Does Smithsonian pay their employees well?

According to anonymously submitted Glassdoor reviews, Smithsonian employees rate their compensation and benefits as 3.7 out of 5. Find out more about salaries and benefits at Smithsonian. This rating has improved by 5% over the last 12 months.

How satisfied are employees working at Smithsonian?

66% of Smithsonian employees would recommend working there to a friend based on Glassdoor reviews . Employees also rated Smithsonian 4.1 out of 5 for work life balance, 4.0 for culture and values and 3.4 for career opportunities.

What are the top reviewed jobs at Smithsonian?

Intern (56) , Internship (13) , Explainer (10) , Retail Sales Associate (9) , Sales Associate (9) , Contractor (8) , Postdoctoral Fellow (8) , Research Assistant (8) , Museum Specialist (7) , Program Coordinator (7) , Security Officer (7) , Archivist (6) , Curator (6) , Education Specialist (6) , Program Assistant (6)

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

"And you will meet so many great people (tourist) from all over the world." ((in 68 reviews)); "Good benefits and bear transit" ((in 38 reviews)); "Great staff I enjoyed my time there." ((in 20 reviews)); "Excellent work environment and supportive" ((in 16 reviews)); "Coworkers are friendly and well" ((in 16 reviews))

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

"Slow moving and low pay." ((in 28 reviews)); "Lack of leadership and hard to fire" ((in 13 reviews)); "Low salary for DC metropolitan area" ((in 12 reviews)); "Unpaid internship where I was doing some of the same work that paid employees were doing." ((in 12 reviews)); "Long hours and very administrative at times" ((in 8 reviews))

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Smithsonian

Smithsonian reviews

Love the mission, BUT - Senior Program Specialist Smithsonian Employee Review

3.0

Sep 15, 2021

Senior program specialist

Recommend

CEO approval

Business outlook

Pros

Amazing colleagues, strong institutional mission & values, potential for extended workplace flexibilities post-COVID

Cons

Limited growth potential if positions are not classified with an existing career ladder (e.g., 7/9, 11/12, etc.), Human Resources department is broken -- potentially beyond repair, too often SI relies on its name to get things done which doesn't always lead to sustainability

Explore other reviews about Smithsonian

5.0

Jul 9, 2026

Science explainer

Recommend

CEO approval

Business outlook

Pros

Amazing workplace, flexible schedules, and kind people

Cons

very less pay, visitor interactions can be too much sometimes

3.0

Jul 9, 2026

Arts admin

Recommend

CEO approval

Business outlook

Pros

it was a dream institution

Cons

the current admin makes it stressful working here

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Jobs at Smithsonian

Financial Specialist

Washington, DC

US$122K - US$158K /yr

(Employer provided)

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Supervisory Facility Operations Specialist

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Supervisory HR Specialist (Recruitment & Placement), IS -0201-15

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US$169K - US$197K /yr

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Supervisory HR Specialist (Recruitment & Placement), IS -0201-15

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US$169K - US$197K /yr

(Employer provided)

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Supervisory Archivist

Washington, DC

US$122K - US$158K /yr

(Employer provided)

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Smithsonian reviews FAQs

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Love the mission, BUT - Senior Program Specialist Smithsonian Employee Review

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