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 313 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)); "Good work environment and lots of learning." ((in 94 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 330 reviews)); "2， salary is low" ((in 173 reviews)); "poor management and sometimes toxic" ((in 73 reviews)); "Lack of diversity (do not let the awards fool you)" ((in 27 reviews)); "Senior leadership won't invest in fixing root causes." ((in 23 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

1.0

Sep 7, 2015

poor

Research scientist

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

it is a nice and convenient town. outlets and hershery park are my favorite. a lot running trails.

Cons

The administration is very uptight and reluctant to change. a lot of unnecessary procedures and ball-kicking. i hate it.

5.0

Sep 4, 2015

Graduate student assistantship

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Good health insurance coverage offered for graduate assistants. Many University-level resources available.

Cons

Graduate experience very dependent on your adviser and/or Department/Program. Choose who you work with carefully!

1.0

Sep 3, 2015

No appreciation for retaining good employees

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

There really aren't any pros for working at Penn State. I have been here 10 yrs. and in that time, all of my collaborators have left as have the people who were new when I was.

Cons

Having to live in the middle of nowhere. Most of the people I know want to get out.

Viewing 4390 - 4392 of 4,993 Reviews

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Jobs at Penn State

Student Library Assistant

Part-Time Wage Payroll

Penn State

Penn State reviews

Company ratings over time

Ratings by demographic groups

Reviews by job title

poor

Graduate student assistantship

No appreciation for retaining good employees

Top companies for "Compensation and Benefits" near you

Jobs at Penn State