CRA International (CRAI) vs Strategic Education (STRA)
Head-to-head comparison of performance, valuation, growth, profitability and dividends. Prices delayed 15 minutes; data as of Oct 8, 2026.
Summary
Strategic Education (STRA) has outperformed CRA International (CRAI) over the past year, gaining 0.6% versus a loss of 8.7%. Over five years, CRAI leads with a +63.4% price change compared with +13.2% for STRA. Strategic Education is the larger company by market cap ($1.79 billion vs $1.10 billion), about 1.6 times the size.
On valuation, Strategic Education trades at a lower forward P/E (9.6x vs 18.3x for CRA International). Strategic Education offers the higher dividend yield (2.97% vs 1.26%).
Summary generated from market data by MetaCap's automated system. Methodology
Relative performance
Percent change in share price from the first common trading day shown; excludes dividends.
Head-to-head
| Metric | CRAI | STRA |
|---|---|---|
| Share price | $174.94 | $80.68 |
| Market cap | $1.10B | $1.79B |
| 1-day change | +2.05% | +1.08% |
| YTD return | -12.84% | +0.60% |
| 1-year return | -8.69% | +0.60% |
| 5-year return | +63.43% | +13.24% |
| P/E ratio (TTM) | 23.33 | 13.47 |
| Forward P/E | 18.29 | 9.55 |
| EPS (TTM) | $7.50 | $5.99 |
| Dividend yield | 1.26% | 2.97% |
| Annual dividend | $2.20 | $2.40 |
| 52-week high | $227.29 | $89.73 |
| 52-week low | $132.17 | $69.70 |
| Distance from 52-week high | -23.03% | -10.09% |
| Analyst consensus | buy | buy |
| Avg. price target upside | +43.19% | +19.82% |
| Average volume | 135.35K | 294.03K |
| Shares outstanding | 6.28M | 22.21M |
| Employees | 968 | 3,683 |
| Sector | Industrials | Consumer Defensive |
| Industry | Consulting Services | Education & Training Services |
Highlighted cells mark the higher value for growth, returns, margins and yield, and the lower value for P/E ratios. Highlighting is a mechanical comparison, not a recommendation.
Key differences
- CRA International trades at a higher earnings multiple (23.3x vs 13.5x trailing P/E).
- Strategic Education offers a meaningfully higher dividend yield (2.97% vs 1.26%).
- The two companies sit in different sectors: CRA International in Industrials and Strategic Education in Consumer Defensive.
About CRA International
CRAI stock →CRA International, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides economic, financial, and management consulting services worldwide. It advises clients on economic and financial matters pertaining to litigation and regulatory proceedings; and guide corporations through business strategy and performance-related issues.
Industrials · Consulting Services · 968 employees
About Strategic Education
STRA stock →Strategic Education, Inc. provides education services through campus-based and online post-secondary education, and programs to develop job-ready skills.
Consumer Defensive · Education & Training Services · 3,683 employees
CRAI vs STRA FAQ
Which is bigger, CRA International or Strategic Education?
Strategic Education (STRA) is larger, with a market capitalization of $1.79B compared with $1.10B for CRA International (CRAI).
Which stock has performed better over the past year, CRAI or STRA?
STRA returned +0.60% over the past 12 months, compared with -8.69% for CRAI (price return, excluding dividends). Past performance does not predict future results.
Which has the lower P/E ratio, CRAI or STRA?
STRA has the lower trailing P/E at 13.5, versus 23.3 for CRAI. A lower P/E is not by itself a sign of a better investment; it can reflect slower expected growth or higher risk.
Which pays a higher dividend, CRA International or Strategic Education?
Strategic Education has the higher yield at 2.97%, compared with 1.26% for CRA International.
Are CRA International and Strategic Education in the same industry?
No. CRA International is in the Industrials sector, while Strategic Education is in Consumer Defensive.