Does Merck pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Merck employees rate their compensation and benefits as 4.1 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Merck. This rating has decreased by 1% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Merck?

83% of Merck employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Merck 3.9 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.9 for culture and values and 3.7 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Merck?

Associate Director (234) , Director (190) , Intern (171) , Senior Scientist (163) , Sales Representative (117) , Scientist (94) , Senior Specialist (92) , Associate Principal Scientist (91) , Project Manager (88) , Manager (86) , Pharmaceuticals Sales Representative (59) , Associate Specialist (58) , Specialist (55) , Operations Manager (50) , Internship (49)

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

"Benefits are good (middle of road for pharma) Great when compared to other industries" ((in 753 reviews)); "There has been some really great people that have worked in Durham but many have left." ((in 512 reviews)); "Pay was good and the year end bonus was nice." ((in 343 reviews)); "Working in maintenance the work can have pressure at times but overall has a good work/life balance." ((in 321 reviews)); "The culture was great and very inclusive" ((in 295 reviews))

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

"Poor management; lack of trust between management and reps" ((in 228 reviews)); "Frequent layoffs and reorgs." ((in 146 reviews)); "Merck discovered this ticket and Manager Y and his/her boss called to discuss with me." ((in 108 reviews)); "upper management seems confused; jobs get eliinated" ((in 83 reviews)); "Poor leadership and talent management" ((in 73 reviews))

What are employees saying about Merck layoffs in 2026?

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

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Merck

Merck reviews

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4.1

83% would recommend to a friend

(6,148 total reviews)

Rob Davis

82% approve of CEO

70% positive business outlook

Ratings by category

4.1

Diversity & inclusion

4.1

Compensation and benefits

3.9

Culture & values

3.9

Work/Life balance

3.7

Career opportunities

3.5

Senior management

Merck has an employee rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars, based on 6,148 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there. The Merck employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Farmacéutica y biotecnología industry (3.5 stars).

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Reviews by job title

6K reviews

2.0

Mar 30, 2018

Constant Reorgs (Layoffs)

Scetit\c

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Some of the smartest scientists I have ever had the privilege to work with

Cons

Layoffs. Zero development and promotions.

2.0

May 10, 2017

Don't trust anyone

Sales representative

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Great teammates, and training. Interesting products and always provided with ample studies and credible sources.

Cons

No stability, they ask you to run your territory as if it was your own business but they won't let you. Don't be creative, just do what they say as nothing is appreciated. You are just a number not a person. Like they used to say, if you don't like it there are 100 people behind you waiting to take your job.

2.0

Feb 15, 2017

Merck Management is the issue

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Great company, good ethics, you go nowhere and very unfair pay.

Cons

Merck does not promote in place. That means "The next Moron" gets the job simply because its their turn. This leads to very incompetent management, nobody cares because they do not last long before the next moron takes over.

Viewing 40 - 42 of 6,148 Reviews

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Merck

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Constant Reorgs (Layoffs)

Don't trust anyone

Merck Management is the issue

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