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 506 reviews)); "one of the best places If you like to do research and the campus is beautiful" ((in 346 reviews)); "Great faculty and colleagues and resources" ((in 172 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 108 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 300 reviews)); "Low pay and very antiquated." ((in 296 reviews)); "Poor management; Discouraging and had unreasonable expectations as working from home began due to covid" ((in 61 reviews)); "Managers don't hold themselves accountable and you wonder what they do all day." ((in 46 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

83% would recommend to a friend

(5,715 total reviews)

Jonathan Levin

79% approve of CEO

68% positive business outlook

Company ratings over time

Ratings trend for the last 6 months (5,715 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 5,715 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

Jun 14, 2008

Retirement Work, not good for young people

Computer info systems analyst

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Stanford is good at Research and Teaching. Hence, if you are not a researcher or a teacher, you do not have the work pressure. SO you would have much Personal Time. The benefit is fine, even the salary is lower than industry. Additional, you got chances to audit good classes for free

Cons

Low pay comparing with industry

4.0

Jun 13, 2008

Hard to get in, hard to leave

Senior systems administrator

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

This is the elite of academia Profit is not the motive training and professional adv budgets are good currently college tuition benefits for children of staff is re-imbursed at 50% of Stanford tuition

Cons

It can get political - various kingdoms I have been seeking career advancement on a technical (non managerial) track and was assured by the director 4 years ago this was possible. Well, 4 years ago I am still waiting for an update in my job title (I have increased my value via certifications and accomplishments 10x)

4.0

Jun 13, 2008

Stanford University has its ups and downs

Software engineer

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Simply put, the benefits. The benefits offered by Stanford University to every employee are competitive with some of the best companies in the world. The retirement plan offers double matching of the first 5% contributed. There are multiple health care packages to choose from, offering a spectrum of options. Educational benefits are also offered, and any class on campus may be audited. Public transportation passes are offered for free to employees. Good academic atmosphere.

Cons

Pay is not very competitive with other companies. Like any huge institution, bureaucracy can be extremely annoying. Driving on campus is discouraged as much as possible, so parking can be a challenge.

Viewing 5710 - 5712 of 5,715 Reviews

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