These Are The Top 45 VA Employers In Forbes Ranking

The best employer in Virginia is a Vienna-based banking and financial institution, according to a new Forbes ranking released Thursday.

Forbes’ 2025 ranking of America’s Best Employers By State is based on surveys of more 169,000 employees who work for a company of at least 500 within the United States.

They were asked on a scale of zero to 10 how likely they were to recommend their current employer, and also evaluate their workplace on such things as wages, parity, work culture, and paths to professional advancement, and whether their employer takes action on serious issues, such as sexual harassment.

The survey, conducted by market research firm Statista, also asked respondents to evaluate other recent employers and organizations they knew through their industry or through family and friends who work there.

The top 45 companies in Virginia are:

1. Navy Federal Credit Union, Vienna, Banking and Financial Services, founded in 1933
2. University of Virginia, Charlottesville, Education, founded in 1819
3. General Dynamics, Reston, Aerospace and Defense, founded in 1952
4. Capital One, McLean, Banking and Financial Services, McLean, founded in 1994
5. Northrop Grumman, Falls Church, Areospace and Defense, founded in 1939
6. Booz Allen Hamilton, McLean, Professional Services, founded in 1914
7. Smithfield Foods, Smithfield, Food, Soft Beverages, Alcohol and Tobacco, founded in 1936
8. CarMax, Richmond, Retail and Wholesale, founded in 1993
9. Ferguson Enterprises, Newport News, Retail and Wholesale, founded in 1953
10. SAIC, Reston, IT Software and Services, founded in 1969
11. Henrico County Public Schools, Henrico, Education, founded in 1962
12. Mary Washington Healthcare, Fredericksburg, Healthcare and Social Services, founded in 1899
13. VCU Health, Richmond, Healthcare and Social Services, founded in 1838
14. Markel, Glen Allen, Insurance, founded in 1930
15. Sentara Health, Norfolk, Healthcare and Social Services
16. Institute for Defense Analysis, Alexandria, Aerospace and Defense, founded in 1956
17. ICF International, Fairfax, Professional Services, founded in 1969
18. Loudoun County Public Schools, Ashburn, Education, founded in 1870
19. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Education, founded in 1872
20. Inova Healthcare System, Falls Church, Healthcare and Social Services, founded in 1956
21. Valley Health, Winchester, Healthcare and Social Services, founded in 1993
22. Children's Hospital of The King's Daughters, Norfolk, Healthcare and Social Services, founded in 1961
23. BAE Systems Inc., Falls Church, Aerospace and Defense, founded in 1999
24. STIHL Inc., Virginia Beach, Semiconductors, Electronics, Electrical Engineering, founded in 1926
25. Commonwealth of Virginia, Richmond, Government Services, founded in 1776
26. CACI International, Reston, Aerospace and Defense, founded in 1962
27. University of Virginia Health System, Charlottesville, founded in 1901
28. Hilton Worldwide Holdings, McLean, Travel and Leisure, founded in 1919
29. Carilion Clinic, Roanoke, Healthcare and Social Services, founded in 1899
30. VHC Health, Arlington, Healthcare and Social Sciences, founded in 1944
31. Mars, McLean, Packaged Goods, founded in 1911
32. Dominion Energy, Richmond, Utilities, founded in 1983
33. Old Dominion University, Norfolk, Education, founded in 1930
34. K-VA-Food Stores, Abington, Retail and Wholesale, founded in 1955
35. Radford University, Radford, Healthcare and Social Services, founded in 1910
36. Care Advantage, Inc., Richmond, Healthcare and Social Services, founded in 1988
37. William & Mary, Williamsburg, Education, founded in 1693
38. Prince William County Schools, Manassas, Education, founded in 1923
39. Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Education, founded in 1838
40. Leidos, Reston, IT Software and Services, founded in 1969
41. Augusta Health, Fishersville, Healthcare and Social Services, founded in 1994
42. Riverside Health System, Newport News
43. City of Virginia Beach, Virginia Beach, Government Services, founded in 1963
44. Hampton City Public Schools, Hampton, Education, founded in 1634
45. Henrico County, VA, Henrico, Government Services, founded in 1934

The rankings are based on four years of survey data. Greater weight was given to the more recent data and to the responses from current employees within the state, Forbes said. Companies that received the highest scores in each state made Forbes’ final lists.

As in other years, companies in the health care, social services and education industries dominated the list. But employers from other industries were also prominent in multiple states, including retail giant Amazon (ranked in 33 states), transportation and logistics provider United Parcel Service (ranked in 25 states) and Bank of America (ranked in 25 states), according to Forbes.

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