Is Cisco a good place to work?

Cisco scores 44 out of 100 across cult.fyi's culture dimensions, and its employee NPS is 35.

Does Cisco have good work-life balance?

At Cisco, employees take an average of 18 days of vacation per year (less than 51% of companies), and the average work week is 38 hours.

How hard is the interview at Cisco?

Cisco rates 57 out of 100 on interview difficulty, easier than 83% of companies.

How does Cisco pay compare to market?

Cisco pays 13% below market, lower than 93% of companies tracked.

How stable are jobs at Cisco?

Cisco has an expected layoff rate of 26.2% of its workforce, higher than 79% of companies.

Cisco

Cisco has a stable culture. Top 9% for DEI meaningfulness - significantly above average. Bottom 7% for Pay vs market - significantly below average.

Last updated June 23, 2026

At Cisco, how we work is just as important as what we accomplish. Our Guiding Principles shape how we show up as a team—so we can innovate and grow together.

Think really big
Be curious, learn fearlessly
Take smart risks
Innovate. Adapt. Do it again.

Play to win
Be real, be coachable
Speak up, debate often, and commit
Execute with quality, a sense of urgency, and accountability

Drive durable growth
Drive customer outcomes with products and experiences they love
Embrace One Cisco and the power of the platform
Connect our work to Cisco’s priorities and Purpose

Standout Strengths

Top 9% for DEI meaningfulness - significantly above average.

Top 12% for Training hours - significantly above average.

Top 16% for Climate commitment - significantly above average.

Areas of Concern

Bottom 7% for Pay vs market - significantly below average.

Bottom 12% for Work-authorization support - significantly below average.

Bottom 18% for Adherence to principles - significantly below average.

Bottom 19% for Pay growth - significantly below average.

How well does Cisco adhere to its principles?

Lower than 82% of companies · median 43

Where do ideas come from?

Lower than 64% of companies · median 36

Organizational Power

Employee count

Megacorp86,200 employees

Average Hours Worked

Pace

Lower than 77% of companies · median 60.5

Remote Friendly?

Hybrid/Mixed Bag

How Information Shared

Meetings

Compensation Relative to Market

Lower than 93% of companies · median 115

AI Insights:

Cisco is a large enterprise maze where WLB is excellent until it suddenly isn't, and layoffs arrive like clockwork every quarter to keep everyone appropriately anxious. The culture is highly dependent on your team and manager, ranging from coast-friendly to fire-drill-every-day. Strategy from leadership is famously unclear, but the campus amenities are nice. A solid landing spot if you value stability - just don't get too comfortable.

AI stack

Webex AI | Cisco AI Assistant | Internal LLMs | GitHub Copilot | AI-driven networking tools

AI maturity

Lower than 66% of companies · median 60

Detailed Compensation Information

Levels.FYI

Review Comments

Glassdoor

Companies with a similar culture

PayPal

Salesforce

Frequently asked questions

: Cisco scores 44 out of 100 across cult.fyi's culture dimensions, and its employee NPS is 35.
: At Cisco, employees take an average of 18 days of vacation per year (less than 51% of companies), and the average work week is 38 hours.
: Cisco rates 57 out of 100 on interview difficulty, easier than 83% of companies.
: Cisco pays 13% below market, lower than 93% of companies tracked.
: Cisco has an expected layoff rate of 26.2% of its workforce, higher than 79% of companies.