Is UC Merced a good company to work for?

UC Merced has an overall rating of 4.0 out of 5, based on over 704 reviews left anonymously by employees. This rating has been stable over the past 12 months. 79% of employees would recommend working at UC Merced to a friend and 50% have a positive outlook for the business. The best reviews about UC Merced have been left by employees working as Undergraduate Research Assistant , Student Assistant and Graduate Student Researcher .

Does UC Merced pay their employees well?

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

How satisfied are employees working at UC Merced?

79% of UC Merced employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated UC Merced 3.9 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.8 for culture and values and 3.5 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at UC Merced?

Teaching Assistant (26) , Student Assistant (20) , Graduate Teaching Assistant (18) , Graduate Research Assistant (17) , Research Assistant (15) , Graduate Student (12) , Postdoctoral Fellow (12) , Undergraduate Research Assistant (12) , Graduate Student Researcher (10) , Lecturer (9) , Learning Assistant (7) , Student Technology Consultant (7) , Student Worker (7) , Administrative Assistant (6) , Postdoctoral Researcher (6)

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

"Friendly people at a growing campus" ((in 32 reviews)); "Great benefits, set schedules and no overtime." ((in 27 reviews)); "Staff is friendly and is always willing to help." ((in 14 reviews)); "Good work environment" ((in 13 reviews)); "Nice campus" ((in 12 reviews))

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

"DO not promote internal and low pay." ((in 24 reviews)); "Low salary but it will increase because of the recent strike" ((in 6 reviews)); "Lack of established priorities and Leadership" ((in 6 reviews)); "Scheduling and upper management not understanding needs of team" ((in 5 reviews)); "Lack of communication, Mainly virtual" ((in 5 reviews))

What are employees saying about UC Merced layoffs in 2026?

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

What are the top reviewed UC Merced locations?

Merced , Houston , Atwater , Burbank , Los Angeles , Modesto , Patterson , Riverside , San Diego , Discovery Bay , San Jose , Tracy , Boulder , University Place , Calif City

UC Merced reviews

4.0

79% would recommend to a friend

(649 total reviews)

Dorothy Leland

75% approve of CEO

50% positive business outlook

Ratings by category

4.3

Diversity & inclusion

3.9

Work/Life balance

3.8

Culture & values

3.5

Compensation and benefits

3.5

Career opportunities

3.4

Senior management

UC Merced has an employee rating of 4.0 out of 5 stars, based on 649 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The UC Merced 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

649 reviews

3.0

Jul 11, 2013

Excellent full-time benefits, decent pay, but advancement (as staff) without a PhD is difficult.

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

- Benefits for full time staff. - Competitive salary, especially given the area. - Secure employment for full time staff. - State of the art facilities and equipment.

Cons

- Difficulties advancing or achieving the next step in the job title for non-union members. - Performance based pay increases are a rarity. - Campus politics can impede improvements in the workplace.

4.0

Mar 22, 2013

A multitude of opportunities for grad students not available at other campuses.

Research associate

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Because UC Merced is a new school and the grad student population is small there are many opportunities here that would not be available at other schools. In the sciences it is highly likely that you will have the chance to learn multiple techniques and become familiar with many instruments rather than being stuck as the "super user" for one instrument. Additionally, it is easy to talk with senior faculty to get their advice or to learn from them because there are so few students they can spend time with almost anyone.

Cons

The small size is both an advantage and a disadvantage. The disadvantage comes in the form of not always having the infrastructure that would be available at an established school. Another drawback that comes with being the new kid on the block is not having an established reputation. However, these drawbacks are not life or future career ending and the Pros, in my opinion, outweigh the Cons.

5.0

Jun 3, 2026

Valuable skill development but potential stress in small teams

Student supervisor

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Learning valuable skills Gain communication skills

Cons

Can be stressful There can be days where you work with a small team

Viewing 43 - 45 of 649 Reviews

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Jobs at UC Merced

Site Mentors - Early Childhood Education

Merced, CA

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Greenhouse Assistant Specialist

Grant Writer (Academic Coordinator II)

Experimental Smart Farm Junior Specialist

University Mentors- PK-3 (Fall 2026)

Merced, CA

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UC Merced

UC Merced reviews

Ratings by category

Ratings by demographic groups

Reviews by job title

Excellent full-time benefits, decent pay, but advancement (as staff) without a PhD is difficult.

A multitude of opportunities for grad students not available at other campuses.

Valuable skill development but potential stress in small teams

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