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 302 reviews)); "The people are great and friendly" ((in 265 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 190 reviews)); "Nice and friendly staff." ((in 94 reviews)); "Good work environment" ((in 93 reviews))

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

"Very low pay and no chance for a raise unless you change jobs within the university." ((in 323 reviews)); "2， salary is low" ((in 177 reviews)); "poor management and sometimes toxic" ((in 74 reviews)); "The organization is not diverse or especially aware of its lack of diversity." ((in 26 reviews)); "Senior leadership won't invest in fixing root causes." ((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

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 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

5.0

Aug 27, 2015

Customer Relations Intern

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Fantastic atmosphere to work in with extremely helpful staff. I loved that everyday brought new learning experiences. If you like to work with people, this is a great opportunity for you.

Cons

Knowing how to deal with angry/upset fans, alumni, and customers is a MUST!

3.0

Aug 25, 2015

It is what it is.

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

The professors are generally kind and brilliant. If you can justify it, the money is there for just about anything. And being around students all the time can help one retain a sense of youth, well into your middle years.

Cons

There is SO much red tape, and there's an elitism based on your degree beyond any non-academic position. Also, the reluctance to terminate an employee leads to many staff members doing the bare minimum.

4.0

Aug 25, 2015

Research Assistant

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Everything is well-organized and people are very friendly

Cons

It is not in an easily accessible location

Viewing 4402 - 4404 of 4,993 Reviews

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Jobs at Penn State

Customer Service Representative

Administrative Assistant

Part Time - Housing & Food Services - Customer Service Representative (Cashier)

Part-Time Customer Service Representative

Penn State

Penn State reviews

Company ratings over time

Ratings by demographic groups

Reviews by job title

Customer Relations Intern

It is what it is.

Research Assistant

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Jobs at Penn State