content specialist

regional director

vice president

senior regional director

research scientist

Cognia

I've been contracted to Cognia for several years now and have observed a general downward trend on the Assessment side of things. To be clear, this is not due to the people in Assessment- they're doing great work with what little they've been given. But management is spread way too thin, and this is becoming clearer and clearer with each passing year, as people are laid off and contractors such as myself are elevated quickly, with little day-to-day support and training. Not the fault of the full-time employees in the trenches- it is abundantly obvious they're being overworked. This is something even scorers are beginning to pick up on, as people who show the slightest promise and willingness are elevated to leadership opportunities at the last minute, given a crash course in what is needed from them, and then essentially told, "best of luck!" This leads to misplaced resentment, stress in what should be relatively stress-free roles, and, in my opinion, a mistrust in Cognia and how much longer this will prove a viable contract. At the scorer level, this remains a good gig. But if you're asked to join leadership, I'd think carefully about whether the pay increase is worth the increase in stress and dealing with frustrated fellow workers. The current situation is not at all sustainable, and I urge Cognia to dedicate more staffing and resources to assessment, or risk a continued downward spiral that will alienate contract workers and potentially clients as well. 

I worked here and unfortunately found the experience to be deeply disappointing. One of the most concerning aspects was the complete absence of a structured performance review process. Without regular feedback or clear benchmarks, growth and development felt arbitrary, and recognition was inconsistent at best. 

Even more troubling was the company’s tolerance for discriminatory behavior and politically charged discussions in the workplace. HR failed to enforce basic standards of professionalism and inclusivity, allowing biased comments and divisive conversations to go unchecked. This created a hostile environment for many employees and undermined the sense of safety and respect that should be foundational in any organization.
Even more concerning is HR’s failure to address discriminatory behavior and inappropriate political discussions in the workplace. These conversations were not only tolerated but often normalized, creating an uncomfortable and divisive environment.

The company relies heavily on contractors but refuses to pay overtime, despite demanding availability and output beyond standard hours. Meanwhile, full-time employees are frequently unavailable or offline during critical times, leaving contractors to pick up the slack without support or compensation.

This imbalance, combined with the absence of leadership and oversight, fosters resentment and burnout. I would not recommend this company to anyone seeking a respectful, equitable, or professionally managed workplace.

I like scoring for Cognia. In my first week with the company, I was bumped up to Scoring Lead - pay went from $18 an hour to $21. I now have a team of 9 people under me, and I answer any and all questions regarding the material we're scoring (after the provided training). It gets a little tedious and the questions are never ending-we typically score the same questions every day, with some teams being divided up to score a different set-so keep that in mind if you apply and you're asked to step up.

The schedule for the year is given out really early, so you can sign up for different projects that range from two weeks to a month.

Certain states require you to be on zoom throughout your entire shift, with the ability to walk away and do whatever you need to do/handle home life. Everyone is friendly - pleasantries in the morning, a few jokes in the chat at the end of the day. No pressure to be social or anything. Everyone just minds their own, for the most part.

The trainers are always available for questions and encouragement. 

Pros: 
Remote work for Bachelor’s degree/ Education Field. The projects sometimes run over scheduled ending dates creating more space to earn income. On certain projects, you will be able to receive OT.  (Varies by subject your scoring for )

Cons:
 Join other state projects and not 'qualify' you will be dropped like a fly, told only to log out for the day. Qualifying is taking a test after your training to see if you can score to Cognia's standard for a particular item. After that your left to reach out to the Talent Acquisition Specialist  to either get back on the project or beg to be considered for another & never hear anything back. It is misleading when taking the position if your looking for a 40 hr work week. Its more of a flex position where its should be stated you can receive up to 40hrs, meaning a week could consist of a 5 hrs shift. Which is the training before actually scoring. One project was organized and the other in comparison was all over the place. There still are many kinks that need to be worked out.

What is the best part of working at the company?
The flexibility of working from home and the flexibility of being able to take off when needed for appointments, sick leave, etc. with no hassle. Everyone is so nice and professional. Absolutely no workplace drama or issues because you're in the safety and comfort of your home.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
There was no stress except maybe the stress/suspense you might get after training and having to take a qualifier to ensure that you are able to keep working on a particular item, but then once that item finishes, you can try again on the next one.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
Conducive to learning. No drama.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Clock in at 8am CST, train on items, take qualifier, if pass, score for the remainder of the day til 3:30pm CST. You have 2 mandatory paid 15 min breaks, and mandatory 30 min lunch.

Working at Cognia started off great. The leadership team and scoring leaders were super helpful and friendly. However, many people have left the company and it seems like there are hiring just about anyone to fill the leadership positions. Passing qualification tests and scoring isn't too difficult, however the scoring supervisors usually get upset at the whole team, when they themselves fail to set clear examples and expectations, in the beginning. The scoring team leaders (stls) are ruder each project and actually think they can talk to the scorers any way they want. Like they actually deposit checks into my account, they are on a delusional power trip lol. I definitely take long breaks from this job, and pick up work when needed. That's it!

Nepotism runs rampant in the organization. Yes, they have great benefits. But they use those to trap hardworking people into positions and salaries below the industry average. Most of the current employee pool is already burnt out with no end in sight. Senior leadership supports this by reducing the work force by 5-10 people every 6 months to a year in crucial functional roles. 

Leadership at the senior levels claim to support employee growth and professional development. However, unless you are highly self-motivated, you will have neither the time nor energy. And if you do take steps to develop professionally, the organization will not compensate you.

If you want to feel truly respected by your organization, value work/life balance, or desire a path for career growth.... Don't work here!

You're required to have your Zoom camera on while you work. You only get to work if you pass the qualification tests and if there's available projects. Therefore, income is not guaranteed. The method of scoring is difficult, confusing, and painfully boring. The most insulting aspect is if you happen to pass the qualification test, you'll be able to work on a scoring project...however, if you aren't at least 70 percent accurate at scoring, you'll be asked to logout, your work for the day will be voided, and you won't be paid for that day's work either. I happily left this position.

What is the best part of working at the company?
Working from home is the best part. You do have to remain on camera the entire shift, but you’re able to function a bit more organically and less like a corporate robot.

What is the most stressful part about working at the company?
The positions are temporary and on an assignment by assignment basis. You definitely will want to have other income.

What is the work environment and culture like at the company?
It’s calm, relaxed, and encouraging.

What is a typical day like for you at the company?
Login, review progress, do some practice problems, begin working.

A typical day at work is spent with internal and external groups. Most of my work is spent partnering with school/system educators to improve organizational and instructional environments. I have learned to address the unique needs of each school/system. The workplace culture is positive overall. Many organizational structure changes make consistency and continuity of work challenging. However, working with educators to improve outcomes for every learner is extremely satisfying!

Top Job Titles	Average Salary
Content specialist 5 salaries reported	$79,000 per year
Regional director 6 salaries reported	$92,500 per year
Vice president 2 salaries reported	$195,000 per year
Senior regional director 4 salaries reported	$111,250 per year
Research scientist 2 salaries reported	$112,500 per year

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