Do you work for one of the best employers in IL? These 5 companies took the top spots

Lindsay Smith
·3 min read

Have you ever wondered how happy employees are with Illinois companies?

Forbes did, and after surveying 70,000 individuals in the U.S., the business media company released its fifth annual “America’s Best Employers by State” list, which was put together using the surveys from individuals who work for companies with more than 500 employees.

Partnering with market research firm Statista, Forbes asked employees to rate their workplace on topics including work environment, pride in the company’s product, gender pay equity and more.

Companies did not pay to be ranked, Forbes says.

To find where an employer ranked on the list, you can plug in the company’s name or enter the state you’re looking for.

Tech giant Google took the top spot in Illinois’ employee ranking, with a reported 156,500 employees, according to Forbes. The software company was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Mountain View, Calif.

Meanwhile, Ohio-based Procter & Gamble took Missouri’s top spot, with a reported 27,560 employees. The packaged goods company was founded in 1937 and produces well-known brands like Crest and Pantene.

Here’s a look at the top employers in Illinois and Missouri in 2023, according to Forbes.

Forbes’ five best employers in Illinois

According to the recently released report, these are the employee-identified best companies in Illinois:

  1. Google: The software company is No. 1 among Illinois’ best employers list, as evidenced by worker surveys.

  2. Apple: With 164,000 employees, another tech company, Apple, takes the second spot on Illinois’ best employers list. Founded in 1976, the company’s headquarters are in Cupertino, Calif.

  3. Salesforce: With 40,447 employees, Salesforce takes Forbes’ No. 3 spot. The information technology company was founded in 1999 and is based in San Francisco.

  4. Deere & Company: Automotive manufacturer Deere & Company is based in Moline, Ill., and has 75,600 employees, according to Forbes. The company was established in 1837.

  5. Northwestern University: Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., takes the fifth spot, with a reported 7,450 employees. Forbes reports a student body of about 23,000 individuals. The school was founded in 1851.

Forbes’ five best employers in Missouri

Meanwhile, these are the five top employers in Missouri, according to the Forbes report:

  1. Procter & Gamble: Packaged goods company Procter & Gamble takes the first spot in Missouri’s list. The company is headquartered in Cincinnati.

  2. Veterans United: Financial services enterprise Veterans United was named No. 2 among Missouri employers, with a reported 4,624 workers, according to Forbes. Based in Columbia, Mo., the company was founded in 2002.

  3. Edward Jones: This St. Louis-based financial services company took third place. Edward Jones was founded in 1922 and has a reported 50,000 employees, per Forbes.

  4. World Wide Technology: Tech company World Wide Technology has 9,000 employees and takes fourth place in Missouri’s ranking. The company is based in Maryland Heights, Mo., and was founded in 1990.

  5. Microsoft: This popular software company is headquartered in Redmond, Wash., and has a reported 122,000 employees, according to Forbes. It was founded in 1975 and came in fifth place in Missouri’s best employers list. It was also named a top five employer in Kentucky.

You can read more about the methodology Forbes used online.