How many employees work at Merck Sharp & Dohme?
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. has approximately 27,889 total employees worldwide as of March 2026, according to Revelio Labs workforce intelligence data. Merck Sharp & Dohme’s total headcount has grown 10.1% from 25,341 employees in 2023 to 27,889 in 2026.
Is Merck Sharp & Dohme hiring right now?
Yes, Merck Sharp & Dohme is actively hiring. Merck Sharp & Dohme had 1,111 active job postings in 2026, a 8.9% decline from 2025 — see job openings & hiring trends.
About Merck Sharp & Dohme’s Workforce
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. is a Pharmaceuticals company that employs 27,889 people worldwide as of March 2026. It is the 9th-largest by headcount among its peers. Founded in 1891, the company is headquartered in Kenilworth, New Jersey.
Merck Sharp & Dohme's workforce has grown 10.1% from 2023 to 2026, though it is down 0.4% year over year in 2026. It fell to a low of 25,284 in 2023 Q3 before recovering. Its workforce is concentrated most in East Asia (21.6%), followed by Northern Europe (12.8%) and South Asia (11.5%).
Merck Sharp & Dohme's functional groups are Finance and Operations (45.7%), Engineering (29.3%), and Sales and Marketing (25.0%), with Finance and Operations growing fastest (up 2.1%). The average salary is $65,555, ranging from a median of $96,000 in Western Europe to $17,000 in South Asia, down 3.9% year over year in 2026.
Merck Sharp & Dohme's active job postings fell 8.9% in 2026 to 1,111, with new postings per month climbing from 976 in 2023 to 1,492 in 2026. Overall employee sentiment is neutral but declining.
Sourced from Revelio Labs workforce data.
- Headquarters
- Kenilworth, New Jersey
- Founded
- 1891
- Industry
- Pharmaceuticals
- Employees
- 27,889
- YoY
- -0.4% (+1,544)
As of March 2026
Merck Sharp & Dohme workforce metrics
Unlock hiring rate, attrition rate, and 12 additional workforce metrics for Merck Sharp & Dohme. Compare to peers, export the dataset, and access the full quarterly history.
Unlock MetricsMerck Sharp & Dohme Annual Employee Count (2023-2026)
- Merck Sharp & Dohme had 27,889 employees in 2026, a 0.4% decline (+1,544) from 2025.
- Merck Sharp & Dohme had 27,648 employees in 2025, a 0.4% decline (+1,540) from 2024.
- Merck Sharp & Dohme had 26,108 employees in 2024, a 0.5% decline (+709) from 2023.
- Merck Sharp & Dohme had 25,399 employees in 2023, a 0.3% decline (+668) from 2022.
Merck Sharp & Dohme's total workforce has grown from 25,341 employees in 2023 to 27,889 in 2026.
Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp. quarterly employee count
| Year | Qtr | Employees | YoY Change | YoY % |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | Q1 | 27,889 | +1,544 | -0.4% |
| 2025 | Q4 | 27,648 | +1,540 | -0.4% |
| 2025 | Q3 | 27,238 | +1,418 | -0.2% |
| 2025 | Q2 | 26,863 | +1,096 | -0.1% |
| 2025 | Q1 | 26,345 | +879 | -0.4% |
| 2024 | Q4 | 26,108 | +709 | -0.5% |
| 2024 | Q3 | 25,820 | +536 | -0.7% |
| 2024 | Q2 | 25,767 | +426 | -0.9% |
| 2024 | Q1 | 25,466 | +507 | -0.6% |
| 2023 | Q4 | 25,399 | +668 | -0.3% |
| 2023 | Q3 | 25,284 | +521 | -0.1% |
| 2023 | Q2 | 25,341 | +438 | -0.2% |
See Merck Sharp & Dohme's complete headcount history, including quarterly breakdowns.
Get the DataMerck Sharp & Dohme Employee Count by Region (2026)
East Asia accounts for the largest share of Merck Sharp & Dohme's global workforce with approximately 22% of total employees, followed by Northern Europe and South Asia.
Merck Sharp & Dohme employees by region
| Region | Employees | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| East Asia | 5,955 | 21.6% |
| Northern Europe | 3,525 | 12.8% |
| South Asia | 3,185 | 11.5% |
| Western Europe | 3,171 | 11.5% |
| Southeast Asia | 2,799 | 10.1% |
| Eastern Europe | 1,984 | 7.2% |
| South America | 1,712 | 6.2% |
| Southern Europe | 1,616 | 5.9% |
| Central America and the Caribbean | 873 | 3.2% |
| North America | 717 | 2.6% |
Drill into city-level data, hiring trends by region, and historic geographic shifts.
Unlock Geographic DataMerck Sharp & Dohme Employee Count by Department (2026)
Merck Sharp & Dohme's employee groups are Finance and Operations (45.7%), Engineering (29.3%), and Sales and Marketing (25.0%).
Merck Sharp & Dohme employees by department
| Department | Employees | % of Total |
|---|---|---|
| Finance and Operations | 12,689 | 45.7% |
| Engineering | 8,134 | 29.3% |
| Sales and Marketing | 6,937 | 25.0% |
Compare Merck Sharp & Dohme's department mix to industry peers.
See Full DataMerck Sharp & Dohme Employee Salary by Region (2026)
Merck Sharp & Dohme's average employee salary is $65,555 globally. Employees in Western Europe receive the highest compensation, with median pay approximately 1.5x the global average. Pay is lowest in South Asia, at a median of $17,000.
Merck Sharp & Dohme median employee salary by region (USD)
| Region | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| North America | $106,000 |
| Western Europe | $96,000 |
| Pacific Islands | $83,000 |
| Northern Europe | $82,000 |
| Arab States | $64,000 |
| Central and Western Asia | $61,000 |
| Southern Europe | $59,000 |
| East Asia | $51,000 |
| Eastern Europe | $48,000 |
| Southeast Asia | $42,000 |
| Central America and the Caribbean | $35,000 |
| South America | $25,000 |
| Sub-Saharan Africa | $19,000 |
| South Asia | $17,000 |
| North Africa | $15,000 |
Unlock salary by role, level, and city — and compare to Merck Sharp & Dohme's industry peers.
Unlock Salary DataMerck Sharp & Dohme Job Openings and Hiring Trends (2023-2026)
- Merck Sharp & Dohme had 1,111 active job postings in 2026, a 8.9% decline (-323) from 2025.
- Merck Sharp & Dohme had 1,434 active job postings in 2025, a 38.3% increase (+461) from 2024.
- Merck Sharp & Dohme had 973 active job postings in 2024, a 31.1% decline (-359) from 2023.
- Merck Sharp & Dohme had 1,332 active job postings in 2023, a 4.8% increase from 2022.
- Hiring velocity in 2026: 1,492 new roles/month, up from 1,469 in 2025 and 1,091 in 2024.
Merck Sharp & Dohme's active job postings fell 8.9% in 2026 to 1,111, with new postings per month climbing from 976 in 2023 to 1,492 in 2026.
Track new postings per month, role-level demand, and hiring velocity vs. peers.
Unlock Hiring DataMerck Sharp & Dohme Employee Sentiment (2026)
Revelio Labs tracks employee sentiment across Merck Sharp & Dohme's workforce based on public professional data. Overall sentiment is neutral and has declined year over year in 2026.
Overall
Unlock the full sentiment breakdown by department, tenure, and trend over time.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Merck Sharp & Dohme
- How fast is Merck Sharp & Dohme growing?
- In 2026, Merck Sharp & Dohme's headcount shrank 0.4% to 27,889 employees, up from 26,345 in 2025.
- See the full headcount history
- Where are Merck Sharp & Dohme employees located?
- Most Merck Sharp & Dohme employees are based in East Asia (21.6% of headcount), followed by Northern Europe and South Asia.
- Explore where the workforce is based
- What is the average salary at Merck Sharp & Dohme?
- The average employee salary at Merck Sharp & Dohme is approximately $65.6k per year.
- Analyze the salary distribution
- How many new job postings does Merck Sharp & Dohme open per year?
- In Q1 2026, Merck Sharp & Dohme opened 4,475 new job postings. In 2025, Merck Sharp & Dohme opened 17,632 new job postings — about 1,469 per month.
- Track hiring trends by role
- When was Merck Sharp & Dohme founded and where is it headquartered?
- Merck Sharp & Dohme was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Kenilworth, New Jersey.
- Compare Merck Sharp & Dohme to industry peers
Speak with a workforce expert about Merck Sharp & Dohme.
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