics or econometrics. Candidates also mention a coding challenge and a HackerRank-style component, so practice writing clean solutions under time pressure rather than only talking through them. One candidate who received an offer was asked to derive Lasso regression and work through derivatives exposure from first principles. That candidate also covered stochastic calculus, linear regression, and binary tree and hash map coding. Another offer recipient described linear algebra, calculus and probability at medium difficulty, along with an unusual online test of speed and alertness.
One reported superday ran about two hours as three back-to-back interviews mixing probability, math, markets and computer science. Behavioral questions on teamwork, motivation and why Citi appeared alongside the technical material. Outcomes were mixed: two of the quant candidates received offers and others did not. Prepare to explain your projects clearly and to reason through math problems without a formula sheet.
Synthesized from 15 candidate reports by our editorial team.
Had an interview recently?
Share your experience. Unlock the full guide.
Real interview reports from people who went through the Citi process.
Share your own interview experience to unlock all reports, or subscribe for full access.
Sourced from candidate reports and verified by our team.
Topics based on recent interview experiences.
Featured question at Citi
Write a query to show the number of users, transactions, and total order amount per month in 2020
| Question | |
|---|---|
| Jars and Coins | |
| Real-Time Transaction Streaming | |
| Attribution Rules | |
| New Partner Card | |
| Hurdles In Data Projects | |
| Size of Joins | |
| Offer Matching API Design | |
| Dijkstra implementation | |
| Replace Words with Stems | |
| Loan Model | |
| Concurrent LLM Serving | |
| Index Fund Return | |
| Company Acquisition Choice | |
| Seller Type Modeling | |
| String Palindromes | |
| Client Solution Pushback | |
| Above Average Product Prices | |
| International e-Commerce Warehouse | |
| Logistic Regression from Scratch | |
| Data Cleaning Experiences | |
| Why Do You Want to Work With Us | |
| Concentric Circles | |
| Your Strengths and Weaknesses | |
| Singly Linked List | |
| Student Tests | |
| Risk Model for a Mortgage Bank | |
| Optimizing Threshold Adjustment in Default Risk Models | |
| Measuring Text Difficulty | |
| 2nd Highest Salary |
Synthesized from candidate reports. Individual experiences may vary.
One candidate reports applying, hearing from HR a few months later, and then taking an assessment test and a security test of speed and alertness before any interviews. Another mentions a behavioral assessment and an essay on a recent market event. Expect some online screening, though the format may vary by team.
Candidates report a first-round screen of about 30 minutes that centers on your resume, motivation and a past project, including its hardest part and how you solved it. It may also include a few brain teasers, so be ready to switch from storytelling to quick probability reasoning.
Candidates report questions on coin-flip and card probability, Black-Scholes and the Greeks, statistics and econometrics. One reports deriving Lasso regression and working through derivatives exposure from first principles. Interviewers are reported to range from junior team members to Associates and Directors, and depth likely varies with the team.
Candidates mention a coding challenge, a HackerRank-style assessment, and in one case binary trees and hash maps. One said there was no traditional coding interview but there was still a coding challenge. Practice implementing solutions cleanly and explaining your approach as you go.
One candidate describes a roughly two-hour superday made up of three back-to-back interviews covering probability, math, inference, markets and some computer science. Another reports two later rounds a month after the first two. Final-stage structure may differ by team, and outcomes in the reports were mixed.
