trust the candid reviews on here, this place isn't what it seems to be externally - Anonymous employee Milken Institute Employee Review

1.0
Mar 27, 2018
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

good external brand, big events that look good to external audience

Cons

top-down structure, nepotism is rampant, not so great salaries, toxic personalities that are allowed to thrive, no investment in front line staff, support staff or younger employees, very little accountability from senior management or HR, they just hired a full time HR person last year, in my 4 years at MI I've seen over 30+ staff turn over.

Explore other reviews about Milken Institute

5.0
Apr 17, 2026
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

Great people and impactful work.

Cons

No cons I can think of.

1.0
May 21, 2026
Anonymous employee
Recommend
CEO approval
Business Outlook

Pros

They pay well and thus are able to hire well qualified and capable people.

Cons

I worked with MCAAD, but my experience there and my perception of the Milken Institute were aligned. This was the worst career decision I have ever made and I truly regret it. Senior leadership doesn't listen or care about others' opinions. We were often told to be quiet in meetings, and to sit and let our bosses talk. Zero autonomy. Micromanaged to an extreme. Frequent layoffs. Terrible communication between departments. HR is shockingly awful and will not respond to emails, and often makes errors on your benefit allocations. Your personal time is not respected. I waited a while to write this review so it wouldn't sound too bitter, but I strongly recommend avoiding this org. Unfortunately, the mission and their public-facing reputation doesn't align with the reality of working there.

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