Is Sweetwater a good company to work for?

Sweetwater has an overall rating of 4.2 out of 5, based on over 571 reviews left anonymously by employees. This rating has increased by 19% over the last 12 months. 81% of employees would recommend working at Sweetwater to a friend and 73% have a positive outlook for the business. The best reviews about Sweetwater have been left by employees working as Senior Sales Engineer , Sales Engineer and Marketing .

Does Sweetwater pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Sweetwater employees rate their compensation and benefits as 4.0 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Sweetwater. This rating has improved by 17% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Sweetwater?

81% of Sweetwater employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Sweetwater 3.9 out of 5 for work life balance, 4.2 for culture and values and 4.1 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Sweetwater?

Sales Engineer (137) , Senior Sales Engineer (19) , Software Engineer (13) , Marketing (10) , Sales (9) , Account Coordinator (8) , Customer Service Representative (6) , Customer Service Representative (CSR) (5) , Guitar Gallery - Guitar Handler (5) , Guitar Technician (5) , Inventory and Shipping Specialist (5) , Packer (5) , Customer Service (4) , Distribution Center (4) , Product Support Specialist (4)

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

"Mostly great people on the bottom of the food chain." ((in 63 reviews)); "Great benefits and plus's for being an employee." ((in 48 reviews)); "The culture of Sweetwater is great for the most part but often feels forced and not fed." ((in 36 reviews)); "On site diner Cool coworkers" ((in 18 reviews)); "Sweetwater is an awesome place to work." ((in 13 reviews))

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

"micro management and cubicles" ((in 43 reviews)); "Low pay" ((in 29 reviews)); "Long hours if you want to even have a chance of making any money." ((in 19 reviews)); "Long hours are a must at the start if you wish to do well for yourself." ((in 13 reviews)); "Bad work life balance" ((in 11 reviews))

What are employees saying about Sweetwater layoffs in 2026?

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

What are the top reviewed Sweetwater locations?

Fort Wayne , Litchfield Park , Fort Wayne , Arlington , New York , Glendale , Ann Arbor , Austin , Houston , Bloomington , Indianapolis , South Bend , Las Vegas , Charleston , Sandy Springs

Sweetwater reviews

4.2

81% would recommend to a friend

(541 total reviews)

Mike Clem

90% approve of CEO

73% positive business outlook

Ratings by category

4.2

Culture & values

4.1

Diversity & inclusion

4.1

Career opportunities

4.0

Compensation and benefits

3.9

Work/Life balance

3.9

Senior management

Sweetwater has an employee rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars, based on 541 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there. The Sweetwater employee rating is 24% above average for employers within the Retail & Wholesale industry (3.4 stars).

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Reviews by job title

541 reviews

5.0

Feb 1, 2018

Our company is exceptional

Senior sales engineer

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

If you work hard at this job, you will be making commissions in the six figure range quickly. In addition to the high pay, management gives you the tools to succeed and then leaves you alone. They aren't breathing down your neck and are only there to help you and the company succeed.

Cons

You will work a lot of hours. The tone is set by the owner Chuck Surack, who tirelessly works around the clock. This is not a relaxed environment, so if you aren't conscientious, you won't make it in sales.

Sweetwater Response

7y

Thanks for the very positive review. As we've stated before, we are very transparent about this being a hard working company that offers great rewards for those that put forth the effort to be successful. It sounds like you are having a great career, and that is extremely rewarding for us to hear. Jeff McDonald, Senior VP of Human Resources

5.0

Jan 3, 2018

Great People, Great Culture, Great Experience!

Sales engineer

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Everything runs incredibly smoothly for a company this size. As a Sales Engineer I have a huge amount of freedom on the clients I choose, the pace I work, and the way I interact with my customers. You are basically your own music store with an incredibly company to back you up with all the resources they offer to employees and their customers. If you are looking for your dream job and love talking about gear, look no further.

Cons

There is very little that I can complain about but one of the things that is unfortunate is that as a new employee you really need to put in the hours in the first several years to build to success. For some it comes easy, for others not so much.

Sweetwater Response

8y

Thanks for the great review! Jeff McDonald, Senior VP of Human Resources

5.0

Dec 11, 2017

Senior Sales Engineer

Senior sales engineer

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Great corporate culture. Highly compensated sales force. I am not sure where Glassdoor gets it's Salary figures, but there are likely almost 100 individuals in the six figure income category

Cons

I have been here so long that I am hard pressed to think of anything that needs to be addressed. Sales is a dynamic occupation. That is both a pro or a con on any given day.

Viewing 475 - 477 of 541 Reviews

Jobs at Sweetwater

Music Store Sales Engineer

Home Audio Copywriter

Sweetwater

Sweetwater reviews

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Reviews by job title

Our company is exceptional

Great People, Great Culture, Great Experience!

Senior Sales Engineer

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