Is Penn State a good company to work for?

Penn State has an overall rating of 4.2 out of 5, based on over 5,426 reviews left anonymously by employees. This rating has decreased by 1% over the last 12 months. 77% of employees would recommend working at Penn State to a friend and 55% 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?

77% of Penn State employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Penn State 4.0 out of 5 for work life balance, 4.0 for culture and values and 3.7 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Penn State?

Graduate Research Assistant (390) , Research Assistant (322) , Teaching Assistant (95) , 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 (42) , 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 308 reviews)); "The people are great and friendly" ((in 262 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 186 reviews)); "Good work environment" ((in 100 reviews)); "Nice and friendly staff." ((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 333 reviews)); "2， salary is low" ((in 175 reviews)); "poor management and sometimes toxic" ((in 72 reviews)); "Lack of diversity (do not let the awards fool you)" ((in 26 reviews)); "Senior leadership won't invest in fixing root causes." ((in 20 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 , Stroudsburg

Penn State reviews

4.2

77% would recommend to a friend

(4,982 total reviews)

Eric J. Barron

72% approve of CEO

55% positive business outlook

Company ratings over time

Ratings trend for the last 6 months (4,982 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 4,982 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 25, 2025

Dysfunctional Sinking ship

Residence life coordinator

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

PSUBeaver is currently not a campus that is being closed. Some of the students are nice.

Cons

Very outdated thinking - racism, sexism, and ageism are so common it's nearly impossible to report everything inappropriate that happens. Management is always fighting with each other and staff. Residence Life managers actively hide cases of bias/sexual abuse/assault and more on a daily basis. Reports are thrown away if management feels like it.

5.0

Sep 25, 2025

A great place to work

Postdoctoral scholar

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Great colleagues, fair pay, a rich and diverse academic environment with strong collaborative efforts.

Cons

Minimal to no cons beyond the standard academic issues in 2025

5.0

Sep 25, 2025

Research

Postdoctoral researcher

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

It was good to do research. Nice town.

Cons

College town. Kind of far from big cities

Viewing 169 - 171 of 4,982 Reviews

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Jobs at Penn State

General Maintenance I - Daniel Boone Cumberland

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Gate Attendant at The Grove Campground

Part Time Research Assistant

Part Time - SAFE-T System - Standardized Patient Role

Part-Time Gallery Coordinator

Penn State

Penn State reviews

Company ratings over time

Ratings by demographic groups

Reviews by job title

Dysfunctional Sinking ship

A great place to work

Research

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Jobs at Penn State