The 10 Best Companies To Work At In MD As A New Grad

MARYLAND — Ten companies headquartered in Maryland are among the best places to work for newly minted college graduates, according to a new list from Forbes that’s based on what Gen Z workers want in a job.

In its eighth annual “America’s Best Employers for New Grads,” Forbes and its research partner Statista surveyed more than 100,000 young professionals who have been working less than 10 years at companies that have at least 1,000 employees.

They were asked if they would recommend their employer to others, and to rate the company on such things as wages, benefits, advancement opportunities, working conditions, flexibility, company image and inclusion.

Survey respondents were also asked if they’d recommend previous employers, as well as those they are aware of through their respective industries or because family or friends work there.

Overall, 500 companies made Forbes’ final list. Those from Maryland include:

• State of Maryland, Baltimore (No. 138)
• Lockheed Martin, Bethesda (No. 154)
• Johns Hopkins Medicine, Baltimore (No. 187)
• Adventist HealthCare, Gaithersburg (No. 237)
• Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore (No. 241)
• Under Armour, Baltimore (No. 292)
• ZeniMax Media, Rockville (No. 344)
• Marriott International, Bethesda (No. 352)
• CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, Baltimore (No. 365)
• Westat, Rockville (No. 391)

Forbes said that what new graduates want from a job should be an important consideration for employers because Gen Z workers are projected to make up 30 percent of the U.S. workforce by 2030.

Younger workers aren’t afraid to make clear what they want in a job, Estrella Serrato, a college and postgraduate coach and host of “Cafecito con Estrellita,” a podcast focused on first-generation graduates, told Forbes

“Companies are seeing a more empowered generation of graduates,” Serrato said. “New grads are showing up with questions about company values, social impact, and how mental health is supported in the workplace.”

Career goals are also important, and Gen Z workers tend to seek jobs that are “more than just a paycheck” according to Serrato, who said they are interested in finding “purpose-driven work” and “growth opportunities they can actually see and experience.”

Deloitte’s 2025 Gen Z and Millennial Survey of 23,482 Gen Zs and millennials in 44 countries found an overwhelming majority of those workers — 89 percent and 92 percent, respectively — want jobs with purpose. About 45 percent of workers in both age groups had left unfulfilling jobs.

As the Forbes-Statista survey also showed, Deloitte revealed that career growth, mentoring and guidance are crucial to job satisfaction.

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