Is Harvard University a good company to work for?

Harvard University has an overall rating of 4.2 out of 5, based on over 4,621 reviews left anonymously by employees. This rating has been stable over the past 12 months. 83% of employees would recommend working at Harvard University to a friend and 69% have a positive outlook for the business. The best reviews about Harvard University have been left by employees working as Undergraduate Course Assistant , Course Assistant and Intern .

Does Harvard University pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Harvard University employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.8 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Harvard University. This rating has decreased by 3% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Harvard University?

83% of Harvard University employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Harvard University 4.0 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.9 for culture and values and 4.0 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Harvard University?

Research Assistant (271) , Postdoctoral Fellow (231) , PhD Student (100) , Graduate Student (93) , Research Associate (86) , Teaching Fellow (67) , Teaching Assistant (63) , Graduate Research Assistant (60) , PhD Graduate Student (50) , Staff Assistant (50) , Program Coordinator (43) , Research Fellow (43) , Researcher (41) , Director (35) , Intern (34)

What are the pros of working at Harvard University according to real employee reviews?

"Nice to work with and the people are great." ((in 291 reviews)); "great colleagues to work and discuss with" ((in 161 reviews)); "Flexibility and good work/life balance" ((in 96 reviews)); "The hours are flexible and fairly easy" ((in 96 reviews)); "There are many opportunities to collaborate in related fields and attend talks or seminars in entirely different fields that are of interest." ((in 64 reviews))

What are the cons of working at Harvard University according to real employee reviews?

"Pay is low for the cost of living but worth it if you make the most of it." ((in 222 reviews)); "Salaries are low but I believe this to be the case in higher ed more generally." ((in 147 reviews)); "Toxic culture (depending on lab/department)" ((in 47 reviews)); "Toxic managers and workplaces were tolerated if the work got done." ((in 23 reviews)); "Senior management and their leadership" ((in 18 reviews))

What are employees saying about Harvard University layoffs in 2026?

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

What are the top reviewed Harvard University locations?

Cambridge , Boston , New York , Harvard , Allston , Washington , Harvard , San Antonio , Los Angeles , San Francisco , Cambridge , Somerville , Houston , Denver , Miami , Brockton , Brookline , Jamaica Plain , Malden , Atlanta , Jersey City , Ohio , Boston , Brooklyn , Madison , Orono , Lander , Austin , Frisco , Lubbock

Harvard University reviews

4.2

83% would recommend to a friend

(4,072 total reviews)

Alan Garber

80% approve of CEO

69% positive business outlook

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Harvard University has an employee rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars, based on 4,072 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there. The Harvard University employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Education industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

4K reviews

4.0

Dec 28, 2009

Good while you're there, but no chance to stay

Athletics intern

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

The name obviously makes a huge difference. I was in athletics, and the people there are good people, not stuck up or arrogant, and are definitely willing to help. Great life with coworkers outside of the office. Access to workout facilities, other parts of the school.

Cons

Pay was ok for an intern, but you end up working 60-70 hours, and even though they say there's overtime pay, you don't get any. No chance to stay after the internship is done. Not much professional development- you're basically put right to work. Season never ends there.

2.0

Dec 21, 2009

Decent work for decent pay.

Software engineer

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Usually a relaxed pace of work, unless under the gun. Nice perks: ice cream socials, etc. Generally free to explore tech as you'd like, provided it fit into the general environment.

Cons

Some of the people had been there way too long, maybe were a bit too comfortable and/or weird.

5.0

Oct 21, 2009

Pretty good kinda great and a place to settle...

Staff assistant

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

1) Working at Harvard feels good because of Harvard's history and standing. 2) Pay is very good for the level of effort required for most positions. 3) Hours for most position are good, 9-5, with flex timer, comp time, or overtime if you work outside those hours. 4) Health benefits are good. 5) Harvard has a lot of things to do on and around campus for employees. Gym access, library access, museum access is all for free or at a reduced price. 6) Harvard square is very nice. The area around the university is well-to-do and has shops and 7) Adjacent to Boston and everything a major city should have. Sports, entertainment, et cetera.

Cons

1) It is hard to get a job at Harvard...less than 2% of job applicants are accepted. It is harder to get a job at Harvard than get into the school. This counts for promotions as well. Most moves are lateral promotions or small promotions in different areas. People work for 10 years at the Law School and then get another job at the Education school for slightly more money. There is no direct line of promotion. 2) Cambridge is expensive. Harvard pays a good salary at every job level but it still is not enough to own a house in the area. Cambridge is a great place but most employees have to commute. Renting is easy enough in Cambridge but if you want a bigger place or a to own your own home you will have to commute at least 30 minutes if not closer to an hour. Trains are good though... 3) This barely a con but working at Harvard dominates your life. You will hear the word Harvard a 100 times a day, see crimson Hs all over the place, and might even get Harvard overload. Some people do not like it. But this is not a real problem for most people ...after all...saying you work at Harvard is awesome. 4) Some of the people at Harvard are flaky. The Harvard name attracts all sorts for really cool people to pompous snobs who have nothing to really be pompous or snobby about other than working at Harvard. But the proverbial 9 out of 10 employees (and students) are really nice people. The local Cambridge people are definitely weird crunchy types though...

Viewing 4027 - 4029 of 4,072 Reviews

Top companies for "Compensation and Benefits" near you

University of Michigan

3.9★Compensation & Benefits

University of Washington

3.5★Compensation & Benefits

NYU (New York University)

3.9★Compensation & Benefits

Stanford University

3.6★Compensation & Benefits

Jobs at Harvard University