Management and degree heavy, lots of opportunity - SSA UL Solutions Employee Review

3.0
Dec 11, 2015
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

UL tends to operate like a standard nonprofit. That means you have a lot of flexibility in what you can do, and that ideally you are able to climb the ladder if you have enough business smarts to do so. They are obviously working towards safety standards as a company, so you are actually working for a company that is actively trying to improve the world. People work here until they die from old age. IT staff are extremely knowledgeable, skilled, and basically keep the company afloat. Hours are reasonably flexible in most positions. There are lots of extracurricular activities around the main HQ (volleyball, basketball, soccer).

Cons

UL tends to operate like a standard nonprofit. So, that flexibility will mean you will be handling things far outside your job scope. This means degreed individuals (esp masters and are given far more specific scopes (and less responsibility /more pay) to do the exact same thing. It is explicit that pay correlates to degree, often by more than 20%. So if you don't have a higher degree but bust your butt, it won't matter come review time nor will it matter because UL pay for those without a degree is beyond uncompetitive. Average entry level positions will pay around 30-50k in careers that usually pay 50-70k. Typical business management is awful, full of nepotism in all the bad ways, and believes that working harder is preferred to working smarter. Salaries do not grow here from where they start, so make sure you start on a good salary or you're going nowhere. I've doubled my salary simply leaving this company. Also nobody gets fired except bottom 10% during cuts, which happen every few years.

Explore other reviews about UL Solutions

5.0
Jul 15, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great team and employee benefits

Cons

Old tech stack to work

1.0
Jul 13, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

WFH policy and great coworkers.

Cons

Role eliminated while executives and higher-ups spend ridiculous amounts of money on travel to "conferences", while transitioning the team to all contract/external employees to alleviate "budgeting" costs. Leaders continue to appease to higher-ups and C-level executives without a care or understanding of current team dynamics to protect themselves in a cutthroat and toxic environment filled with corporate politics. 0 growth for internal designers at below market salaries (20-25%) and below average benefits- when mentioned to leaders, profits are increasing YOY, yet the discussion becomes a "let's circle back" while 10+ contractors are immediately brought on board.

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