Is Penn State a good company to work for?

Penn State has an overall rating of 4.2 out of 5, based on over 5,437 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 320 reviews)); "The people are great and friendly" ((in 260 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 187 reviews)); "Nice and friendly staff." ((in 99 reviews)); "The campus is beautiful and the seasons can be wonderful" ((in 82 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 330 reviews)); "2， salary is low" ((in 177 reviews)); "poor management and sometimes toxic" ((in 74 reviews)); "Senior leadership won't invest in fixing root causes." ((in 25 reviews)); "Lack of diversity (do not let the awards fool you)" ((in 24 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

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Penn State

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

Ratings by category

4.2

Diversity & inclusion

4.1

Work/Life balance

4.0

Culture & values

3.8

Career opportunities

3.6

Senior management

3.6

Compensation and benefits

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).

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Reviews by job title

5K reviews

4.0

Sep 28, 2015

Typical Grad Student Experience

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

You get to work on new problems with really smart people, and often have freedom to explore solutions and topics on your own.

Cons

The freedom to solve research problems is a pro and a con, as you can often feel stuck with no where to turn for help except your advisor, who may or may not be a good mentor for you as you go through struggles to complete research.

4.0

Sep 27, 2015

Graduate Student

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Lots of possibilities for collaboration with other faculty and department. Good industry connections for companies in the east coast. Good location of you like outdoor activities.

Cons

State college is a small college town. Because it is a college town it is relatively expensive. Stipends for graduate students is dependent on department. Tuition is high and it keeps on increasing every year.

4.0

Sep 27, 2015

A Great Place for Multicultural Experience

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

- Excellent level of diversity in the student population - People who work there seem very satisfied - Good benefits - Lateral and upward mobility seem very attainable

Cons

- Onboarding process needs work - Takes many months between resume submittal to first day on the job

Viewing 4363 - 4365 of 4,993 Reviews

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Jobs at Penn State

Student Library Assistant

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