Stanford University reviews

Salary is miserably low, and not at all in line with other Bay Area employers. And yes, many of those employers are private, but making ends meet on the peninsula with Stanford's salary is beyond challenging. Pay raises are roughly 3 - 3.5%, which doesn't compete with the skyrocketing cost of living in the Bay Area. Bonuses are nominal - if you can get one. Health benefits are a choice of bad, worse, and worst. Of the handful of plans that are available, the only one that sees low deductibles and copays is the Blue Shield EPO plan. Which, for a family, will cost you a staggering $1,200+ a month for the employee contribution. It's virtually unattainable for staff of the university. Not to mention the 20% increase in YoY cost for 2018. Career growth is limited. Many people make lateral moves on campus, or leave the university for big promotions. You have to pay to park. I understand campus visitors paying to park, but staff and faculty? I know of no other area employers who impose parking fees for their employees.

HR policies allow people to stay in jobs despite poor performance, or simply be passed on to another department. Pay is low compared to other Silicon Valley employers, but the college tuition benefit for your kids after you've worked at Stanford for 5 years means many parents stay in jobs they don't enjoy, and block opportunities for younger workers.