Does Common Sense Media pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Common Sense Media employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.3 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Common Sense Media. This rating has decreased by 3% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Common Sense Media?

61% of Common Sense Media employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Common Sense Media 4.4 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.8 for culture and values and 3.3 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Common Sense Media?

Content Reviewer (5) , Manager (4) , Intern (3) , Consultant (2) , Intern - Hourly (2)

What are the pros of working at Common Sense Media according to real employee reviews?

"They are good people and Do good work." ((in 12 reviews)); "Decent benefits." ((in 9 reviews)); "mission and programs are important and worthy." ((in 6 reviews)); "The teams are dedicated and care deeply about the work and making a difference in kids' lives." ((in 6 reviews)); "The staff are smart and dedicated individuals." ((in 5 reviews))

What are the cons of working at Common Sense Media according to real employee reviews?

"those in senior leadership positions are truly inept at managing." ((in 4 reviews)); "It is a hostile work environment." ((in 3 reviews)); "Opportunities for growth exist, but are not clearly defined." ((in 3 reviews))

What are employees saying about Common Sense Media layoffs in 2026?

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

What are the top reviewed Common Sense Media locations?

San Francisco , Los Angeles , Nowhere

Common Sense Media reviews

3.8

61% would recommend to a friend

(56 total reviews)

James Steyer

60% approve of CEO

46% positive business outlook

Company ratings over time

Ratings trend for the last 6 months (56 reviews)

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Common Sense Media has an employee rating of 3.8 out of 5 stars, based on 56 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Common Sense Media employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Nonprofit & NGO industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

56 reviews

1.0

Sep 4, 2020

Dated Leadership and Poor Diversity Inside Out

Team lead

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Staff is very knowledgable and passionate about the line of work. Education and editorial teams are true subject matter experts and are very talented. However, diversity, equity and inclusion are truly lacking within the organization. Leadership loves to preach how diverse they are, but there fails to acknowledge and address technology and educational gap among under-represented communities. The mom they cater to is a middle-class, suburban living, stay-at-home and non-POC, and this is appalling for a nonprofit based in the San Francisco Bay Area. But I guess this is a pro because it caters to a portion of the population responsible for funding the organization.

Cons

The CEO is verbally abusive, hostile, and totally disconnected from real life issues. The organization as a whole does not value input that will make the organization more innovative and cutting-edge because leadership is too comfortable with how it is currently operated.

4.0

Feb 28, 2020

Generally a good place to work

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

The non-executive staff are amazing and very passionate. The mission of the organization is strong, when not being diluted by only semi-related projects. Benefits are competitive for a non-profit.

Cons

Leadership is insular and secretive. They've tried to open communication, but not in any meaningful way. Decision making happens at the top with little input from the people actually doing the work. It's well known that the CEO is difficult and often times abusive toward staff, but the rest of leadership continue to make excuses/accommodations for him.

4.0

Nov 4, 2019

Amazing, dedicated people pulled in too many directions

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

You can't find a more dedicated group of people working toward a mission, and many departments are flexible in terms of work-life balance. HR has worked hard to make the salaries and benefits competitive in a tough market, despite the org being a nonprofit.

Cons

There are often too many initiatives, too many decisions made by senior leadership that don't seem to benefit the organization, and conflicts of ideas. The CEO means well but isn't a strong listener, often contradicts the main messages of the organization, doesn't try to build relationships with most employees (or learn their names/functions), and is difficult to work with, as evidenced by the high turn-over in positions that are in direct contact with him.

Viewing 25 - 27 of 56 Reviews

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Jobs at Common Sense Media

Risk Assessment Analyst (Youth AI Safety Institute)

Evaluations Partner Manager (Youth AI Safety Institute)

Risk Assessment Associate (Youth AI Safety Institute)

Director, Business Development & Partnerships

Vice President, Engineering