You have to be Clever to gain - Anonymous employee Penn State Employee Review

2.0
Apr 11, 2011
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

There are several departments and facilities. There is a large student community you can interact with and are good.

Cons

Salary, position and promotion are very unsatisfactory. Like everywhere, the PIs try to exploit to the maximum extent, no ethics. Mostly people coming from abroad lack this commercial outlook and also due to their visa restrictions, get exploited. Most of the PIs themselves are mediocre level of researchers struggling for their own survival and beneftis, so will think about the benefit of students or employees only if benefiting the employees benefits themselves. Health insurance costs much more compared with universities in other states. Salaries of Postdocs /RAs are very less in comparison to other places.

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Jun 21, 2026
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CEO approval
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Pros

Friendly professor and professional staff

Cons

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4.0
Jun 26, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

flexibility. I'm on a fellowship I won with a great advisor. It is not so good for others.

Cons

An inherently liminal position with severely reduced benefits.

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