Does Sotheby's pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Sotheby's employees rate their compensation and benefits as 2.1 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Sotheby's. This rating has been stable over the past 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Sotheby's?

21% of Sotheby's employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Sotheby's 2.6 out of 5 for work life balance, 2.3 for culture and values and 2.6 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Sotheby's?

Intern (53) , Administrator (23) , Specialist (23) , Floater (18) , Exhibition Assistant (15) , Associate (13) , Internship (13) , Cataloger (11) , Coordinator (10) , Marketing (9) , cataloguer (9) , Manager (8) , Administrative Assistant (7) , Project Manager (7) , Art Handler (6)

What are the pros of working at Sotheby's according to real employee reviews?

"The people are great and working with art is amazing" ((in 55 reviews)); "Colleagues are great and you get to work with wonderful clients and artworks" ((in 52 reviews)); "Great working environment in the office" ((in 16 reviews)); "Friendly teams and some interesting work." ((in 16 reviews)); "Great opportunity to get to know the auction and private sale art market at a prestigious art auction house!" ((in 14 reviews))

What are the cons of working at Sotheby's according to real employee reviews?

"pay is low and not appreciated" ((in 73 reviews)); "low salary and not much prospect" ((in 46 reviews)); "Long hours and weekends sometimes" ((in 20 reviews)); "Not very good compensation and no work/life balance" ((in 16 reviews)); "Some departments are still going through change and the culture is toxic in some places , although good in others" ((in 16 reviews))

What are employees saying about Sotheby's layoffs in 2026?

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

What are the top reviewed Sotheby's locations?

New York , Los Angeles , Miami , Charleston , Midtown New York , Margate City , Chicago , College Point , Port Chester , Lafayette , Sonoma , Aspen , Seattle , Atlanta , Upper East Side

Skip to content Skip to footer

Notifications

Sotheby's

Sotheby's reviews

2.5

21% would recommend to a friend

(650 total reviews)

Charles F. Stewart

12% approve of CEO

23% positive business outlook

Ratings by category

2.6

Work/Life balance

2.6

Career opportunities

2.3

Culture & values

2.2

Diversity & inclusion

2.1

Compensation and benefits

2.0

Senior management

Sotheby's has an employee rating of 2.5 out of 5 stars, based on 650 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an average working experience there. The Sotheby's employee rating is 29% below average for employers within the Retail & Wholesale industry (3.5 stars).

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Reviews by job title

650 reviews

4.0

Sep 9, 2015

Great staff, poor advancement

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

The works that come through on a constant basis and the auction environment; the latter of these two can be hugely enjoyable, albeit in an extremely pressurised environment

Cons

Job advancement is extremely limited, and is more to do with timing than anything else; simply put, the turnover at a senior level is extremely limited, meaning advancement is more to do with being in the right place at the right time, rather than talent management

3.0

Sep 9, 2015

Amazing place but low pay and slow progression

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Amazing art exposure with lots of beautiful objects and very knowledgeable colleagues.

Cons

Long hours Understaffed Low pay No clear progression

5.0

Jul 21, 2015

Specialist - Asian Contemporary art/Chinese art

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Great company to develop a career in the fine and decorative arts

Cons

The pay is low so it can be tough living off the salaries in NYC

Viewing 643 - 645 of 650 Reviews

Top companies for "Compensation and Benefits" near you

Christie's

3.5★Compensation & Benefits

Park West Gallery

4.3★Compensation & Benefits

Heritage Auctions

4.1★Compensation & Benefits

Purple Wave

3.8★Compensation & Benefits

Jobs at Sotheby's

Client Experience Coordinator

Seller Operations Coordinator