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?

83% 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 4.0 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Stanford University?

Postdoctoral Fellow (347) , Research Assistant (346) , PhD Student (165) , Graduate Research Assistant (157) , Postdoctoral Scholar (135) , Graduate Student (132) , Postdoctoral Researcher (99) , 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 498 reviews)); "one of the best places If you like to do research and the campus is beautiful" ((in 336 reviews)); "Great faculty and colleagues and resources" ((in 167 reviews)); "Good work life balance is good" ((in 146 reviews)); "Everyone is appreciative of your work and hours are flexible as long as you do your assigned tasks." ((in 113 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 304 reviews)); "Low pay and very antiquated." ((in 293 reviews)); "Poor management; Discouraging and had unreasonable expectations as working from home began due to covid" ((in 63 reviews)); "Managers don't hold themselves accountable and you wonder what they do all day." ((in 45 reviews)); "Very low compensation and no bonuses compared to the rest of the Bay Area." ((in 29 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

83% would recommend to a friend

(5,717 total reviews)

Jonathan Levin

79% approve of CEO

68% positive business outlook

Company ratings over time

Ratings trend for the last 6 months (5,717 reviews)

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 5,717 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

Jul 8, 2010

good place to work

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Being part of a first-class university; sense of academic mission; great resources and colleagues, and unbeatable geographic location (the weather in particular).

Cons

Work culture can almost be *too* relaxed; a little more encouragement of professionalism in the workplace would be very helpful.

3.0

Jul 6, 2010

Prestigious but has its downside

Postdoctoral researcher

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Stanford EE and CS heavily influenced by Silicon Valley. Helps to land a good job if you are in the tech industry.

Cons

The atmosphere is not as academic as in other universities. Research quality is variable. Some profs are just managers. Others still do deep research

4.0

Jul 3, 2010

Still a great place to work, but it's becoming more .com than .edu over the past couple years.

Systems administrator

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Working with some of the brightest people can exceptionally rewarding, provided effort is made to seek partnerships. Life/work balance is well maintained and the overall environment is generally easy-going. Highlights include access to great recreational facilities and on-campus eating establishments, up to two-to-one matching contributions after five years for retirement plans, ability to work from home, free Caltrain annual pass and free money for not driving.

Cons

My health insurance premiums went up 233% in one year, although the overall cost is still less than industry average. Retirement plan is confusing and little guidance is provided by the university; it was changed in 2010. Overall pay is still somewhat less than comparable salary in the region.

Viewing 5641 - 5643 of 5,717 Reviews

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