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Harvard University

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Harvard University Reviews

4.2

84% would recommend to a friend

(4,069 total reviews)

Alan Garber

83% approve of CEO

69% positive business outlook

Harvard University has an employee rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars, based on 4,069 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there. The Harvard University 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

4K reviews
2.0
30 Jun 2026

Beware: GSD Development

Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great Union and benefits for non-profits/higher ed. Wonderful colleagues outside of leadership!

Cons

GSD Development and Alumni Relations (under current leadership) is an incredibly toxic work environment. I didn't realize the intensity of the toll it took on my until after leaving, and I am not one to leave a negative review, but as they are hiring for several positions currently, I wish to share words of caution with applicants. Cons: - Absolutely not a safe space for anyone who is Black, brown, trans, queer, working-class, or disabled - 100% top-down direction. No room for personal exploration, initiative, or creativity. - Minimal guidance from leadership - Frequent pivots, even in the late stages of projects - Petty, immature talking behind your back by leadership - No upward mobility unless the Associate Dean or Dean like you - Deeply disingenuous comments, reflections, and feedback from leadership - Complete lack of transparency on direction, goals, etc. - Small mistakes are made cornerstones of performance evaluations, while leadership routinely missteps. Leadership never takes accountability. - Top-down policy decisions, completely lacking detail, thought, and care outside of legal ramifications - Ever-changing in-office requirements

5.0
30 Jun 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

This place is huge, your mileage may vary based on which school and which department you work in - even in the same role. I have the best manager hands-down, and the team around me makes it all worth it.

Cons

Pay is slow to advance, PTO stuck at 15ish days annual, career advancement is inconsistent

Viewing 1 - 3 of 4,069 Reviews

Glassdoor has 4,617 Harvard University reviews submitted anonymously by Harvard University employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Harvard University is right for you.