Does Charles River Laboratories pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Charles River Laboratories employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.0 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Charles River Laboratories. This rating has improved by 1% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Charles River Laboratories?

49% of Charles River Laboratories employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Charles River Laboratories 3.2 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.2 for culture and values and 3.1 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Charles River Laboratories?

Lab Technician (78) , Scientist (69) , Animal Care Technician (65) , Research Technician (55) , Technician (52) , Analyst (51) , Research Associate (46) , Research Scientist (42) , Supervisor (37) , Research Assistant (36) , Laboratory Technician (31) , Study Director (27) , Project Manager (25) , Manager (22) , Associate Scientist (20)

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

"The ability to move around within the company is relatively good and the benefits are good." ((in 249 reviews)); "Great people you work with and a relatively easy job with very easy to understand ladder to climb." ((in 162 reviews)); "Work Life Balance is good" ((in 69 reviews)); "Great people and team to work with" ((in 49 reviews)); "Great Coworkers (for the most part)" ((in 44 reviews))

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

"sites are disorganized and pay is low" ((in 177 reviews)); "Management is poor and people who are in charge lack knowledge of CDMO" ((in 171 reviews)); "The low salary also makes it hard to subsequently ask for more at another company." ((in 110 reviews)); "Long hours are common and they happen with little or no warning and frequently (at least a couple times a week)." ((in 42 reviews)); "upper management is awful, lots of work to do which overwhelms people easily." ((in 33 reviews))

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

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

What are the top reviewed Charles River Laboratories locations?

Wilmington , Mattawan , Reno , Ashland , Horsham , Shrewsbury , Memphis , Boston , Charleston , Worcester , Chicago , Bethesda , Raleigh , South San Francisco , Malvern , Wayne , Cambridge , Skokie , San Diego , Rockville , Morrisville , Newark , Frederick , Philadelphia , Kalamazoo , Spencerville , Wilmington , Durham , Kingston , Catskill

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Charles River Laboratories

Charles River Laboratories reviews

3.1

49% would recommend to a friend

(2,372 total reviews)

Birgit Girshick

77% approve of CEO

33% positive business outlook

Ratings by category

3.7

Diversity & inclusion

3.2

Culture & values

3.2

Work/Life balance

3.1

Career opportunities

3.0

Compensation and benefits

2.7

Senior management

Charles River Laboratories has an employee rating of 3.1 out of 5 stars, based on 2,372 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Charles River Laboratories employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology industry (3.5 stars).

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Reviews by job title

2K reviews

2.0

Jan 7, 2026

Not great

Scientist

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Decent pay for the area and job function; probably less so if you don't have a graduate degree. Colleagues were good people, but it definitely felt like we were all bonded together in collective misery.

Cons

Minimal training for the workload and degree of responsibility. Zero work-life balance for the scientist track. Decent amount of PTO, but you never really get to use it.

Charles River Laboratories Response

5mo

We appreciate your candid feedback. We’re committed to developing strong, supportive leaders who embody our values. Your comments are valuable as we continue to invest in leadership development and accountability.

5.0

Dec 18, 2025

Great company

Technician

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Busy and fast paced speed

Cons

Unexpected overtime at the last minute

Charles River Laboratories Response

5mo

Thank you for your thoughtful review and for being part of our journey. We wish you continued success and appreciate the impact you made during your time with us.

2.0

Dec 18, 2025

Stepping stone

Supervisor

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Good PTO, 401K match and benefits.

Cons

Management does not understand the work. SLT makes horrible decisions with negative outcomes. The culture is terrible with lots of favoritism. They talk a big game but it's just a popularity contest. If they like you there's no accountability for poor performance.

Viewing 58 - 60 of 2,372 Reviews

Jobs at Charles River Laboratories

Molecular Imaging Technician I

Preclinical Autopsy Technician I

Animal Care Associate (EG)

Technician I, Histology 1st Shift

Veterinary Associate I

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