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      Penn State

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      Penn State reviews

      4.2

      77% would recommend to a friend

      (4,977 total reviews)
      avatar

      Eric J. Barron

      73% approve of CEO

      56% positive business outlook

      Ratings by category

      4.2

      Diversity & inclusion

      4.0

      Culture & values

      4.0

      Work/Life balance

      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 4,977 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

      Reviews by job title

      5K reviews
      5.0
      Feb 28, 2026

      A perfect place for research

      Intern
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business Outlook

      Pros

      PSU is a great institution for research and its main campus location, State College, favors exchange and excellence. Deeply appreciated

      Cons

      Can not really find any con

      1.0
      Feb 23, 2026

      Not for the faint of heart

      Graduate research assistant
      Recommend
      CEO approval
      Business Outlook

      Pros

      - If you stick it out, you'll earn a degree - The teaching within my dept was solid - Typical student benefits (gym, buses, library, etc.) - Occasional travel for conferences

      Cons

      - Your experience largely depends on your advisor, cohort, and your relationship with them. Some will thrive with hands-on mentorship, some will struggle with absentee advisors. - There is barely any recourse in cases of advisor neglect or abuse. The department will almost never reprimand a professor as long as their group is productive. - Overwork and under pay is the norm, not the exception. Whether explicitly or implicitly, the system is designed to get as much value as possible from the grad students and kick them to the curb when it's done. The career center was largely useless for PhD's and you are far from guaranteed from landing a job even with the degree. Proceed with caution.

      Viewing 61 - 63 of 4,977 Reviews
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      ReviewsPenn State reviews

      Glassdoor has 5,421 Penn State reviews submitted anonymously by Penn State employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Penn State is right for you.