Does Smithsonian pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Smithsonian employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.7 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Smithsonian. This rating has improved by 5% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Smithsonian?

66% of Smithsonian employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Smithsonian 4.1 out of 5 for work life balance, 4.0 for culture and values and 3.4 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Smithsonian?

Intern (56) , Internship (13) , Explainer (10) , Retail Sales Associate (9) , Sales Associate (9) , Contractor (8) , Postdoctoral Fellow (8) , Research Assistant (8) , Museum Specialist (7) , Program Coordinator (7) , Security Officer (7) , Archivist (6) , Curator (6) , Education Specialist (6) , Program Assistant (6)

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

"And you will meet so many great people (tourist) from all over the world." ((in 64 reviews)); "Good benefits and bear transit" ((in 37 reviews)); "Great coworkers and behind the scenes access to museum collections" ((in 19 reviews)); "Great staff I enjoyed my time there." ((in 18 reviews)); "Amazing opportunities to work on global projects and collaborate with internationally celebrated artists and scholars." ((in 16 reviews))

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

"Low pay and no promotion oportunity" ((in 28 reviews)); "Lack of leadership and hard to fire" ((in 14 reviews)); "Low salary for DC metropolitan area" ((in 13 reviews)); "Unpaid internship where I was doing some of the same work that paid employees were doing." ((in 12 reviews)); "Long hours and very administrative at times" ((in 10 reviews))

What are the top reviewed Smithsonian locations?

Washington , Chantilly , New York , Suitland , Arlington , Chicago , Front Royal , Annapolis , Edgewater , District Heights , Falls Church , Herndon , Manassas , Sterling , Wisconsin Rapids , Tucson , Ann Arbor , Burlington , Saint Cloud , Shepherdstown , San Diego , Berkeley , Las Vegas , Ruston , Seattle , Catonsville , Columbia , California , Chevy Chase , Fort Washington

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Smithsonian

Smithsonian reviews

4.1

66% would recommend to a friend

(508 total reviews)

Dr. David J. Skorton

75% approve of CEO

64% positive business outlook

Ratings by category

4.3

Diversity & inclusion

4.1

Work/Life balance

4.0

Culture & values

3.7

Compensation and benefits

3.4

Senior management

3.4

Career opportunities

Smithsonian has an employee rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars, based on 508 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there. The Smithsonian 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

508 reviews

5.0

Dec 4, 2025

Great PLace to Work

Facility operations supervisor

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Working at the best museums in the world

Cons

Commute if you live outside of the city

5.0

Nov 21, 2025

Wonderful institution

Supervisory horticulturist

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Passionate workforce, expertise across multiple areas, real collegiality.

Cons

Bureaucracy, can be difficult to advance

5.0

Nov 20, 2025

Rewarding place to work

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Great work/life balance Full benefits package Good compensation Rewarding work environment

Cons

There is poor leadership at my particular unit. Like any government agency, bureaucracy is an issue.

Viewing 10 - 12 of 508 Reviews

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Jobs at Smithsonian

Facilities Services Worker

Facilities Services Worker