employer cover photo
employer logo
employer logo

Chapman University

Is this your company?

Chapman University Reviews

4.2

58% would recommend to a friend

(606 total reviews)
avatar

Daniele Struppa

68% approve of CEO

46% positive business outlook

Chapman University has an employee rating of 4.2 out of 5 stars, based on 606 company reviews on Glassdoor which indicates that most employees have an excellent working experience there. The Chapman 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

606 reviews
1.0
30 Oct 2018

Highly toxic work environment.

Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

My fellow coworkers are amazingly skilled, and on the whole, great team players. They adapt quickly and efficiently to the many compounding issues that are thrown at them on a daily basis. Considering the hostile environment, the workforce does an outstanding job.

Cons

The upper management staff have created a toxic and hostile work environment ruled by fear tactics. They harshly crush any diversity of thought, so most people keep their heads down and their mouths shut. The Disney Institute recently came in and confirmed that upper management has created a toxic working environment. HR does little to protect employees. There is no room for advancement and no raises. Turn over rate is high.

1.0
12 May 2017
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Beautiful campus and facilities are new!

Cons

Chapman is like a cult. If you don't fit in, they will push you out. This place has more drama than Hollywood. They believe strongly in the notion of "Chapman family", which means, they like to promote from within instead of hiring more experienced/knowledgeable professionals from the outside. So departments are often supervised by unqualified alumni who will never leave their jobs so you're forever stuck in your position and will never advance. Incompetence is rewarded here as long as you say yes to everything your supervisor tells you. Fortunately, I got out in time to find a better opportunity at a place that values innovation and skills over nepotism.

2.0
31 July 2019
Recommend
CEO approval
Business outlook

Pros

Great benefits, beautiful campus, mostly friendly staff. Like any university, Chapman is constantly changing. This is great for those in entry-level or early career positions, because you will learn a lot by wearing many hats. Most departments are under-staffed, so you'll also end up doing work that is at the level of a position above you. While this becomes frustrating since you aren't compensated for it, it looks good on a resume and you'll want to find a new job after working at Chapman for a couple years anyway.

Cons

Low pay. You will be paid far under market value, so why not use your skills somewhere you'll be properly compensated? There is not much room for promotion. Like many of these reviews have stated, Chapman plays favorites. Most people are promoted by default after working at Chapman for a long time. Some people in mid-level management are young with no management training. They bring their drama attitude to work and create a petty, childish work environment by holding grudges and speaking poorly about their coworkers. There isn't much room for advancement. Management says it supports professional development, but it doesn't. The university's budget is tight and all the pay goes to those at the executive level only. EQUITY DOES NOT EXIST AT CHAPMAN.

Viewing 1 - 3 of 606 Reviews

Glassdoor has 663 Chapman University reviews submitted anonymously by Chapman University employees. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Chapman University is right for you.