Does Columbia University pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Columbia University employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.6 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Columbia University. This rating has been stable over the past 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Columbia University?

65% of Columbia University employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Columbia University 3.8 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.6 for culture and values and 3.7 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Columbia University?

Research Assistant (329) , Teaching Assistant (162) , Graduate Research Assistant (161) , Graduate Student (150) , PhD Student (144) , Postdoctoral Research Scientist (94) , Administrative Assistant (78) , Graduate Teaching Assistant (78) , Postdoctoral Fellow (73) , Associate Research Scientist (70) , Assistant Director (66) , Director (55) , Postdoctoral Researcher (51) , Associate Director (45) , Program Coordinator (44)

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

"Columbia and the Business School are great to work for because of the benefits and the people." ((in 492 reviews)); "The people are great and it's a pleasure to work with students" ((in 324 reviews)); "Great colleagues and talent employed" ((in 163 reviews)); "Flexibility and good work life balance" ((in 116 reviews)); "Flexible hours and in an understanding environment while being able to develop real world skills." ((in 114 reviews))

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

"low pay compared to state schools that pay more to perform the same exact duties." ((in 297 reviews)); "low salary very far from my home not much increase yearly not much chances of growth departments are not well interconnected" ((in 266 reviews)); "extremely low on pay and poor management" ((in 109 reviews)); "Senior leadership can be difficult to deal with." ((in 40 reviews)); "If you get a bad manager, not much can be done." ((in 37 reviews))

What are employees saying about Columbia University layoffs in 2026?

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

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Columbia University

Columbia University reviews

4.0

65% would recommend to a friend

(5,405 total reviews)

Lee C. Bollinger

60% approve of CEO

51% positive business outlook

Ratings by category

4.0

Diversity & inclusion

3.8

Work/Life balance

3.7

Career opportunities

3.6

Culture & values

3.6

Compensation and benefits

3.4

Senior management

Columbia University has an employee rating of 4.0 out of 5 stars, based on 5,405 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).

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Reviews by job title

5K reviews

4.0

Nov 23, 2008

Great place to advance your career and work with some thoughtful people.

Postdoctoral research fellow

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Connections to people to help advance your career. You have the opportunity to work with people who are thoughtful about their topics of interest. Some ideologues, but overall the people seem open minded. For better or worse, being involved with a big name school helps you since people view it as a big deal. Living in New York can be fun and is at the very least a unique experience.

Cons

Living in NY is expensive. This is only a downside if you are not a "go-getter" but, you have to seek out your own opportunities to do interesting or meaningful work as no one is necessarily going to hand you things...Just like any place else really.

1.0

Nov 9, 2008

Multiculturalism and diversity is limited in senior leadership roles.

Research coordinator

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

The name alone provides many opportunities and one is able to take advantage of attending presentations/discussions throughout campus. The vacation time is excellent as well.

Cons

Racist institution that looks the other way when people of color are being discriminated against. Several racist acts have occurred throughout campus in the past among blacks and Latinos. The institution emphasizes that they encourage multiculturalism and diversity, but their practice places many barriers. Staff are expected to conform and not challenge upper management. Communication is from the top down, as well as performance evaluations (e.g., staff do not evaluate their supervisor). Employee morale in my department was extremely low and high turnover.

4.0

Oct 20, 2008

Columbia University - Great Benefits.

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Great place to work - benefits include the option to take free classes through the College of General Studies,tuition benefits for your family, great healthcare plan, access to libraries and other facilities, flexible scheduling and association with a prestigious university. The people you work with will generally be very smart and at the top of their field. Columbia is also located in New York City, which is a huge boon.

Cons

Pay at an academic institution is generally lower than what you would receive in the private sector.

Viewing 5392 - 5394 of 5,405 Reviews

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Administrative Assistant

Administrative Assistant

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Administrative Assistant

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Great place to advance your career and work with some thoughtful people.

Multiculturalism and diversity is limited in senior leadership roles.

Columbia University - Great Benefits.

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