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 (51) , 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 709 reviews)); "There has been some really great people that have worked in Durham but many have left." ((in 519 reviews)); "Pay was good and the year end bonus was nice." ((in 338 reviews)); "Working in maintenance the work can have pressure at times but overall has a good work/life balance." ((in 326 reviews)); "The culture was great and very inclusive" ((in 284 reviews))

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

"Poor management; lack of trust between management and reps" ((in 221 reviews)); "Frequent layoffs and reorgs." ((in 144 reviews)); "Merck discovered this ticket and Manager Y and his/her boss called to discuss with me." ((in 114 reviews)); "upper management seems confused; jobs get eliinated" ((in 85 reviews)); "poor leadership and too much micromanagement" ((in 77 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

4.1

83% would recommend to a friend

(6,150 total reviews)

Rob Davis

82% approve of CEO

71% 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 6,150 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

5.0

Jul 15, 2020

Values work-life balance

Associate specialist

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Employees are excited about the company's mission. Merck works to keep up with the latest technology. Great benefits, new hires start with 3 weeks of vacation. Really great coworkers.

Cons

Raises, even with a promotion, are fairly low. The common wisdom is that you have to leave the company (and potentially come back in the future) to make more money.

3.0

Mar 20, 2020

Great Company, Management needs work

Associate production technician

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Love the culture and people I work with. Benefits are good.

Cons

No teamwork between shifts, always a competition. Management does not inspire growth within employees, favoritism plays a role. Plant does not compensate fairly with salaries, one of the most lowest paid in our area. Turnover rate here is high with people finding new and better positions elsewhere.

2.0

Nov 27, 2019

What's left of the mighty Merck

Executive representative

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Great people, most laid off or left.

Cons

Nothing to sell and no pipeline. Oncology/Keytruda division has too many reps with no access.

Viewing 142 - 144 of 6,150 Reviews

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Values work-life balance

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