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Sonoran Desert Institute

Engaged Employer

Sonoran Desert Institute reviews

3.3

56% would recommend to a friend

(59 total reviews)

Traci Lee

79% approve of CEO

57% positive business outlook

Sonoran Desert Institute has an employee rating of 3.3 out of 5 stars, based on 59 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Sonoran Desert Institute 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

59 reviews
1.0
Jul 23, 2026

Low Pay for Adjunct Faculty

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Remote Work, flexible schedule times, 401K match.

Cons

SDI does not pay Adjunct Faculty members well. Pay is near-double at other institutions. It is very technical work, and very time consuming after they re-vamped the courses to include long essays from Students (Students have been having a difficult time with these changes as well). They do not care about your qualifications (for example, if you have a Masters / PhD, they do not pay you more. You would make the same as someone else with the same job title.

4.0
Jul 22, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Meaningful, mission-driven work supporting military-connected students Opportunities for student advocacy and personalized support Employee ownership through the ESOP encourages an owner mindset Supportive leadership and collaborative teams Strong focus on student success and continuous improvement Flexible work environment with opportunities for professional growth Ability to make a direct impact on students' educational and career goals Culture that values service, teamwork, and innovation

Cons

Managing multiple priorities can be challenging during peak periods Complex regulatory and compliance requirements require ongoing attention Cross-functional processes can sometimes create delays due to interdepartmental dependencies Workloads may fluctuate based on enrollment cycles and student demand

1.0
Jun 14, 2026

NA

Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

NA nothing to say here

Cons

They are good with sexual harassment - They just shift the preditors to a different department with a promotion

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Sonoran Desert Institute Response
3w
Thank you for taking the time to share your concerns. My name is Tom Carr, Vice President of Human Resources. I have been with the company since 2023 and am based in our Tempe office. We take allegations of harassment and inappropriate workplace conduct very seriously. Our company is committed to providing a workplace where employees are treated with dignity and respect, and we thoroughly review all reports of harassment or misconduct brought to our attention. When concerns are substantiated, we take appropriate action consistent with our policies and applicable law. The characterization in this review does not reflect our understanding of how these matters are handled. Because we respect employee privacy and confidentiality, we cannot discuss individual personnel matters in a public forum. If you experienced or witnessed conduct that concerns you, or if there is information you believe we should review, we encourage you to contact our Human Resources team directly. We are committed to listening to concerns, investigating them promptly, and maintaining a safe, respectful, and professional workplace for all employees.
Viewing 1 - 3 of 59 Reviews

Glassdoor has 68 Sonoran Desert Institute reviews submitted anonymously by Sonoran Desert Institute employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Sonoran Desert Institute is right for you.