Is Caltech (California) a good company to work for?

Caltech (California) has an overall rating of 4.2 out of 5, based on over 1,094 reviews left anonymously by employees. This rating has increased by 2% over the last 12 months. 74% of employees would recommend working at Caltech (California) to a friend and 70% have a positive outlook for the business. The best reviews about Caltech (California) have been left by employees working as Teaching Assistant , PhD Student and Researcher .

Does Caltech (California) pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Caltech (California) employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.8 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Caltech (California). This rating has improved by 4% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Caltech (California)?

74% of Caltech (California) employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Caltech (California) 3.8 out of 5 for work life balance, 4.0 for culture and values and 4.1 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Caltech (California)?

Graduate Student (71) , Postdoctoral Fellow (63) , Graduate Research Assistant (56) , Postdoctoral Scholar (44) , PhD Student (42) , PhD Graduate Student (40) , Research Assistant (35) , Postdoctoral Researcher (27) , Researcher (21) , Research Scientist (17) , Teaching Assistant (16) , Administrative Assistant (15) , Research Technician (15) , Postdoctoral Research Associate (13) , Summer Undergraduate Research Fellow (13)

What are the pros of working at Caltech (California) according to real employee reviews?

"People are smart and nice." ((in 113 reviews)); "Campus is beautiful and location can't be beat." ((in 60 reviews)); "Good benefits are often given to employees here" ((in 44 reviews)); "Location is great and your colleagues hail from all over the world." ((in 34 reviews)); "Flexible hours and most of the projects are interesting" ((in 18 reviews))

What are the cons of working at Caltech (California) according to real employee reviews?

"Low pay and you lab may expect you to work a lot" ((in 53 reviews)); "Low salary and lots of work" ((in 37 reviews)); "bad work life balance at" ((in 19 reviews)); "Siloed departments and lack of cohesive management" ((in 13 reviews)); "Bad culture internally (in terms of staff; things may be different in terms of research / academics)." ((in 7 reviews))

What are employees saying about Caltech (California) layoffs in 2026?

Explore Glassdoor’s employee reviews to understand what current and former employees are saying about Caltech (California) layoffs and their outlook for job security at Caltech (California) in 2026.

What are the top reviewed Caltech (California) locations?

Pasadena , Los Angeles , Baton Rouge , Livingston , Chesterfield , Charlotte , Livingston , Big Pine , Claremont , Glendale , Glendora , Montrose , South Pasadena , Moreno Valley , Rancho Cordova , Palomar Mountain , San Diego , Berkeley , Redwood City , Sausalito , San Jose , San Luis Obispo , Richland , Boston , Pasadena

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Caltech (California)

Caltech (California) reviews

4.2

74% would recommend to a friend

(980 total reviews)

Dr. Thomas F. Rosenbaum

77% approve of CEO

70% positive business outlook

Ratings by category

4.1

Diversity & inclusion

4.1

Career opportunities

4.0

Culture & values

3.8

Work/Life balance

3.8

Senior management

3.8

Compensation and benefits

Caltech (California) has an employee rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars, based on 980 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there. The Caltech (California) employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Education industry (3.7 stars).

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Reviews by job title

980 reviews

4.0

Jan 22, 2014

Wonderful experience - brilliant people, collaboration is emphasized.

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

The people you work with are the best of the best. No negative competitive spirit. Beautiful campus. Wonderful benefits and facilities.

Cons

Sometimes a tough work-life balance. Sometimes the sociality of students is questionable.

5.0

Jan 5, 2014

Excellent place to be employed

Test technician

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Employees are treated fairly and with respect. Benefits are excellent and wages are average or above average. Safety is an actual priority, not just a CYA exercise like many places. People seem to actually care for one another.

Cons

Lack of management, chain of command not always clear. Left hand often unaware of the right hand, so to speak. Technical decisions not always sound due to large ego's. Managers often do not have real-world experience or experience managing people. Advancement is difficult and positions are filled by who has the most education versus ability. Technical meetings are often a "who's the smartest" contest, resulting in poor decision making.

4.0

Dec 25, 2013

Top notch institution

Graduate research assistant

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

- Surrounded by the best faculty and students - No barrier to exchange, almost in a continuum of departments - Lots of funding allows focus on basic research rather than specific applications

Cons

- Undergrad student body feels socially awkward - Small size makes it difficult to switch, even with a research field

Viewing 877 - 879 of 980 Reviews

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Wonderful experience - brilliant people, collaboration is emphasized.

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