Virginia Tech reviews

Can be hectic depending on dining hall

Despite having thousands of employees and a yearly budget of over $1 billion, working there is rewarding only if one is "connected" to a relatively small # of people doing the actual hiring for the "good" jobs. Some of these pay very well (for the area) and yet I have seen candidates hired for these positions not because of better qualifications but because of their personal relationship to the boss/director of that department. The tenure-track faculty get the majority of the attention from the administration while what remains is largely taken up by the ever-growing student body. For those in the middle, there is virtually NO career development (unless one plays their cards right with the correct senior level person). Most of the positions are hourly and only recently did the University decide to offer what it feels is a living wage at the bottom of the salary range. Many people cannot afford to live near the University since >60% of the student body is housed in apartments, condos/townhomes or single-family homes with the latter two frequently purchased by the parents. Thus those that are paid the least have to commute the farthest. So if one wants a job (that they likely can keep for a long time) and does not mind not advancing while watching the favored attain high pay/high reward roles because of their special friendships, then yes you may consider VT.