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 249 reviews)); "Great people you work with and a relatively easy job with very easy to understand ladder to climb." ((in 169 reviews)); "Work Life Balance is good" ((in 69 reviews)); "Great Coworkers (for the most part)" ((in 42 reviews)); "Very interesting place to work and colleagues are great" ((in 42 reviews))

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

"sites are disorganized and pay is low" ((in 172 reviews)); "Management is poor and people who are in charge lack knowledge of CDMO" ((in 168 reviews)); "The low salary also makes it hard to subsequently ask for more at another company." ((in 118 reviews)); "Long hours are common and they happen with little or no warning and frequently (at least a couple times a week)." ((in 38 reviews)); "upper management could do better caring for the employees." ((in 32 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

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Charles River Laboratories

Charles River Laboratories reviews

3.1

49% would recommend to a friend

(2,375 total reviews)

Birgit Girshick

64% approve of CEO

32% positive business outlook

Ratings by category

3.7

Diversity & inclusion

3.2

Culture & values

3.2

Work/Life balance

3.1

Career opportunities

3.0

Compensation and benefits

2.7

Senior management

Charles River Laboratories has an employee rating of 3.1 out of 5 stars, based on 2,375 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).

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Reviews by job title

2K reviews

3.0

Aug 20, 2025

Good place to work if you are a fresher

Analyst

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Get experience in a range of techniques

Cons

Poor management, overtime is expected, no scope of progression will be doing the same technique for months, less salary compared to market

Charles River Laboratories Response

11mo

We appreciate feedback about leadership, as it plays an important role in how we continue to grow and improve. At Charles River, many of our people leaders balance individual responsibilities with the demands of supporting their teams. We’re committed to helping them succeed in both areas. That’s why we’re focused on selecting leaders who demonstrate our CRL DNA behaviors and investing in their ongoing development at every level of their journey.

1.0

Aug 19, 2025

HR are awful

Scientific technician

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Met lots of great people there. That's about it.

Cons

I wasn't trained trained for months for a start and it was due to lack of upper management. I then went through a serious health crisis and HR treated me like I was lying and deceiving them. I have since leaving had to spend weeks in the hospital.

5.0

Aug 18, 2025

A supportive workplace with meaningful work and room to grow.

Marketing specialist

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

- Mission-driven company that makes a real impact in improving lives. - Strong sense of teamwork and collaboration across departments. - Leadership that values employee contributions and well-being. - Opportunities to develop skills and take on new responsibilities.

Cons

- Workload can be demanding during peak times, but I do not mind as I love the work I do.

Charles River Laboratories Response

11mo

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

Viewing 118 - 120 of 2,375 Reviews

Jobs at Charles River Laboratories

Animal Care Technician I

Animal Care Technician I

Animal Care Technician I

Security Officer - Worcester, MA (Mon-Fri, 6am - 2pm)

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Ratings by category

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Good place to work if you are a fresher

HR are awful

A supportive workplace with meaningful work and room to grow.

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