Is Cornell University a good company to work for?

Cornell University has an overall rating of 4.3 out of 5, based on over 4,091 reviews left anonymously by employees. This rating has been stable over the past 12 months. 80% of employees would recommend working at Cornell University to a friend and 67% have a positive outlook for the business. The best reviews about Cornell University have been left by employees working as Student Library Assistant , Student Assistant and Researcher .

Does Cornell University pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Cornell University employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.9 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Cornell University. This rating has been stable over the past 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Cornell University?

80% of Cornell University employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Cornell University 4.0 out of 5 for work life balance, 4.0 for culture and values and 3.9 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Cornell University?

Graduate Research Assistant (195) , Research Assistant (187) , Teaching Assistant (154) , Graduate Student (130) , PhD Student (102) , Graduate Teaching Assistant (76) , Postdoctoral Associate (67) , Research Associate (65) , Postdoctoral Fellow (64) , Administrative Assistant (62) , Postdoctoral Research Associate (55) , PhD Graduate Student (45) , Student Worker (41) , Undergraduate Research Assistant (41) , Undergraduate Teaching Assistant (37)

What are the pros of working at Cornell University according to real employee reviews?

"Great benefits and room to grow within the college depending on your position within each college within the university" ((in 260 reviews)); "The people are great; they are flexible and always there for you to ask questions of." ((in 241 reviews)); "Super easy and flexible hours" ((in 131 reviews)); "Quite and beautiful campus with a lot of collaboration across labs" ((in 104 reviews)); "The staff is friendly and polite." ((in 68 reviews))

What are the cons of working at Cornell University according to real employee reviews?

"Low salary and no increase." ((in 82 reviews)); "Management was poor and didn't listen to the needs of the staff" ((in 33 reviews)); "poor communication with broader college and university leadership" ((in 15 reviews)); "lack of diversity in older team members" ((in 13 reviews)); "Senior leadership is increasingly out of touch." ((in 13 reviews))

What are employees saying about Cornell University layoffs in 2026?

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

What are the top reviewed Cornell University locations?

Ithaca , New York , Geneva , Washington , Boston , Chicago , Dallas , Warsaw , Schenectady , Brooklyn , Ithaca , East Ithaca , Annandale , Ridgewood , Charlottesville , Binghamton , Buffalo , Corning , Cortland , Elmira , Dryden , Freeville , Trumansburg , Highland , New Paltz , Eastport , Nanuet , Riverhead , White Plains , Canton

Cornell University reviews

4.3

80% would recommend to a friend

(3,706 total reviews)

Martha E. Pollack

71% approve of CEO

67% positive business outlook

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Cornell University has an employee rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars, based on 3,706 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there. The Cornell University employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Education industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

4K reviews

5.0

Feb 4, 2012

A dream job for academics, and a lot of bang for your buck.

Associate professor, college of engineering

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Among the top engineering schools in the country, Cornell as a member of the Ivy League is a place where the University mission does not sacrifice any of the major pillars of a world-class university: (1) -all- areas of study are important to the University's mission; (2) high-quality research -and- teaching (both grad and undergrad) are both important to the University's mission. Salary and benefits are very good, especially considering the cost of living.

Cons

Location a bit remote from major cities. Health care substandard (ironically, Cornell is a medicine powerhouse in NYC). State, property, and school taxes are steep.

3.0

Jan 26, 2012

Its ok, for student jobs.

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Its on campus, and has a very flexible work schedule. they understand busy times (prelim season, lot of hw, etc...)

Cons

Low pay for students, raises are basically non-existent for students, very little room for growth for students, but these are all expected for student jobs.

4.0

Jan 18, 2012

Cornell has helped me grow substantially as a researcher and educator, and has given me ample opportunities to succeed.

Graduate research assistant

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Very flexible work schedule and location, plenty of independent work, easy access to faculty and advisor, good computing resources, easy access to health care providers, many opportunities for professional development on campus

Cons

Health care is a little below average, each person's experience will be different depending on the fit to their advisor, can have too much independent work at times, guidance is often lacking if you don't realize you need it

Viewing 3634 - 3636 of 3,706 Reviews

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Jobs at Cornell University