Is Sylvan Learning Centers a good company to work for?

Sylvan Learning Centers has an overall rating of 3.6 out of 5, based on over 1,335 reviews left anonymously by employees. This rating has decreased by 1% over the last 12 months. 68% of employees would recommend working at Sylvan Learning Centers to a friend and 52% have a positive outlook for the business. The best reviews about Sylvan Learning Centers have been left by employees working as Tutor , Administrative Assistant and Teacher/Tutor .

Does Sylvan Learning Centers pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Sylvan Learning Centers employees rate their compensation and benefits as 2.5 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Sylvan Learning Centers. This rating has decreased by 5% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Sylvan Learning Centers?

68% of Sylvan Learning Centers employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Sylvan Learning Centers 3.7 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.5 for culture and values and 2.8 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Sylvan Learning Centers?

Tutor (223) , Teacher (147) , Center Director (88) , Math Tutor (65) , Director of Education (59) , Instructor (46) , Academic Tutor (43) , Director (39) , Administrative Assistant (21) , Teacher/Tutor (17) , Centre Director (9) , English Tutor (9) , Lead Teacher (9) , Teaching Assistant (8) , English Teacher (6)

What are the pros of working at Sylvan Learning Centers according to real employee reviews?

"Flexible hours and days off can be accommodated" ((in 76 reviews)); "Caring staff and great experiences" ((in 64 reviews)); "Great people to work with and laid back enviroment" ((in 48 reviews)); "Flexible Schedule but not a lot of hours" ((in 40 reviews)); "Some great coworkers (your mileage may vary)" ((in 32 reviews))

What are the cons of working at Sylvan Learning Centers according to real employee reviews?

"Low pay and highly emotionally taxing" ((in 158 reviews)); "Poor management, lack of support, and absolutely no interest in the actual people doing the job." ((in 60 reviews)); "He'll work you 38 + hours a week with no benefits just to save money." ((in 33 reviews)); "No training and new executive directors are revenue driven with no support systems in place." ((in 31 reviews)); "Low salary Too many students often" ((in 22 reviews))

What are employees saying about Sylvan Learning Centers layoffs in 2026?

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

What are the top reviewed Sylvan Learning Centers locations?

Baltimore , Houston , Austin , New York , Los Angeles , Dallas , San Francisco , Hunt Valley , Chicago , Long Beach , Rancho Cucamonga , Detroit , Indianapolis , Bakersfield , El Cerrito , Portland , Gainesville , Lincoln , Omaha , San Antonio , Minneapolis , San Jose , Fairfield , Salem , Atlanta , Saint Louis , Phoenix , Washington , Round Rock , Arlington

Sylvan Learning Centers reviews

3.6

68% would recommend to a friend

(1,260 total reviews)

John McAuliffe

75% approve of CEO

52% positive business outlook

Ratings by demographic groups

Race / Ethnicity

Gender

Sexual orientation

Disability

Parent or family caregiver

Veteran status

Sylvan Learning Centers has an employee rating of 3.6 out of 5 stars, based on 1,260 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have a good working experience there. The Sylvan Learning Centers 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

1K reviews

1.0

Dec 27, 2011

3 Years of Implosion

Senior vice president

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

The best reason to work at Sylvan is for the children. The System is a proven one that can help poor performing children improve their academic performance.

Cons

The leadership has only their self-preservation in mind. Jeff Cohen has overseen the most precipitous sales decline in company history. His tactics have outraged the franchisee's and only sought to benefit himself. He has wasted so much investor money on this new tablet learning concept. And while a good idea in concept, the reality is that he has placed short-sided constraints, created a one-sided business model and shifted the direction numerous times. This act of irresponsibility will be measured in the tens of millions.

1.0

Sep 10, 2025

Kids and coworkers rocked, management was incompetent

Office manager

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Helping connect kids with tutoring services is great! My coworkers were awesome too!

Cons

Where do I start? Absent management, franchisee agreement allowed an owner to take over who was completely incompetent and when corporate was notified of everything going on at the franchise, they did nothing. Parents have lost a lot of money because the franchise owner seems to have disappeared. Corporate has done nothing, nobody has informed employees of what's happening, and I'm pretty sure Sylvan is shut down for good, but there's no official news from corporate or the owner. Owner threw me in the deep end, didn't train me properly, and all of a sudden I was doing the job of a Center Director without the pay or training necessary to be a Director. I had applied to be an admin assistant, and was led to believe this would be a standard phone answering/emailing customers/general help around the office role, not that I'd be Center Director

2.0

Aug 11, 2025

They don't let you know you don't work there anymore

Academic tutor

Recommend

CEO approval

Business Outlook

Pros

Small group instruction Hours flexible

Cons

Feast or famine in terms of hours They let you go without a reason or notice.

Viewing 40 - 42 of 1,260 Reviews

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Jobs at Sylvan Learning Centers

Receptionist/ Finger Printer Administer

Center Admin Assistant