The Most Admired Company in Every State

Some companies are more than companies—they're local heroes and cornerstones of the community. Don't believe us? Try traveling to Beaverton, Oregon—home of the Nike Swoosh—and mention how much you love Adidas in a local coffee shop. (Yeah, that won't go over well.)

With that in mind, we pulled together the complete list of beloved companies based in every state, drawn from interviews, local business trade magazines, major outlets like Forbes and Fortunes, and other statistics. So read on, and learn all about the companies all but guaranteed to stay profitable in their home states. And for more on money, read up on why we should bring back checks. 

This company has a reputation for promoting further education among employees, helping to earn it the designation of No. 1 Most Admired Health Care Company by the Birmingham Business Journal. They also offer great benefits, including potential yearly bonuses, and they have a fantastic reputation in their community.

Aside from some great reviews from their customers, and being named best place to work in the state according to Alaska Business Monthly, First National Bank Alaska offers their employees the opportunity to grow and learn. Employees laud them for helping provide great work/life balance, and that's so important to associates' health and happiness.

While GoDaddy may be best known for their cheeky ads, they're also the most admired company in Arizona, according to BestCompaniesAZ. There are several offices in the state, where they offer employees a ridiculously fun work environment, great benefits including free health and dental insurance, and child care subsidies. And no matter where you work, here's exactly how to ask for a raise. 

Wal-Mart employs 1.4 million people in the U.S., with Arkansas employees making up a hefty share of those. That's also part of the reason why it earned a spot on Barron's Most Respected Companies—the only Arkansas company to do so.

There's a lot to love about this company, whether you are a consumer or employee. From its innovative products to the revolutionary campus it recently opened for its workers, Apple is synonymous with pushing boundaries and looking out for its workers. It's no wonder that these guys were named No. 1 on Fortune's Most Admired list. Channel some of that visionary spirit for good and use any one of the 20 Daily Confidence Boosters for Getting Ahead.

This software and IT company has a fantastic reputation among its employees, helping it earn the No. 6 spot on Glassdoor's Best Places to Work. That's probably because on top of a stellar benefits package and adequate compensation, Fast Enterprises is also a champion for their communities, always looking for ways to help out and allowing workers plenty of opportunities to do so, as well.

GE is a company where employees have autonomy and challenging the status quo is not only allowed, but often rewarded, helping earn the No. 7 spot on Fortune's Most Admired Companies. The inventor of the garbage disposal and working on everything from wind turbines to magnetically charged liquids, GE continues to innovate on a level that many companies strive to imitate. And for more corporate trivia, check out the 50 Things You No Longer See in Offices.

Headquartered in Delaware, this now global company started as a gunpowder mill in the 1800s. Now, it uses its science and engineering expertise to develop solutions to problems on a global scale, from agriculture to medicine. They offer a great career development program, too, and entered the top 50 on Barron's Most Respected Companies. Its recent merger with Dow Chemical opens the doors to further innovation.

You can't think of Florida without thinking of this company, which has brought happiness to folks young and old for nearly a hundred years. Today, it's a massive media corporation with a reputation for philanthropy and reducing their environmental impact, as well as shaping pop culture as we know it through brilliant acquisitions. No wonder Fortune named it the No. 5 Most Admired Company in the world.

The world's largest beverage company, Coca-Cola has provided plenty of success to several Georgia families for opening up bottling facilities in the state and was named as No. 16 on Fortune's Most Admired Companies. Travelers who head to Atlanta can tour The World of Coca-Cola, where guests can learn about making and distributing their iconic fizzy beverages (but not the secret recipe of its signature drink).

With free health insurance and 14 paid holidays each year, the employees at Hawaii State Federal Credit Union, named a Best Place to Work by Hawaii Business Magazine, are happy campers.

This company prefers to promote from within, which is always a bonus for employees looking for a forever-career, helping earn it the top spot for large companies by Best Places to Work in Idaho

The world's largest aerospace company also offers some fantastic benefits, including a good health insurance policy, generous 401K matching, and lots of paid time off. They even give many employees the entire week between Christmas and New Year's off work, paid. It also hit No. 30 on Fortune's list of Most Admired Companies. And for some great career advice, read up on Why I Left My Out-of-Office On Permanently and I've Never Been Happier. 

While employees laud this major pharmaceutical company for its excellent management practices and 80% of them would recommend Eli Lilly to job-seeking friends, the philanthropic practices are possibly even more notable. That's what helped earn it a place in Philanthropy Hall of Fame as well as the No. 37 spot on Barron's Most Respected Companies

UI hospitals and clinics are a great place to work, according to their employees, and they seem to be particularly popular amongst their nursing staff, with Forbes dubbing it the No. 7 Best Employer in America. This could be because of the top-notch tech it uses, or it could be the awesome employee wellness programs it offers.

A top Best Place to Work in the state per the Kansas City Business Journal, this engineering and architecture firm may have a long interview process, but almost all of their employees say it's totally worth the two-month wait. It's earned a reputation as an up-front kind of company that puts customer's success above all else, telling it like it is and not dancing around issues.

The No. 1 Best Place to Work per Best Places to Work KY, this small-town community hospital is the top-rated employer in Kentucky, with their associates benefitting from professional development training and wellness incentives.

Headquartered in Monroe, this telecom company has earned accolades for being a flexible employer, offering part-time and work-from-home positions.

One of the top places to work in the state the last two years per Best Places to Work Maine, this company has made customer service central to its brand going back to its founding in 1869. Today, it has branches throughout the state, but continues to be recognized for its personal touch.

No. 25 on Fortune's Most Admired Companies, this hospitality giant grew even larger with its Starwood merger last year. Its new sub-brands continue to keep the Marriott name fresh for the new generation of travelers and it offers employees the opportunity to improve their skills and offers internal promotions frequently. Plus, they offer really incredible hotel discounts—sometimes you can pick up rooms for as little as $19 a night.

No. 3 on Glassdoor's Best Places to Work list, people who work here say the management is fantastic, and it's no wonder. Since the firm is a top-rated management consulting firm, it makes sense that they've got the best of the best running the joint. Interestingly enough, they also enjoy that the work is challenging and requires them to use critical thinking.

The 10^th best place to work in the U.S., according to Fortune, this Detroit-based online home lender gives workers perks such as hoverboards and basketball courts (and tickets to Cleveland Cavaliers games—since company owner Dan Gilbert also owns the team).

Named No. 43 on Fortune's Most Admired Companies, this St. Paul–based healthcare company not only receives top marks from patients, but has made corporate social responsibility a central part of its brand identity, offering grants and volunteers in education, patient support, and to foster healthy communities.

The No. 1 Best Place to Work in Mississippi per Mississippi Business Journal (in the "mega huge" category), this appliance manufacturer has earned more than 50 innovation awards in the last four years alone, constantly improving its refrigerators, dishwashers, and ovens while earning accolades for its treatment of employees.

Since communication is its specialty, you can bet that World Wide Technology offers innovative communication solutions to its workers, earning it the No. 5 spot on Glassdoor's Best Places to Work. Growing from a small product reseller, when it was founded in 1990, to a global technology solution provider bringing in more than $9 billion in annual revenue, this Maryland Heights, MO–based company has not strayed from its small-town values when it comes to employee treatment.

A tiny science education and conservation company, it has landed on Outside's best places to work two years in a row, and knows how to keep employees happy. That's probably because they're small enough to stay flexible and really interact with employees on a personal level, earning outsized accolades and setting an example for organizations many times its size.

With the famed financier Warren Buffett as its CEO, it's no wonder this company is so well admired, taking the No. 4 spot on Fortune's Most Admired list.

The No. 1 Best Place to Work (large company) per the Northern Nevada Human Resources Association, it offers great opportunities for community involvement and good health insurance.

Headquartered in Portsmouth, NH, this company offers great employee wellness programs onsite, like yoga classes and massage.

Fortune's 13^th-Most Admired Company, this pharma and consumer packaged goods giant is a household name, and it's earned some its success by treating employees right. It offers great benefits and promotes flexibility; most importantly, it's known for offering great pay.

This company's culture rewards individual hard work and consistent improvement. It also offers a full benefits package and competitive compensation, earning it the honor as Best Place to Work (large company) by Albuquerque Business First.

This financial services giant offers employees the flexibility to work from home. It also offers a five-month maternity and paternity leave, meaning this is an incredible company for parents-to-be, and part of the reason it was the top NYC-based company (No. 17) on Fortune's Most Admired Companies.

No. 14 on Barron's Most Respected Companies, employees love the family-oriented, friendly environment at this home improvement and hardware company which calls Mooresville, NC, home. It also offers employees tuition assistance after a year of employment.

One of Inc's 50 Best Places to Work, JLG is not only an innovator in architecture, winning several awards for its remarkable designs, but it also donates 1 percent of its billable hours to nonprofits.

With the highest-rated CEO of the year, this consumer goods multinational is continuing to grow and change for the better, landing at No. 19 on Fortune's Most Admired Companies. Plus, 85 percent of its employees say they would recommend a career with P&B to a friend.

Employees across all levels, from the lowliest cashier to upper management, benefit from this convenience store chain's perks. It offers 401K match, PTO, and even developed its own insurance company to meet the needs of their employees, earning it a place on Fortune's Best Companies to Work for 2017.

The brand behind the swoosh offers stellar benefits to employees, including perks like on-site fitness facilities and childcare facilities.

One of the top 10 Best Places to Work in the country, according to Glassdoor, this Chester, PA-based remodeling supplier is remarkably popular with employees. (It probably doesn't hurt that it offers an all-inclusive trip to Mexico to top performers at the end of the year.)

This chain of pharmacies earned the No. 45 spot on Fortune's Most Admired Companies. Its all-encompassing business model that includes both retail pharmacy and pharmacy benefits means it's a diverse place to work. Employees also get a 20-percent discount on everything in the store, and a 30-percent discount on all store-brand items.

A Top 10 Best Place to Work in SC several years running, this IT service provider is a whole firm of high-achievers. If you appreciate an environment where going above and beyond for the customer is the norm—plus you want a competitive salary, 401K match, health insurance, gym membership reimbursement, company laptop and cell phone, and your birthday as a paid day off every year—consider applying to Palmetto Technology Group.

This energy company works hard to do great things in their communities, and their awesome team helps make that a reality. They also offer a full benefits package, which includes tuition reimbursement, and it can certainly afford it: This is the largest public company in the state, according to Forbes.

Unlike a lot of companies, you have access to the full benefits package on day one with FedEx. Based in Memphis, this company also has a reputation as a very fair employer, with policies in place to make sure grievances are handled appropriately and landed at No. 11 on Fortune's Most Admired Companies list.ae0fcc31ae342fd3a1346ebb1f342fcb

Aside from an impressive 9.1 percent 401K match, Southwest also offers employees profit sharing, tuition assistance, and discounts on travel. For a large company, its culture has excellent reviews, and it made headlines earlier this year when it announced that it would share its $586 million in profits with its 54,000 employees—an average 13.2 percent bonus for each. No wonder it's No. 8 on Fortune's Most Admired Companies.

No. 20 on Fortune's Best Companies to Work for 2017 (and on the top 100 list for eight years in a row), this company has worked to "put people first" in the healthcare experience, and its employees have it pretty good, too, with a building has some awesome amenities, like a game room and an on-site clinic. The bottom line is looking good, too, with double-digit growth the past two decades.

On top of offering on-site healthcare, this healthcare company works to motivate the people it serves to take an active part in staying healthy. Named one of the Best Places to Work in Vermont per Vermont Business Magazine, it encourages clinicians to take the time they need with patients rather than looking at each visit as a transaction, and it's nice that a company would have such a vested interest in the well-being of their clients.

This McLean, VA-based company prides themselves on its personal touch, offering employees the ability to take classes and participate in contests to help offset healthcare costs, money management courses, and four weeks of PTO after you've completed your probationary period. It earned its place at No. 17 on Fortune's Best Companies to Work for 2017

Who wouldn't want to be Amazon right now, with its expanding market share in so many markets, from retail to publishing to media? It may be taking over the world, but Amazon offers its employees some really awesome perks. For example, it helps workers pay the fees necessary to adopt a child. It also provides six weeks of paid paternity leave, gives each employee stock in the company, and was, unsurprisingy, named as No. 2 on Fortune's Most Admired list.

The second largest private employer in the state, WVU Health a national leader in patient safety, and is also pretty good to employees. It's known for fun events and cheap gym access available to their associates.

The 4^th-best company to work for in the country, according to Fortune, this investment banking firm offers employees generous profit sharing, great compensation, and an excellent culture.

This energy giant has one of the best safety records in the area, and provides employees health insurance from the first day on the job. Its efforts have helped it to become the best performing public company in the state, per Forbes.

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