Does Stanford University pay their employees well?

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

How satisfied are employees working at Stanford University?

82% of Stanford University employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Stanford University 3.9 out of 5 for work life balance, 4.1 for culture and values and 3.9 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Stanford University?

Postdoctoral Fellow (348) , Research Assistant (347) , PhD Student (166) , Graduate Research Assistant (157) , Postdoctoral Scholar (135) , Graduate Student (132) , Postdoctoral Researcher (100) , PhD Graduate Student (79) , Research Scientist (76) , Teaching Assistant (60) , Research Associate (56) , Postdoctoral Research Fellow (54) , Researcher (54) , Clinical Research Coordinator (52) , Administrative Assistant (47)

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

"people were great and nice to work with" ((in 492 reviews)); "one of the best places If you like to do research and the campus is beautiful" ((in 362 reviews)); "Great faculty and colleagues and resources" ((in 170 reviews)); "Good work life balance is good" ((in 142 reviews)); "Everyone is appreciative of your work and hours are flexible as long as you do your assigned tasks." ((in 112 reviews))

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

"Low salary because of the way the fellowship works; can only work domestically not internationally" ((in 305 reviews)); "Low pay and very antiquated." ((in 305 reviews)); "Poor management; Discouraging and had unreasonable expectations as working from home began due to covid" ((in 65 reviews)); "Managers don't hold themselves accountable and you wonder what they do all day." ((in 47 reviews)); "poor work organization and leadership" ((in 28 reviews))

What are employees saying about Stanford University layoffs in 2026?

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

Stanford University reviews

4.3

82% would recommend to a friend

(5,726 total reviews)

Jonathan Levin

77% approve of CEO

68% positive business outlook

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Stanford University has an employee rating of 4.3 out of 5 stars, based on 5,726 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there. The Stanford University employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Educación industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

6K reviews

4.0

Sep 2, 2010

A gorgeous place to work with few if any downfalls

Research assistant

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

great pay and benefits, gorgeous campus, free gym. always working with smart people.

Cons

sometimes need to go through various people to get things accomplished, like getting paycheck, etc. If you buy the cheap parking pass, you have to walk FAR to work.

4.0

Sep 1, 2010

phd student

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

good training, good professors, state of art equipment and strong support from university. Very good community and area to live in.

Cons

Low compensation, could be long hours of studying and working. No dental insurance, no visian insurance. High cost of living.

4.0

Sep 1, 2010

Finding time to take advantage of the great benefits is my personal challenge.

Five year staff employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

There are many generations of students, faculty, and staff employees working on a beautiful campus. I like learning from others as we behind the scenes support our students and faculty, mission and longer term goals. It's a complex environment where no two days are the same. Leadership comes in many styles. Across the board, the successful people know how to build and sustain relationships.

Cons

Your personal philosophies about working from anywhere, commuting, sharing information, etc. must map well to your team/division. Understanding and appreciating work in a decentralized environment takes time.

Viewing 5602 - 5604 of 5,726 Reviews

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Jobs at Stanford University

Non-Resident Research Fellow, Religious Liberty Clinic, Stanford Law School

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Curatorial Assistant, Asian American Art Initiative

Student Services Coordinator