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 481 reviews)); "The people are great and it's a pleasure to work with students" ((in 325 reviews)); "Some great students and colleagues" ((in 155 reviews)); "Flexibility and good work life balance" ((in 120 reviews)); "Flexible hours and in an understanding environment while being able to develop real world skills." ((in 120 reviews))

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

"The pay can be low and slow" ((in 297 reviews)); "Low salary depending on the department and there is no way to know until you get the offer." ((in 275 reviews)); "extremely low on pay and poor management" ((in 108 reviews)); "Senior leadership can be difficult to deal with." ((in 38 reviews)); "If you get a bad manager, not much can be done." ((in 38 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

(5,406 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 5,406 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).

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Reviews by job title

5K reviews

4.0

Dec 2, 2009

Overall great place to work

Financial aid officer

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

The benefits are amazing. As an officer I can take classes for free (have to pay the fees though), the health insurance is great, and time off is more than adequate (23 days and unlimited sick days.. manager's discretion though). The opportunity for education is priceless and any employees not taking advantage of it are insane!

Cons

The salary is less than I wanted, but I think it's off-set by the benefits. The union makes everything more difficult and I feel like I don't have much opportunity to be promoted within my department for quite some time. I also feel that I could serve my department and the university better if my skills were utilized more- I am full of ideas to improve!

3.0

Nov 14, 2009

Great Benefits and Teamwork. Little room for advancement

Assistant director

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

A strong team atmosphere and work colleagues are very nice to work with.

Cons

Like other major universities, a strong focus on cost cutting.

3.0

Oct 12, 2009

Columbia Postdoc

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

It's in New York City and a lot of smart people to work around. Surrounded by interesting science and interesting people.

Cons

Washington Heights is not a very exciting neighborhood to work in. Columbia does not maintain a real academic atmosphere, it feels like the hospital it is.

Viewing 5392 - 5394 of 5,406 Reviews

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