Is REI a good company to work for?

REI has an overall rating of 3.6 out of 5, based on over 4,505 reviews left anonymously by employees. This rating has been stable over the past 12 months. 64% of employees would recommend working at REI to a friend and 34% have a positive outlook for the business. The best reviews about REI have been left by employees working as Store Sales Specialist , Retail Specialist and Frontline Staff .

Does REI pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, REI employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.5 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at REI. This rating has been stable over the past 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at REI?

64% of REI employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated REI 3.8 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.8 for culture and values and 2.9 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at REI?

Sales Associate (636) , Sales Specialist (459) , Retail Sales Associate (327) , Retail Sales Specialist (179) , Sales Lead (151) , Customer Service Specialist (109) , Customer Service Representative (103) , Cashier (49) , Sales Associate/Cashier (37) , Retail Sales Manager (35) , Customer Service (31) , Warehouse Associate (31) , Sales (30) , Sales Representative (29) , Frontline Cashier (27)

What are the pros of working at REI according to real employee reviews?

"Great for people that enjoy the outdoors particularly if you are looking for deep discounts on outdoor product for yourself." ((in 465 reviews)); "Coworkers are great and the general technical acumen is high." ((in 341 reviews)); "Benefits including 401k and health insurance are great after you work for them for one year." ((in 339 reviews)); "REI has a great culture for those who are or want to be involved with the outdoors." ((in 200 reviews)); "Great work life balance is great." ((in 132 reviews))

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

"Low pay and even lower pay for those with over 20 years in the company." ((in 372 reviews)); "Bad management and not much growth" ((in 260 reviews)); "Some managers don't appreciate hard work and favor employees who make them feel liked." ((in 113 reviews)); "Long hours and difficult to have a consistent schedule" ((in 100 reviews)); "They allow senior leadership to retaliate against individual contributors and HR allows them to do it." ((in 60 reviews))

What are employees saying about REI layoffs in 2026?

Explore Glassdoor’s employee reviews to understand what current and former employees are saying about REI layoffs and their outlook for job security at REI in 2026.

What are the top reviewed REI locations?

Seattle , Kent , Sumner , Denver , New York , San Diego , Portland , Atlanta , Austin , San Francisco , Chicago , Boston , Berkeley , Bellevue , Houston , Tustin , Boulder , Issaquah , Los Angeles , Goodyear , Salt Lake City , Framingham , Washington , Columbus , Bloomington , Dallas , San Antonio , Bedford , Phoenix , San Carlos

REI reviews

3.6

64% would recommend to a friend

(4,366 total reviews)

Mary Beth Laughton

38% approve of CEO

34% positive business outlook

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

REI has an employee rating of 3.6 out of 5 stars, based on 4,366 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The REI employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Retail & Wholesale industry (3.5 stars).

Reviews by job title

4K reviews

5.0

Sep 22, 2011

Best thing that's ever happened to me so far.

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Fun, real, appreciative, respectful management and coworkers. Major focus on work/life balance. Cooperative, family-like staff. Transparent senior management and company policies. Same-sex partner benefits, part-timer insurance, life-partner benefits, focus on growth opportunities if you want them. Retirement contribution matching. Twice annual performance-based bonus- yes, that's a retail worker getting an extra check for doing well as an individual. Tremendous discounts. Lots of recognition for jobs well done. I can't say enough to put REI on a pedestal as an employer!

Cons

Light staffing can sometimes amount to a thankless day of hard work and cranky customers- but at least your management won't accuse you of being the source of their distress. Also, its retail, so its not likely that you'll get a consistent schedule (which for some is a pro, for some is a con).

5.0

Mar 21, 2010

Awesome place to work, especially if you need a job as a college student

Sales specialist

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

At REI, I gained exposure to some of the best products in the outdoor recreation industry. I felt that the management truly cared about the staff. The work environment was fun and relaxed, but also extremely professional and committed to providing the best customer service in the retail industry. The paid sales, service and product training is excellent and comprehensive while being extremely fun. The discount and Pro Deal program is awesome and gives you cheap access to some of the best gear around, but you have to be careful not to spend all your earnings on it!

Cons

The opportunities for promotion were slim when I was at REI, but I was a part-time employee. When business is slow, my hours were cut quite severely, but this may be no different than any other part-time retail position. For myself, being a college student, these "Cons" are minor.

5.0

Oct 8, 2008

Work at REI and have a rewarding job working with great people!

Outreach specialist

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

REI is a great place to work if you like people, if you like the outdoors, and if you appreciate a work environment where everyone is respected and given a chance. We go above and beyond consistently to offer great customer service which makes customers happy and which makes our job enjoyable. Employees are friends not just at work but outside of work as well. It's a great place to be! Work at REI and you'll have a fun job with opportunities for advancement and you'll meet a lot of great people who are active and who enjoy what they do.

Cons

Some of the downsides are that headquarters are based in Seattle and if you want to advance with the Co-op outside of the traditional management track, you have to live in Seattle. Otherwise retail management is your primary advancement option. As with any job, the quality of your experience with REI depends on your attitude and how much initiative you are willing to take. In my experience, taking initiative and seeking out advancement on your own is rewarded. In the end, REI is a retail company so if you don't like retail, this is probably not the job for you.

Viewing 4231 - 4233 of 4,366 Reviews

Jobs at REI

Fulfillment Warehouse Associate Full Time - 5th Shift (Fri - Mon 3pm - 130am)

Fulfillment Warehouse Associate Full Time - 1st Shift (Mon-Thurs 4am-230pm)

Fulfillment Warehouse Associate Full Time - 2nd Shift (Mon-Thurs 3pm -130am)

Staff Software Engineer, Customer

Receiving Associate Full Time - 1st Shift (Mon-Thurs 4am-230pm)

REI

REI reviews

Company ratings over time

Ratings by demographic groups

Reviews by job title

Best thing that's ever happened to me so far.

Awesome place to work, especially if you need a job as a college student

Work at REI and have a rewarding job working with great people!

Jobs at REI

REI reviews FAQs

Want the inside scoop on your own company?

Bowls

Followed companies

Job searches

Company ratings over time

REI reviews FAQs

Jobs at REI