Does Smithsonian pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Smithsonian employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.7 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Smithsonian. This rating has improved by 5% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Smithsonian?

66% of Smithsonian employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Smithsonian 4.1 out of 5 for work life balance, 4.0 for culture and values and 3.4 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Smithsonian?

Intern (56) , Internship (13) , Explainer (10) , Retail Sales Associate (9) , Sales Associate (9) , Contractor (8) , Postdoctoral Fellow (8) , Research Assistant (8) , Museum Specialist (7) , Program Coordinator (7) , Security Officer (7) , Archivist (6) , Curator (6) , Education Specialist (6) , Program Assistant (6)

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

"And you will meet so many great people (tourist) from all over the world." ((in 65 reviews)); "Benefits are great and the option to telework." ((in 34 reviews)); "Great staff I enjoyed my time there." ((in 24 reviews)); "Coworkers are friendly and well" ((in 18 reviews)); "Working NMAH was a great opportunity to contribute to a public facing organization and learn new skills." ((in 18 reviews))

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

"low pay too much red tape" ((in 30 reviews)); "Low salary for DC metropolitan area" ((in 14 reviews)); "Lack of leadership and hard to fire" ((in 13 reviews)); "Unpaid internship where I was doing some of the same work that paid employees were doing." ((in 12 reviews)); "Long hours and very administrative at times" ((in 10 reviews))

What are the top reviewed Smithsonian locations?

Washington , Chantilly , New York , Suitland , Arlington , Chicago , Front Royal , Annapolis , Edgewater , District Heights , Falls Church , Herndon , Manassas , Sterling , Wisconsin Rapids , Tucson , Ann Arbor , Burlington , Saint Cloud , Shepherdstown , San Diego , Berkeley , Las Vegas , Ruston , Seattle , Catonsville , Columbia , California , Chevy Chase , Fort Washington

Skip to content Skip to footer

Notifications

Smithsonian

Smithsonian reviews

4.1

66% would recommend to a friend

(510 total reviews)

Dr. David J. Skorton

75% approve of CEO

64% positive business outlook

Company ratings over time

Ratings trend for the last 6 months (510 reviews)

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Smithsonian has an employee rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars, based on 510 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there. The Smithsonian 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

510 reviews

5.0

Jan 31, 2019

Intern & Contractor

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Quality training and education, plus a real sense of responsibility.

Cons

Didn’t really know what to expect day to day.

5.0

Jan 17, 2019

Terrific work environment

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

The people that work at the Smithsonian genuinely care about one another. Also, working at the museums is fun and rewarding.

Cons

Confusing management structure can cause unnecessary stress.

4.0

Jan 9, 2019

Good, prestigious place to work

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

well known, great benefits, PTO, good retirement, opportunities for training

Cons

red tape, it's the federal government, may take time to move up as openings are rare

Viewing 298 - 300 of 510 Reviews

Top companies for "Compensation and Benefits" near you

Other

3.5★Compensation & Benefits

Fred Hutch Cancer Center

3.5★Compensation & Benefits

DTE Energy

3.6★Compensation & Benefits

UNICEF

3.9★Compensation & Benefits

Jobs at Smithsonian

Sustainable Agriculture Physical Scientist, IS-1301-13

Gift Officer, IS-1001-13

Gift Officer (Supervisory), IS-1001-13

Director, Human Resources, IS-0201-14

Administration, Finance, and Operations Manager (Administrative Specialist)