The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is one of Tennessee’s top three employers for 2025, according to the Forbes “America’s Best Employers by State” list, published Aug. 21. The university ranked third out of 80 Tennessee companies on this year’s list, up four places from last year. UT has made the list every year since Forbes created the ranking in 2019.
“Knowing UT serves every county in Tennessee makes being recognized as one of the state’s best employers an exceptional honor. The work we do, whether in bustling cities or in rural communities, is important and powered by the passion of our staff,” said Tarah Keeler, associate vice chancellor and chief human resources officer. “Providing a strong workplace that fosters professional development allows UT employees to make a lasting impact every day.”
To determine the list, Forbes and Statista, a statistics portal and industry ranking provider, surveyed more than 160,000 workers at companies with a minimum of 500 employees across all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Participants were asked to rate their employers on a variety of criteria.
Participants were also asked to evaluate their previous employers (within the past two years) and organizations they knew within their industry or through friends or family who work there. Responses were then tallied and incorporated into a scoring system, along with survey data from the past three years. Greater weight was given to more recent data and to the responses from current employees within the state.
UT currently has 2,315 faculty and 6,091 staff employees. The university’s benefits package includes generous health and retirement plans, employee tuition waivers, and discounted tuition for qualifying employees and family members at state colleges and universities. Campus resources include a university-affiliated medical center, an early learning center for children from infancy to kindergarten, a veterinary medical center and a botanical garden.
In May, Forbes recognized UT as one of the nation’s best employers for new graduates for the fifth consecutive year. In November 2024, Forbes named UT to its inaugural list of America’s Dream Employers.
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MEDIA CONTACT:
Stacy Estep (865-974-8304, sestep3@utk.edu)