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 been stable over the past 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 241 reviews)); "Great people you work with and a relatively easy job with very easy to understand ladder to climb." ((in 166 reviews)); "Great people and team to work with" ((in 47 reviews)); "Great Coworkers (for the most part)" ((in 42 reviews)); "flexibility friendly easy good training" ((in 38 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 166 reviews)); "The low salary also makes it hard to subsequently ask for more at another company." ((in 113 reviews)); "Long hours are common and they happen with little or no warning and frequently (at least a couple times a week)." ((in 40 reviews)); "upper management is awful, lots of work to do which overwhelms people easily." ((in 32 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 , Spencerville , Kalamazoo , Wilmington , Durham , Kingston , Catskill

Charles River Laboratories reviews

3.1

49% would recommend to a friend

(2,373 total reviews)

Birgit Girshick

64% approve of CEO

32% positive business outlook

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Charles River Laboratories has an employee rating of 3.1 out of 5 stars, based on 2,373 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).

Reviews by job title

2K reviews

3.0

Aug 15, 2025

Ok company

Associate director

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

culture and employees who care

Cons

small pay raises and bonus

2.0

Aug 13, 2025

Horrible

Data analyst 1

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Lots of little activities that the company puts together, work at your own pace for the most part

Cons

Horrible culture, tried to mandate overtime, no promotions even though they will have you doing work way above your pay grade. Give you rewards then take them back with no warning. No working from home. Tried to mandate lunch breaks (not necessary in MI)

Charles River Laboratories Response

10mo

We’re continuously working to support a healthier work-life balance for our employees. We understand that demands can vary by role and site, and we’re exploring ways to offer more flexibility and improve overall workload management.

5.0

Aug 12, 2025

Great company

Pk scientist

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

great benefits, good colleagues, training is provided, collaborative environment

Cons

promotion is based on seniority

Charles River Laboratories Response

10mo

Thank you for your positive feedback. We’re glad to hear you’re having a great experience and appreciate your contributions to our culture.

Viewing 121 - 123 of 2,373 Reviews

Jobs at Charles River Laboratories

TEMP Packing Assembler

Molecular Technologist II - Accessioner

Animal Care Technician I

Reno, NV

View job