Northwestern Mutual reviews

4.0

72% would recommend to a friend

(8,268 total reviews)

Timothy J. Gerend

95% approve of CEO

73% positive business outlook

Northwestern Mutual has an employee rating of 4.0 out of 5 stars, based on 8,268 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Northwestern Mutual employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Financial Services industry (3.8 stars).

Reviews by job title

8K reviews
5.0
Feb 25, 2026

Opportunity

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Been with NM for 8 years and started shrotly after graduating college. Started on the insurance side before moving into asset management, then ultimately into comprehensive financial planning. It really is the purest form of capitalism - almost like a franchise model without any upfront costs. They provide training, licensing, infrastructure, and the financial advising model. You have to build the network. It is 100% whatever you decide to make it, for better for worse. The opportunity is incredible and limitless, both in personal fulfillment with the work you do, but also the financial opportunity. Culture is strong and supportive - some of my closest friends have come from work over the years. A big pro most people don't see is the enterprise value in what you are building that can be sold at a multiple of earnings to another wealth firm or PE upon retirement, which is only allowed because you own your practice - not NM.

Cons

It is not for the faint of heart and incredibly challenging to get started. Over my time here i've noticed that the majority of people that don't make it lack the grit, perseverance, or self discipline to build something from scratch. Just like starting any business, you want to come in with a sufficient cash reserve until you start building momentum. I feel some people don't understand you are building a business in partnership with NM and treat it like a regular career or job - huge miss. When I started, I would work 7am-9pm Monday through Friday and come in every Saturday to study, prepare my financial plans, build my dial lists, and review networking opportunities for the upcoming week. People that either can't or are unwilling to invest at that level are likely not in a position to where this type of career would be a good fit.

5.0
Feb 25, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Amazing culture. Unlimited opportunity. Flexibility. Deeply meaningful and significant work. Job Security and growing demand. We build relationships for a living!

Cons

Demanding. Success requires hard work and coachability. Rejection is always hard.

4.0
Feb 25, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

I am in my sixth year with Northwestern Mutual and couldn't be more grateful for my time with this firm. I started as a financial advisor and transitioned into a development role after passing my CFP exam. This office highly encourages continued education because we've seen that prioritizing our own development leads to better outcomes for our clients. NM has provided mentorship and opportunity for me and my family to create the future that we want.

Cons

The business opportunity at Northwestern Mutual is for those with an entrepreneurial mindset eager to grow personally and professionally through the hardship of being a business owner.

Viewing 175 - 177 of 8,268 Reviews

Glassdoor has 12,873 Northwestern Mutual reviews submitted anonymously by Northwestern Mutual employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Northwestern Mutual is right for you.