In business, it’s important to keep up-to-date on the country’s economic landscape. An improving economy and the addition of new jobs have prompted us to investigate some of the top employers across the country.

Our investigation examined employers in two categories: Largest Employers (based on the number of employees) and Best Places to Work (based on Glassdoor rankings and reviews). It was interesting to see which companies made the lists.

Largest Employers

First, we looked at the largest employers in each state and found that they were most often university systems or “big box” retailers. So, instead, we took a different approach and looked for the largest company headquartered in each state based on the total number of employees worldwide.

Using this approach, we could see where some of the largest brands, not only in the United States but around the globe, chose to locate their base of operations. Some of the most well-known brands immediately stood out, such as UPS, AT&T and Starbucks. But it was a surprise to see a large state like Florida have a lesser-known company like Jabil Circuit as a top employer (the company has more than 175,000 employees worldwide). It was also interesting to see who lead in smaller states, like Hawaiian Airlines in Hawaii (6,100+ employees).

Best Places to Work

Next, we explored the best-rated employers across the country. To map this out, we researched information on Glassdoor to find the 50 Best Places to work in North America. Forty-nine of the top companies are located in the United States, while one, Lululemon, is headquartered in Canada.



California led the way, with 17 California-based companies making the top 50. Many are tech companies and household names like Apple, Facebook, Google and Aibnb. With Silicon Valley and the Bay Area attracting top talent, it’s no surprise to see so many tech companies based in the state.

In addition to technology companies, a number of restaurant and grocery store chains made the national list. Trader Joe’s (CA), Wegmans (NY), H-E-B (TX) and Costco (WA) all appeared on the list of great places to work. Two quick-serve restaurants joined the top 50 list – In-N-Out Burger (CA) and Raising Cane’s (LA). We found it particularly interesting to find these six companies reviewed as some of the top workplaces because quick-serve and retail work is not often seen as glamorous.

Overall, we found only one company on both lists – FedEx, based in Tennessee.

It’s sometimes good to look at the big picture when you’re examining the biggest and best companies in North America. In this case, it was eye-opening to see how states compare when it comes to employers. Every state is unique, and the companies on these lists add to their individuality.