employer cover photo
employer logo
employer logo

Northwestern University

Is this your company?

Northwestern University reviews

4.0

75% would recommend to a friend

(4,087 total reviews)
avatar

Michael Schill

56% approve of CEO

53% positive business outlook

Northwestern University has an employee rating of 4.0 out of 5 stars, based on 4,087 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Northwestern 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
1.0
Dec 25, 2020

Social Policy

Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Benefits package is good Beautiful Evanston Campus Northwestern Campus Card Benefits and discounts Work-Life Balance

Cons

The Dean's office was very hierarchical and impersonal. Upper Management all had serious God Complexes....they expected the ground they walked on to be worshipped by every employee. Upper management didn't take the time to really get to know everyone in the office. The work environment was very toxic, intense and impersonal. It felt like I was walking on eggshells while in the office. Not to mention upper management were not supportive at all; they expected everyone to work and produce work at their optimal levels but did not invest or provide any professional development or support in any way. Every mistake made was put under a microscope. Coworkers kept to themselves and were self-interested. If there was a situation or problem in the office that happened, they would choose to throw you under the bus and save themselves, not to mention call you out in front of the whole office. It was a very fend for yourself office environment. My manager was not equipped to manage and provide support for me to do my job effectively, nor did she care to. I do not suggest working here if you care about yourself and your career development.

2.0
Aug 20, 2020
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Good benefits package, abundant learning opportunities, people pretty friendly overall, ample PTO.

Cons

Toxic culture, disorganized and opaque, poor communication, heavy workload without sufficient resources, unnecessary bureaucratic silos, very hierarchical and political environment, high performers get overworked, and unclear career path - have to create your own advancement opportunities often. Staff often get left out of initiatives and communication - focus on faculty and students. Execution falls short or is haphazard resulting in frustration and confusion. Culture does not facilitate cohesion among co-workers and reinforces a 'not my job' mentality. If you're a self-motivated, high performer, take your talents elsewhere. With the culture here, you'll either wind up used, abused, burnt out, demoralized, or sadly, all of the above.

Viewing 28 - 30 of 4,087 Reviews

Glassdoor has 4,470 Northwestern University reviews submitted anonymously by Northwestern University employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Northwestern University is right for you.