Is Harvard University a good company to work for?

Harvard University has an overall rating of 4.2 out of 5, based on over 4,621 reviews left anonymously by employees. This rating has been stable over the past 12 months. 83% of employees would recommend working at Harvard University to a friend and 69% have a positive outlook for the business. The best reviews about Harvard University have been left by employees working as Undergraduate Course Assistant , Course Assistant and Intern .

Does Harvard University pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Harvard University employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.8 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Harvard University. This rating has decreased by 3% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Harvard University?

83% of Harvard University employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Harvard University 4.0 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.9 for culture and values and 4.0 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Harvard University?

Research Assistant (271) , Postdoctoral Fellow (231) , PhD Student (100) , Graduate Student (93) , Research Associate (86) , Teaching Fellow (67) , Teaching Assistant (63) , Graduate Research Assistant (60) , PhD Graduate Student (50) , Staff Assistant (50) , Program Coordinator (43) , Research Fellow (43) , Researcher (41) , Director (35) , Intern (34)

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

"Nice to work with and the people are great." ((in 287 reviews)); "great colleagues to work and discuss with" ((in 152 reviews)); "Flexibility and good work/life balance" ((in 95 reviews)); "The hours are flexible and fairly easy" ((in 89 reviews)); "Great opportunity to get research experience in your CV." ((in 59 reviews))

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

"Pay is low for the cost of living but worth it if you make the most of it." ((in 214 reviews)); "Salaries are low but I believe this to be the case in higher ed more generally." ((in 147 reviews)); "Toxic culture (depending on lab/department)" ((in 49 reviews)); "Toxic managers and workplaces were tolerated if the work got done." ((in 23 reviews)); "Low compensation (although most higher ed is)" ((in 22 reviews))

What are employees saying about Harvard University layoffs in 2026?

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

What are the top reviewed Harvard University locations?

Cambridge , Boston , New York , Harvard , Allston , Washington , Harvard , San Antonio , Los Angeles , San Francisco , Cambridge , Somerville , Houston , Denver , Miami , Brockton , Brookline , Jamaica Plain , Malden , Atlanta , Jersey City , Ohio , Boston , Brooklyn , Madison , Orono , Lander , Austin , Frisco , Lubbock

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Harvard University

Harvard University reviews

4.2

83% would recommend to a friend

(4,072 total reviews)

Alan Garber

80% approve of CEO

69% positive business outlook

Ratings by category

4.1

Diversity & inclusion

4.0

Work/Life balance

4.0

Career opportunities

3.9

Culture & values

3.8

Compensation and benefits

3.6

Senior management

Harvard University has an employee rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars, based on 4,072 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there. The Harvard University 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

4K reviews

4.0

Jan 6, 2016

Excellent benefits and a stimulating environment

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

It's invigorating to work with so many talented, passionate people. The library resources are unbeatable. Overall, working at Harvard gets you into a zone of possibility that makes your job feel more effective, exciting, and relevant to the future.

Cons

The pace of university work can be slow and made complicated by multiple, opinionated, stakeholders. Sometimes, even simple projects can feel like a long-term balancing act. This can result in good, considered work, but perhaps at the expense of surprise and enthusiasm.

4.0

Dec 19, 2015

Harvard Research Enviornment

Research assistant

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Open environment with smart people and flexible hours. Good amount of exposure across disciplinaries. Great access to resources.

Cons

The large, overarching environment is pretty good, but the micro-environment can vary a lot. It can be poorly managed if the PI is not seasoned or experienced in people management.

2.0

Nov 23, 2015

Not Great, But Not Terrible

Faculty assistant

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

-benefits, time off -location -some pretty cool and down to earth people - depending on which department you work in. -pay is decent, but nothing to get excited about. After paying your bills, you will realize that you deserve a raise.

Cons

-management: I am dealing with someone who is not competent at all. All complaints and suggestions fall on deaf ears. They say things will change but they don't -gossip: There's too much of it. Feelings of peer pressure and untrustworthiness. -no room for real growth. -Fitting in school with this position is a challenge.

Viewing 289 - 291 of 4,072 Reviews

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Harvard University

Harvard University reviews

Ratings by category

Ratings by demographic groups

Reviews by job title

Excellent benefits and a stimulating environment

Harvard Research Enviornment

Not Great, But Not Terrible

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