Northeastern University
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Northeastern University Compensation & Benefits
This page was generated by Built In using publicly available information and AI-based analysis of common questions about the company. It has not been reviewed or approved by the company.
How are the compensation & benefits at Northeastern University?
Strengths in benefits depth—especially retirement contributions, tuition assistance, and broad paid leave—are accompanied by persistent concerns that base pay and pay growth do not consistently match regional cost pressures or peer benchmarks for some groups. Together, these dynamics suggest Northeastern’s total rewards proposition can be highly attractive for benefits-eligible, long-tenured employees and families, while overall compensation satisfaction remains role-dependent due to salary competitiveness and administrative/eligibility constraints.
Positive Themes About Northeastern University
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Leave & Time Off Breadth: Paid time off is described as extensive, including 22–26 vacation days, 12 sick days, 13 holidays, and paid parental leave for birth/adoption. Additional paid leave is also outlined, including up to 26 weeks of paid medical leave and up to 12 weeks of paid family leave for eligible employees.
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Retirement Support: Retirement support is positioned as a standout, with an employer contribution described as 10% when an employee contributes 5%, alongside immediate vesting once eligible. This is presented as unusually generous relative to typical employer retirement offerings.
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Parental & Family Support: Family-oriented benefits are emphasized through tuition assistance for employees and dependents and access to backup childcare and family-care resources. Tuition remission/discount structures are highlighted as a major value driver, especially for employees with children and for long-tenured staff.
Considerations About Northeastern University
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Stagnant Pay & Limited Progression: Base pay is characterized as uneven, with recurring concerns that salaries can be low relative to Boston’s cost of living and that raises may not keep pace with inflation. Career progression is also framed as unclear in some roles, which can reduce perceived upward earnings mobility.
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Unfair & Opaque Compensation: Compensation competitiveness is portrayed as inconsistent across groups, including indications that certain faculty salaries trail comparable local institutions. Disputes and negotiations around wages for specific worker groups further suggest ongoing contention about pay alignment.
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Rigid Benefits: Benefits administration is described as having friction, including administrative hurdles in claims processing and eligibility rules that vary by role or bargaining unit. Some perks are also framed as location- or campus-dependent, which can limit consistent access across employees.
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