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 70 reviews)); "Good benefits and bear transit" ((in 33 reviews)); "Great staff I enjoyed my time there." ((in 24 reviews)); "Great coworkers and behind the scenes access to museum collections" ((in 18 reviews)); "Amazing opportunities to work on global projects and collaborate with internationally celebrated artists and scholars." ((in 17 reviews))

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

"Pay is low but definitely no lower than industry standards." ((in 26 reviews)); "Low salary for DC metropolitan area" ((in 15 reviews)); "Lack of leadership and hard to fire" ((in 14 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 9 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

Smithsonian reviews

4.1

66% would recommend to a friend

(508 total reviews)

Dr. David J. Skorton

75% approve of CEO

64% positive business outlook

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

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Smithsonian has an employee rating of 4.1 out of 5 stars, based on 508 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

508 reviews

4.0

Sep 11, 2016

Great Mission, great people - rough work life balance

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

People, passion, purpose. Work with meaning. Supporting work and research with something for everyone's interest. Small number of staff means you can take on significant responsibility.

Cons

Hours, bureaucratic- as expected, can be hard to move and advance, can take a long time for promotions. Not a a lot of positions.

3.0

Sep 8, 2016

Too much work; too little money

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

The Smithsonian Institution's mission is very important and it is a very interesting place to work. I was honored to be hired.

Cons

No work life balance. Job required 60 to 70 hours per week with minimal salary increases and no room for advancement.

3.0

Sep 7, 2016

Administrative Coordinator

Anonymous employee

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Excellent Institution and very interesting to work at. Opportunities to meet some of the brightest researchers in the world. Behind the Scenes events make living in DC possible on a shoe string. Good people.

Cons

Working at the Institution is highly sought after so wages are not particularity good. If your not on the federal side of the employment structure your job security is not as robust, even if your are a top performer. Movement upwards can be frustratingly slow and the internal administrative systems are average so if feels like a large bureaucracy.

Viewing 385 - 387 of 508 Reviews

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Museum Specialist (General)

Smithsonian

Smithsonian reviews

Company ratings over time

Ratings by demographic groups

Reviews by job title

Great Mission, great people - rough work life balance

Too much work; too little money

Administrative Coordinator

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Jobs at Smithsonian