Is Principal Financial Group a good company to work for?

Principal Financial Group has an overall rating of 3.8 out of 5, based on over 3,086 reviews left anonymously by employees. This rating has decreased by 1% over the last 12 months. 72% of employees would recommend working at Principal Financial Group to a friend and 69% have a positive outlook for the business. The best reviews about Principal Financial Group have been left by employees working as Software Engineer Intern , Intern and Relationship Manager .

Does Principal Financial Group pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Principal Financial Group employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.7 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Principal Financial Group. This rating has been stable over the past 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Principal Financial Group?

72% of Principal Financial Group employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Principal Financial Group 4.0 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.9 for culture and values and 3.6 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Principal Financial Group?

Software Engineer (160) , Analyst (103) , Financial Advisor (53) , Data Engineer (47) , Senior Software Engineer (45) , Retirement Specialist (44) , Software Developer (42) , Intern (38) , Business Analyst (31) , Process Specialist (28) , Software Engineer(Internship) (25) , Associate Consultant (24) , Financial Analyst (24) , Client Service Associate (23) , Senior Analyst (22)

What are the pros of working at Principal Financial Group according to real employee reviews?

"Great benefits and the company overall is working to have the employees to be more antonymous." ((in 251 reviews)); "Very fulfilling work with great people" ((in 143 reviews)); "Good company with good pay" ((in 105 reviews)); "Good work culture and tech stack" ((in 87 reviews)); "providing jobs and good salaries" ((in 64 reviews))

What are the cons of working at Principal Financial Group according to real employee reviews?

"3. Bad management infact they do not know to manage at all. 4. No employee importance." ((in 109 reviews)); "Most managers have next to no idea what an employee is doing and rely very heavily on surveys given to each team." ((in 45 reviews)); "Low pay, team politics, old boys network, nepotism(It’s very common for upper management have family working here, and they do get preferential treatment), some people don’t get promotions regardless of the experience and dedication, some managers don’t even make eye contact with the regular Joe unless you play golf." ((in 12 reviews)); "Senior management is not the brightest by any stretch of the imagination, and junior expressing any ambition to contribute beyond their role is immediatley squashed." ((in 11 reviews)); "Diversity and inclusion is a big issue." ((in 8 reviews))

What are employees saying about Principal Financial Group layoffs in 2026?

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

What are the top reviewed Principal Financial Group locations?

Des Moines , Charlotte , Minneapolis , New York , Raleigh , Grand Island , Chicago , Atlanta , Cedar Falls , Denver , Mason City , West Des Moines , Tampa , Dallas , San Diego , Downers Grove , Grand Rapids , Houston , Indianapolis , Roseville , Iowa City , Phoenix , Nashville , Los Angeles , San Francisco , Roseville , Salt Lake City , Kansas City , Appleton , Sioux Falls

Principal Financial Group reviews

3.8

72% would recommend to a friend

(2,594 total reviews)

Deanna Strable

79% approve of CEO

69% positive business outlook

Company ratings over time

Ratings trend for the last 6 months (2,594 reviews)

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Principal Financial Group has an employee rating of 3.8 out of 5 stars, based on 2,594 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Principal Financial Group employee rating is in line with the average (within 1 standard deviation) for employers within the Financial Services industry (3.7 stars).

Reviews by job title

3K reviews

5.0

Jan 28, 2025

No Deductible Healthcare Plan with Pension

Software engineer

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

- WFH - Pension eligibility - 6% 401k match - No deductible healthcare plan for 80/month - Paid Internet for certain states - Paid gym membership

Cons

- Low yearly salary increase

Principal Financial Group Response

1y

Thank you for taking the time to write a thoughtful review! We appreciate hearing about your personal experience and are glad to learn that you enjoy our unique work perks. As a leading provider of retirement solutions and employee benefits, we offer our employees a competitive benefits package. One of our guiding principles of our global pay philosophy is to be market driven. This means that total pay is set and administered in alignment with the external labor markets in which we compete for talent. We use third-party market data to help ensure base salary and incentives are appropriately aligned.

5.0

Jan 26, 2025

Call Center Was Okay

Retirement solutions representative

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

The team was great, and the benefits were nice. The managers cared.

Cons

Burnout in a call center is a real thing.

Principal Financial Group Response

1y

Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. At Principal, we take a tailored approach to flexibility that fits your needs and allows you and your team to prioritize life and work. We encourage you to meet with your leader to further discuss.

1.0

Jan 26, 2025

Worst Record Keeping Agency

Retirement specialist

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

The leaders there are seasoned vets.

Cons

**Review for Principal Financial Group:** I have to say, my experience with Principal Financial Group has been incredibly disappointing. This company claims to prioritize upward mobility, but in reality, it seems like a façade. The top-down hierarchy treats employees as mere numbers in a system, making it clear that genuine advancement is only possible through nepotism. While they tout their commitment to diversity and inclusion, the leadership team is overwhelmingly composed of white males, which speaks volumes about their true priorities. Since going public, the treatment of employees has become increasingly automated, lacking any semblance of human empathy. The expectations set for performance are unrealistic and monitored by an ineffective AI system that only adds to the stress. It's frustrating to see how far behind they are compared to competitors who actually value their employees. I cannot recommend Principal Financial Group as either an employer or a record keeper. If you’re looking for a company that genuinely values its workforce, look elsewhere.

Principal Financial Group Response

1y

Thank you for bringing this to our attention. At Principal, we take these matters very seriously. We’re committed to providing a diverse, equitable, and inclusive work environment, free of unlawful discrimination, and harassment. Please report discriminatory or harassing behavior immediately to your leader, employee relations consultant or local Human Resources contact.

Viewing 304 - 306 of 2,594 Reviews

Jobs at Principal Financial Group

Defined Benefit Calculation Automation Analyst I

Advisor Support (Website and Customer Service)