Is SMU (Southern Methodist University) a good company to work for?

SMU (Southern Methodist University) has an overall rating of 4.2 out of 5, based on over 1,178 reviews left anonymously by employees. This rating has been stable over the past 12 months. 78% of employees would recommend working at SMU (Southern Methodist University) to a friend and 66% have a positive outlook for the business. The best reviews about SMU (Southern Methodist University) have been left by employees working as Student Assistant , Graduate Student and Teaching Assistant .

Does SMU (Southern Methodist University) pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, SMU (Southern Methodist University) employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.5 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at SMU (Southern Methodist University). This rating has decreased by 7% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at SMU (Southern Methodist University)?

78% of SMU (Southern Methodist University) employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated SMU (Southern Methodist University) 4.1 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.9 for culture and values and 3.5 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at SMU (Southern Methodist University)?

Research Assistant (69) , Teaching Assistant (41) , Student Worker (29) , Graduate Teaching Assistant (28) , Graduate Research Assistant (24) , Assistant Director (22) , Director (21) , Student Assistant (17) , Tutor (14) , Assistant Professor (13) , Coordinator (11) , Associate Director (10) , Graduate Student (10) , Undergraduate Research Assistant (10) , Administrative Assistant (9)

What are the pros of working at SMU (Southern Methodist University) according to real employee reviews?

"Great benefits and work environment" ((in 85 reviews)); "The campus is beautiful but the infrastructure inside the buildings is bad" ((in 83 reviews)); "All the people here are nice and knowledgable" ((in 69 reviews)); "Depends on class but flexible hours and fun to interact with students" ((in 41 reviews)); "Was a great work environment" ((in 24 reviews))

What are the cons of working at SMU (Southern Methodist University) according to real employee reviews?

"Pay is low; Lack of pay" ((in 80 reviews)); "Low salaries and healthcare covers nothing" ((in 36 reviews)); "Management is poor." ((in 17 reviews)); "Lack of parking & high cost to park far away" ((in 15 reviews)); "lack of diversity in some departments" ((in 11 reviews))

What are employees saying about SMU (Southern Methodist University) layoffs in 2026?

Explore Glassdoor’s employee reviews to understand what current and former employees are saying about SMU (Southern Methodist University) layoffs and their outlook for job security at SMU (Southern Methodist University) in 2026.

What are the top reviewed SMU (Southern Methodist University) locations?

Dallas , Plano , Dallas-Fort Worth , Carrollton , Dallas , University Park , Herndon , New York , Portland , Allen , Frisco , Irving , McKinney , Rowlett , Waxahachie , Houston , Dallas , Dallas , Highland Park

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SMU (Southern Methodist University)

SMU (Southern Methodist University) reviews

4.2

78% would recommend to a friend

(1,070 total reviews)

R. Gerald Turner

92% approve of CEO

66% positive business outlook

Ratings by category

4.1

Work/Life balance

4.0

Diversity & inclusion

3.9

Culture & values

3.7

Senior management

3.5

Compensation and benefits

3.5

Career opportunities

SMU (Southern Methodist University) has an employee rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars, based on 1,070 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there. The SMU (Southern Methodist University) 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

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Reviews by job title

1K reviews

4.0

Dec 5, 2025

Excellent Benefits

Director

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Great benefits (tuition, retirement plan) Great work life balance

Cons

Decisions have to go through a lot of departments and can take a long time Not sure there is too much room to move up unless you switch departments

4.0

Apr 9, 2025

Valuable learning experience with room for growth

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Opportunity to work with a lean, fast-paced team of educated individuals on projects. Exposure to various tools and platforms that helped me grow professionally. Flexibility in work schedule and the ability to work remotely.

Cons

The Perkins marketing department's lead could benefit from serious training and development. I was more qualified than my manager and that is very frustrating. At times, feedback was delivered in the form of vague or misinformed questions, which made it challenging to execute tasks confidently. There was constant misuse of industry terminology and references to non-existent policies, which created confusion and slowed down productivity. Greater clarity, consistency, and subject-matter expertise would improve overall team efficiency. Paying for Parking. Lack of clear communication and structure made it difficult to execute projects effectively. Expectations and priorities shifted frequently, sometimes without much context or support.

3.0

Sep 10, 2024

Has Issues Common to Most Higher Ed Institutions

Assistant director of marketing

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Close-knit campus making the best of lean staffing and antiquated processes.

Cons

A continuously revolving door for burnt-out staff.

Viewing 43 - 45 of 1,070 Reviews

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SMU (Southern Methodist University)

SMU (Southern Methodist University) reviews

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Excellent Benefits

Valuable learning experience with room for growth

Has Issues Common to Most Higher Ed Institutions

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