Cover image for Northwestern University
Logo

Northwestern University

Is this your company?

Northwestern University

Add a Review

Northwestern University Reviews

4.1

74% would recommend to a friend

(3306 total reviews)

President Michael Schill

Michael Schill

79% approve of CEO

Ratings by category

4.0

Diversity & Inclusion

3.9

Culture & Values

3.9

Career Opportunities

3.8

Work/Life Balance

3.6

Compensation and Benefits

3.5

Senior Management

Ratings distribution

5 stars

43%

4 stars

34%

3 stars

15%

2 stars

5%

1 star

3%

Top Review Highlights by Sentiment

Excerpts from user reviews, not authored by Glassdoor

Pros
  • "Great benefits for both exempt and non(in 360 reviews)
  • "And the people are great.(in 176 reviews)
  • "Beautiful campus and a lot of supporting facilities for all kinds of student and staff activities.(in 114 reviews)
  • "Flexible hours and smart and collaborative professors(in 70 reviews)
  • "Great colleagues and students to work with(in 69 reviews)
Cons
  • "Low pay unless you start getting into senior scientist positions; but that's the same for almost all academia positions(in 181 reviews)
  • "Top down administrative style does not work well for a learning institution where salaries are low and expectations are high(in 128 reviews)
  • "poor management(in 48 reviews)
  • "There is not any 360 feedback so if you have a bad manager, chances are you are stuck.(in 28 reviews)
  • "No communication(in 22 reviews)

Ratings by Demographics

Want more options?

This rating reflects the overall rating of Northwestern University and is not affected by filters.

Verify your email to use filters. Having problems? Resend email

Found 3,306 of over 4K reviews

Updated Dec 6, 2023

    1. 5.0
      Nov 29, 2023
      Campus Tour Guide
      Current Employee, less than 1 year
      Evanston, IL
      Recommend
      CEO Approval
      Business Outlook

      Pros

      The UG admissions office is fantastic!

      Cons

      No real downside I have found

      1. 5.0
        Oct 9, 2023
        Research Assistant
        Current Employee
        Recommend
        CEO Approval
        Business Outlook

        Pros

        Research Experience: As a research assistant, you gain valuable hands-on research experience, which can be essential for your academic and professional development. Mentorship: You have the opportunity to work closely with experienced professors or researchers who can provide guidance and mentorship, helping you build your skills and knowledge. Networking: You can establish connections with professors, fellow researchers, and professionals in your field, which can be beneficial for future collaborations and job opportunities. Access to Resources: You often have access to research facilities, resources, and databases that may not be available to others, enhancing your research capabilities. Contribution to Knowledge: Your work as a research assistant can contribute to the advancement of knowledge in your field, which can be personally fulfilling. Financial Support: Many research assistant positions offer stipends or tuition assistance, which can help offset the cost of your education.

        Cons

        Workload: Research assistant positions can be demanding, with long hours and tight deadlines, which may affect your work-life balance. Uncertainty: Research projects can sometimes be unpredictable, and there is no guarantee of success. You may invest a significant amount of time and effort in a project that doesn't yield the expected results. Limited Autonomy: You may have limited control over the direction of the research project, as it is typically determined by your supervisor or principal investigator. Pressure to Publish: In academia, there can be pressure to publish research findings, which may lead to stress and competition among research assistants. Financial Dependency: If your research assistantship includes financial support, you may become financially dependent on the position, making it challenging to explore other opportunities or career paths. Limited Time for Other Activities: The demands of a research assistant role can sometimes limit your ability to engage in other extracurricular activities or coursework.

      2. Join the Northwestern University team
        See Our Latest Jobs
        1. 4.0
          Nov 6, 2023
          Research Study Coordinator
          Current Employee, more than 3 years
          Chicago, IL
          Recommend
          CEO Approval
          Business Outlook

          Pros

          My experience with NU has been fantastic. I've had the freedom and flexibility I need when working and I am challenged in the best way. My colleagues are great and the benefits are outstanding. The PPO insurance they offer is a life-saver. The retirement plan could be matched higher but it's not bad at all. PTO rolls over and is great. PIs (for me) have been incredibly supportive in furthering my career and pursuing higher education.

          Cons

          The parking is difficult downtown and expensive. It's not an easy area to get to via public transit either. The pay for staff positions that are not higher up are poor. Staff positions like research assistant and research coordinator are well below average. It's low enough to knock my rating down to 3, even with excellent benefits. Was originally remote, but NU required 3 days in-person now, even though many jobs clearly did not need that.

          1. 2.0
            Aug 23, 2023
            Senior Program Coordinator
            Former Employee, more than 3 years
            Recommend
            CEO Approval
            Business Outlook

            Pros

            • Great Coworkers. Everyone’s super mission-oriented, smart and resourceful. Really some of the most engaging, interesting people I’ve had a chance to work with in my career. • Great Students. The student body is also brilliant, highly engaged and genuinely fun to interact with. • The Campus. The Evanston Campus (and even the downtown Chicago campus) are beautiful. Everything you’d expect from a classically, collegiate environment. • The Benefits. Health, Dental, HSA, + tuition benefits are terrific (esp. for those with children or families to support)

            Cons

            • The Culture. Very status conscious culture. I was routinely patronized, gaslit and condescended to by select faculty and senior-level leadership. • Work/Life Balance. Senior leaders lean on middle management to work excessive amounts of overtime. Everybody has a constant scarcity mindset, and yet there’s no effort to scale back program scope (lest students wonder where all their tuition dollars are going). • Institutional Priorities. The casual dismissal of the local Evanston community, the benefiting from (tax-free) real estate speculation, and the massive capital projects that have absolutely nothing to do with its mission (even as their staff and student workers are driven to distraction) overall signaled to me an institution profoundly out of touch with its environment. • Compensation. COLA (even in the best of times) rarely made up for the rate of inflation, so you can expect your purchasing power to decrease every year you stay in your job. Promotions will come with a one-time 10-15% increase in your pay, but usually at the cost of more hours.

            1
            1. 3.0
              Oct 30, 2023
              Manager
              Former Employee
              Recommend
              CEO Approval
              Business Outlook

              Pros

              I learned and grew so much while working at NU, and used my tuition benefits to further my education, but in the end I was iced out by an incompetent supervisor, a tale as old as time in higher education. I will always treasure my time here, but I will also always remember how little I was valued. Pros: great benefits, learned a lot, got to work on lots of innovative projects, got the chance to have positive impacts on people’s lives

              Cons

              My work was rarely appreciated by people with power, always worked above my title from day one with very little acknowledgement or credit, reached a career ceiling I couldn’t break through, vindictive power games among school leadership.

              1
              1. 4.0
                Dec 6, 2023
                Grad Researcher
                Current Employee
                Evanston, IL
                Recommend
                CEO Approval
                Business Outlook

                Pros

                Brand name school, surrounded by self motivated smart people

                Cons

                really need to be self motivated

                1. 5.0
                  Nov 28, 2023
                  Senior Program Manager
                  Former Employee
                  Recommend
                  CEO Approval
                  Business Outlook

                  Pros

                  Northwestern University has a great benefits package. Northwestern University has a generous policy for paid vacation, paid holidays, and other paid time off, such as a paid Winter Break from Christmas Eve through New Year's Day.

                  Cons

                  As a large institution, Northwestern University can at times feel impersonal, and one can easily get lost in the shuffle.

                  1. 4.0
                    Dec 3, 2023
                    Postdoctoral Fellow
                    Current Employee, more than 3 years
                    Evanston, IL
                    Recommend
                    CEO Approval
                    Business Outlook

                    Pros

                    Good resources. Nice environment. A lot of experts. Many connections and opportunities. National labs around.

                    Cons

                    Expensive living cost. Safety might be an issue. Salary is not really competitive. Space is crowded. Sport courts are limited.

                    1. 4.0
                      Dec 5, 2023
                      Core Manager
                      Current Employee
                      Chicago, IL
                      Recommend
                      CEO Approval
                      Business Outlook

                      Pros

                      Collaborative environment and very high quality research.

                      Cons

                      Compensations can be higher for positions with multiple responsibilities.

                      1. 2.0
                        Nov 30, 2023
                        Program Coordinator
                        Former Employee, less than 1 year
                        Chicago, IL
                        Recommend
                        CEO Approval
                        Business Outlook

                        Pros

                        Decent benefits (better retirement benefits after a year of employment)

                        Cons

                        Extremely disorganized. Coordinators are sometimes treated more like a personal assistant rather than a program coordinator. Expected to do multiple people's jobs in one. Poor pay scale.

                      Viewing 1 - 10 of 3,306 Reviews
                      </>Embed

                      Northwestern University Reviews FAQs

                      Northwestern University has an overall rating of 4.1 out of 5, based on over 3,614 reviews left anonymously by employees. 74% of employees would recommend working at Northwestern University to a friend and 59% have a positive outlook for the business. This rating has decreased by -2% over the last 12 months.

                      According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Northwestern University employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.6 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Northwestern University. This rating has decreased by -1% over the last 12 months.

                      74% of Northwestern University employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews. Employees also rated Northwestern University 3.8 out of 5 for work life balance, 3.9 for culture and values and 3.9 for career opportunities.

                      According to reviews on Glassdoor, employees commonly mention the pros of working at Northwestern University to be career development, coworkers, benefits and the cons to be culture, management.

                      Popular Careers with Northwestern University Job Seekers

                      JobsSalariesInterviews

                      Want the inside scoop on your own company?

                      Join your Company Bowl™ for anonymous work chats.

                      Popular Conversations

                      Interview Tips

                      Feel free to post any interview questions you might be asked and I’ll help you compose an effective response :)

                      Analytical Chemist

                      Do you experience that how long the hiring process would take at Thermo Fisher? I got my second interview with hiring manager at the beginning of November but I haven’t heard nothing from them. When I’ve emailed them to check in they just said that the process would be slow, no time frame. I would be able to get an offer soon from other company but work as contractor. Should I wait for Thermo Fisher?

                      2
                      7 Comments

                      KPMG

                      Booz Allen Hamilton Recently applied and I've been referred for an interview! Any tips on interviewing with Booz Allen? And if I am being asked to complete clearance and background upfront, is this a good indicator for being hired?

                      1
                      3 Comments

                      Alex L.

                      Applied for a job a few weeks back, got a call from HR yesterday morning about an interview next week. She mentioned she'd shoot me an email with all the interview details, but so far, my inbox is empty. Assuming I'll hear from her early next week, is it normal for them to expect me to show up for an in-person interview on short notice, like couple days?

                      9
                      3 Comments

                      Glassdoor has 3,614 Northwestern University reviews submitted anonymously by Northwestern University employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Northwestern University is right for you.