Is Penn State a good company to work for?

Penn State has an overall rating of 4.2 out of 5, based on over 5,439 reviews left anonymously by employees. This rating has decreased by 1% over the last 12 months. 78% of employees would recommend working at Penn State to a friend and 57% have a positive outlook for the business. The best reviews about Penn State have been left by employees working as Student Grader , Undergraduate Teaching Assistant and Lab Assistant .

Does Penn State pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Penn State employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.6 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Penn State. This rating has been stable over the past 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Penn State?

78% of Penn State employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Penn State 4.1 out of 5 for work life balance, 4.0 for culture and values and 3.8 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Penn State?

Graduate Research Assistant (392) , Research Assistant (323) , Teaching Assistant (96) , Graduate Student (74) , Graduate Teaching Assistant (71) , Graduate Assistant (68) , Intern (53) , Postdoctoral Scholar (48) , Assistant Professor (46) , Student Worker (44) , Undergraduate Research Assistant (44) , Postdoctoral Fellow (43) , PhD Student (39) , Learning Assistant (38) , Postdoctoral Researcher (35)

What are the pros of working at Penn State according to real employee reviews?

"Great benefits and protected by the union is a plus" ((in 321 reviews)); "The people are great and friendly" ((in 257 reviews)); "The hours are flexible and you can choose when you want to come into lab as long as you get your work done." ((in 184 reviews)); "Good work environment" ((in 95 reviews)); "Nice and friendly staff." ((in 93 reviews))

What are the cons of working at Penn State according to real employee reviews?

"Very boring and structured as well as low paying." ((in 318 reviews)); "2， salary is low" ((in 178 reviews)); "poor management and sometimes toxic" ((in 77 reviews)); "The organization is not diverse or especially aware of its lack of diversity." ((in 27 reviews)); "Senior leadership won't invest in fixing root causes." ((in 25 reviews))

What are employees saying about Penn State layoffs in 2026?

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

What are the top reviewed Penn State locations?

State College , University Park , Erie , Penn State University , Hershey , Harrisburg , Abington , Philadelphia , Altoona , Malvern , Middletown , Penn , Pittsburgh , Reading , York , Media , Monaca , Scranton , Allentown , New York , Lancaster , Washington , Center Valley , McKeesport , University Park , Los Angeles , Schuylkill Haven , University Park , Reston , Lehigh Valley

Penn State reviews

4.2

78% would recommend to a friend

(4,993 total reviews)

Eric J. Barron

73% approve of CEO

57% positive business outlook

Company ratings over time

Ratings trend for the last 6 months (4,993 reviews)

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Penn State has an employee rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars, based on 4,993 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there. The Penn State 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

5K reviews

3.0

Nov 16, 2015

Desk Clerk

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Flexible hours, on campus, working with other students

Cons

minimum wage, repetitive and boring work

3.0

Nov 12, 2015

Good but can be better

Postdoctoral scholar

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

The staffs are friendly, and they do their jobs fast and accurate HRs are great

Cons

Salary is lower than many comparable university

4.0

Nov 12, 2015

Happy Valley Syndrome

Research associate

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Great location with good schools for those people with families. Comprehensive benefit package with average salaries. Access to the State pension system is a plus. Development opportunities for advancement are available.

Cons

Main campus is in a rural area. This is not a big city atmosphere, if that is what you desire. Salary increases are minimal due to state funding issues.

Viewing 4312 - 4314 of 4,993 Reviews

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Jobs at Penn State

Senior Director of Development and Alumni Relations, College of Agriculture

Part-Time Soil Lab Assistant

Part-Time Teaching Assistant – BA 512

Penn State

Penn State reviews

Company ratings over time

Ratings by demographic groups

Reviews by job title

Desk Clerk

Good but can be better

Happy Valley Syndrome

Top companies for "Compensation and Benefits" near you

Jobs at Penn State