Does Charles River Laboratories pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Charles River Laboratories employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.0 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Charles River Laboratories. This rating has been stable over the past 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Charles River Laboratories?

49% of Charles River Laboratories employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Charles River Laboratories 3.2 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.2 for culture and values and 3.1 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Charles River Laboratories?

Lab Technician (78) , Scientist (69) , Animal Care Technician (65) , Research Technician (55) , Technician (52) , Analyst (51) , Research Associate (46) , Research Scientist (42) , Supervisor (37) , Research Assistant (36) , Laboratory Technician (31) , Study Director (27) , Project Manager (25) , Manager (22) , Associate Scientist (20)

What are the pros of working at Charles River Laboratories according to real employee reviews?

"The ability to move around within the company is relatively good and the benefits are good." ((in 237 reviews)); "Great people you work with and a relatively easy job with very easy to understand ladder to climb." ((in 169 reviews)); "good work life balance to an extent" ((in 63 reviews)); "Great people and team to work with" ((in 48 reviews)); "Colleagues are nice and friendly." ((in 40 reviews))

What are the cons of working at Charles River Laboratories according to real employee reviews?

"sites are disorganized and pay is low" ((in 178 reviews)); "Management is poor and people who are in charge lack knowledge of CDMO" ((in 166 reviews)); "The low salary also makes it hard to subsequently ask for more at another company." ((in 114 reviews)); "Long hours are common and they happen with little or no warning and frequently (at least a couple times a week)." ((in 43 reviews)); "Favoritism runs rampant like a rash." ((in 34 reviews))

What are employees saying about Charles River Laboratories layoffs in 2026?

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

What are the top reviewed Charles River Laboratories locations?

Wilmington , Mattawan , Reno , Ashland , Horsham , Shrewsbury , Memphis , Boston , Charleston , Worcester , Chicago , Bethesda , Raleigh , South San Francisco , Malvern , Wayne , Cambridge , Skokie , San Diego , Rockville , Morrisville , Newark , Frederick , Philadelphia , Spencerville , Kalamazoo , Wilmington , Durham , Kingston , Catskill

Charles River Laboratories reviews

3.1

49% would recommend to a friend

(2,373 total reviews)

Birgit Girshick

64% approve of CEO

32% positive business outlook

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Charles River Laboratories has an employee rating of 3.1 out of 5 stars, based on 2,373 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Charles River Laboratories employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Pharmaceutical & Biotechnology industry (3.5 stars).

Reviews by job title

2K reviews

4.0

Oct 2, 2025

Good start for a junior

Scientist

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Good atmosphere and exiting work and colleagues. Work demands flexibility, but this also met in flexibility that is given by the managment. Very human and emphatic managment and good pay.

Cons

Little chance on promotion, sometimes bound by out of control situations.

4.0

Oct 1, 2025

Great place to work

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Great place to work with a good management team.

Cons

No cons, at this time.

Charles River Laboratories Response

8mo

Thank you for your positive feedback. We’re glad to hear you’re having a great experience and appreciate your contributions to our culture.

3.0

Sep 30, 2025

A place to gain entry level experience, nothing more

Scientist

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

They accept a lot of entry level applicants straight out of college. You can learn the industry and move around to different departments easily

Cons

After 1 or 2 years, everyone gains their experience, realizes the pay and workload suck, and leave, so it is a constant cycle of dealing with losing workers and trying to train new people. They do not pay well compared to big pharma in the area (big pharma typically pays $20-40k more).

Charles River Laboratories Response

8mo

We regularly review our compensation and benefits to ensure that we continue to provide total rewards that are market competitive, equitable, and aligned with industry standards. We appreciate feedback in this area and use it to help inform adjustments and planning.

Viewing 94 - 96 of 2,373 Reviews

Jobs at Charles River Laboratories

Associate Director Global Marketing - Biologics Testing (REMOTE)

Warehouse/Inventory Associate

Animal Care Associate

Animal Care Technician I