Forbes names NC’s best employers. 19 are headquartered in the Triangle

Kimberly Cataudella
·2 min read

Forbes’ annual ranking of best employers by state published this week. Out of the 96 total companies listed for North Carolina, 19 are headquartered in the Triangle.

The top employer in the state is Trader Joe’s, headquartered in California with an estimated 50,000 employees nationwide. Salesforce, also based in California, and Washington state’s Microsoft came in second and third for North Carolina, respectively.

Forbes Methodology:

To compile the list, Forbes partnered with market research firm Statista to survey full- or part-time employees in each state who work at companies with more than 500 employees nationwide. Participants were asked whether they would recommend their employer to friends and family, and asked to evaluate their employer based on criteria including working conditions, diversity, compensation packages, potential for development and company image. All surveys were anonymous.

To read the full list of North Carolina’s top 96 employers, visit forbes.com/lists/best-employers-by-state and filter to “North Carolina.”

These top NC employers are headquartered in the Triangle

#4. WakeMed is headquartered in Raleigh.

  • 10,292 employees nationwide

  • Categorized as “Healthcare & Social”

#6. North Carolina State University is headquartered in Raleigh.

  • 9,300 employees nationwide

  • Categorized as “Education”

#7. UNC Health Care is headquartered in Chapel Hill.

  • 7,100 employees nationwide

  • Categorized as “Healthcare & Social”

#8. Wake Forest University is headquartered in Winston-Salem.

  • 7,500 employees nationally

  • Categorized as “Education”

#14. Duke University Health System is headquartered in Durham.

  • 23,462 employees nationally

  • Categorized as “Healthcare & Social”

#16. The University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill is headquartered in Chapel Hill.

  • 13,108 employees nationally

  • Categorized as “Education”

#17. Lenovo is headquartered in Morrisville.

  • 75,000 employees nationally

  • Categorized as “Semiconductors, Electronics, Electrical Engineering, Technology Hardware & Equipment”

#18. Volvo Group is headquartered in Greensboro.

  • 102,155 employees nationally

  • Categorized as “Automotive (Automotive & Suppliers)”

#20. First Citizens Bank is headquartered in Raleigh.

  • 10,684 employees nationally

  • Categorized as”Banking and Financial Services”

#21. Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina is headquartered in Durham.

  • 5,000 employees nationally

  • Categorized as “Insurance”

#24. Duke University is headquartered in Durham.

  • 38,521 employees nationally

  • Categorized as “Education”

#38. Novant Health is headquartered in Winston-Salem.

  • 35,000 employees nationally

  • Categorized as “Healthcare & Social”

#39. Cone Health is headquartered in Greensboro.

  • 13,000 employees nationally

  • Categorized as “Healthcare & Social”

#66. University of North Carolina, Greensboro is headquartered in Greensboro.

  • 3,000 employees nationally

  • Categorized as “Education”

#73. IQVIA is headquartered in Durham.

  • 86,000 employees nationally

  • Categorized as “Health Care Equipment & Services”

#80. State of North Carolina is headquartered in Raleigh.

  • 81,000 employees nationally

  • Categorized as “Government Services”

#85. Guilford County Schools is headquartered in Greensboro.

  • 8,782 employees nationally

  • Categorized as “Education”

#90. Hanesbrands is headquartered in Winston-Salem.

  • 6,000 employees nationally

  • Categorized as “Clothing, Shoes, Sports Equipment”

#95. Winston-Salem Forsyth County Schools is headquartered in Winston-Salem.

  • 6,301 employees nationally

  • Categorized as “Education”

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