Does San Francisco Opera pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, San Francisco Opera employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.0 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at San Francisco Opera. This rating has improved by 1% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at San Francisco Opera?

61% of San Francisco Opera employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated San Francisco Opera 3.0 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.6 for culture and values and 3.1 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at San Francisco Opera?

Senior Individual Giving Officer (2)

What are the pros of working at San Francisco Opera according to real employee reviews?

"Fair Manager Great Flexibility in Hours worked Great People Artistic Esthetic Free Opera Attendence" ((in 7 reviews))

What are the cons of working at San Francisco Opera according to real employee reviews?

"Hours are long but that's to be expected" ((in 5 reviews)); "Lower level employees barely make a livable salary for the most expensive city in the U.S. There's a lack of work/life balance in most areas." ((in 4 reviews)); "level support staff member, I receive low wages and have no union benefits." ((in 3 reviews))

What are employees saying about San Francisco Opera layoffs in 2026?

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

San Francisco Opera reviews

3.4

61% would recommend to a friend

(40 total reviews)

Matthew Shilvock

88% approve of CEO

51% positive business outlook

Ratings by category

3.6

Culture & values

3.2

Diversity & inclusion

3.1

Senior management

3.1

Career opportunities

3.0

Work/Life balance

3.0

Compensation and benefits

San Francisco Opera has an employee rating of 3.4 out of 5 stars, based on 40 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The San Francisco Opera employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Nonprofit & NGO industry (3.7 stars).

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Reviews by job title

40 reviews

2.0

Feb 22, 2019

An Opera Company in Transition

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

* A venerable history and tradition of staging new, unfamiliar, and forgotten repertoire. * A beautiful and historic building. * Centrally located in SF. * First-class orchestra and chorus

Cons

* Financial difficulties, including spiraling deficits and steeply declining box office revenue. * A lack of vision and timidity by its current general director to confront present challenges. * A sycophantic work culture. * Poor morale across all departments.

San Francisco Opera Response

7y

Thank you for your review. We’re sorry that you did not have a positive employment experience at SF Opera. We have an amazing workforce that is extremely dedicated and passionate about what they do and we strive to provide a positive work environment for all. We wish you the best of luck with your future endeavors.

3.0

Oct 22, 2020

Take It Or Leave It

Management

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

World-class opera company and one of the major pillars of art institutions in San Francisco. Some amazing passionate people to work with The General Director was wonderful to work with. The work the opera creates on the stage is truly awe-inspiring.

Cons

The organization says they encourage innovation and risk-taking, but it's more talk than reality. Decisions are fear-based based on the whims of out-of-touch non-diverse board members rather than what the audience wants, or what the staff believes is best for the organization. There are several employees who do not have the skills or knowledge to back up their roles or some who should have retired a long time ago. No focus on training, whether organization-wide or by the department. No incentive to work harder, no bonuses, barely a cost of living raise, and no performance evaluations (though hopefully that changed since I left.)

3.0

Jan 31, 2020

Amazing Company and place to work! But the pay....

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Supportive workplace Amazing experiences Creating magic Feeling fulfilled in your job

Cons

-20k lower salary than public school teachers for "lower" tier employees (who must have a degree and min few years experience). -kids that just graduated college don't even look at us twice anymore, when entry level at a tech company is 60k, why would they? -unable to find qualified candidates for open roles

San Francisco Opera Response

6y

Thank you for your review. We never want to see any of our employees struggle. Being a nonprofit, we can't compete with tech salaries. The Opera has always been very open about our financial status. Like most companies, we want to do the best for our employees. We appreciate your hard work, dedication, and love for the company.

Viewing 4 - 6 of 40 Reviews

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Jobs at San Francisco Opera

Marketing Coordinator, Digital and Acquisition

Music Planning Associate & Opera Librarian

Individual Giving Officer

Individual Giving Officer