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Columbia University

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Columbia University reviews

4.0

65% would recommend to a friend

(5,406 total reviews)
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Lee C. Bollinger

60% approve of CEO

51% positive business outlook

Columbia University has an employee rating of 4.0 out of 5 stars, based on 5,406 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Columbia University employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Educación industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

5K reviews
1.0
Aug 21, 2008
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Tuition remission has helped several of my coworkers get their master's, or their spouses, their bachelor's. The benefits are great and vacation time generous. Coworkers are really good people. You'll never be asked to work overtime.

Cons

The administration is very tight-fisted, and high performance is not rewarded, unless you are very astute politically. There is little interest in the final outcome of a project; rather, the meetings, emails, and tones of discussion around a project. There is little collaboration between groups, so the wheel may get reinvented many times over. There are some people who seem to have given up hope and just go through the motions. It is really just a company like any other, trying to maximize profits, but there is somehow an attitude that because it is a place of higher learning, employees should feel grateful to be there.

1.0
Dec 24, 2025
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Exceptionally generous vacation allowances. A fully funded master’s degree available after two years of service. A generally pleasant and supportive working environment. A diverse and engaging community of colleagues.

Cons

- Leadership roles are frequently occupied by individuals whose advancement appears to have been driven by prolonged tenure rather than demonstrated competence, having transitioned from internship positions into management without the requisite qualifications. - Certain institutions appear to be led by directors whose authority far exceeds their intellectual capacity. - Deeply corrosive and abusive leadership practices characterize management in these environments.

2.0
Dec 4, 2025

Challenging environment now

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Many smart people work there and it's a great learning environment.

Cons

A lot of politics and low pay; poor management skills.

Viewing 31 - 33 of 5,406 Reviews

Glassdoor has 6,147 Columbia University reviews submitted anonymously by Columbia University employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Columbia University is right for you.