In today’s world, where work-life balance and employee satisfaction are paramount, the latest ratings by U.S. News & World Report shine a spotlight on private companies that best meet the needs of their employees. Covering 14 diverse industries, including Aerospace and Defense, IT, and Health Care, this evaluation seeks to guide both current and prospective employees in their career decisions.
WASHINGTON, July 1, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — The announcement of the 2025-2026 U.S. News Best Companies to Work For: Private Companies is a highlight for job seekers. This initiative assesses privately owned companies with a minimum of 5,000 employees, providing an essential resource for those searching for workplaces that align with their professional values and needs.
Beyond just numbers, U.S. News delves deep into what makes a company truly great to work for. The ratings analyze factors such as quality of pay and benefits, work-life balance, job stability, psychological comfort, and career opportunities. This multifaceted approach allows employees to better understand which companies offer an environment conducive to personal and professional growth.
Carly Chase, Vice President of Careers at U.S. News, emphasizes that the criteria for what makes a company the “best” is constantly evolving. “What job seekers consider ‘best’ in a company continually evolves based on their individual needs and considerations at a given time,” she states. This adaptive understanding positions the Best Companies ratings as a pivotal tool for both employers seeking best practices and job seekers aiming to find fitting workplace cultures.
To ensure the validity and reliability of their assessments, U.S. News employs a robust methodology that incorporates employee sentiment, expert evaluation, and sophisticated data analysis. The 277 firms recognized in the 2025-2026 rankings represent the top 25% of 1,094 private businesses evaluated, segmented into 14 industry categories including finance and insurance, manufacturing and agriculture, and consumer products.
The criteria for inclusion are strict: only private companies boasting a workforce of at least 5,000 employees and over $500 million in annual revenue, as outlined by Crunchbase, are considered. Additionally, these firms must have received a minimum of 75 reviews on Glassdoor from 2021 to 2024, ensuring a comprehensive representation of employee opinions.
Data collection involves various channels, with contributions from Revelio Labs and Good Jobs First, which help track employee sentiment and regulatory enforcement. The insights gleaned from these metrics inform the six critical factors that ultimately determine a company’s place in the rankings. Interested parties can access a detailed methodology on the official site for transparency concerning the scoring process.
For those keen on exploring the intersection of workplace satisfaction and career advancement, U.S. News encourages a visit to their Best Places to Work For platform. Here, individuals can dive deeper into the nuances of what makes a workplace favorable, and glean actionable insights tailored to specific sectors such as customer service, aerospace, and IT. Furthermore, the excitement doesn’t stop there; U.S. News invites sharing of these ratings across social media platforms like Facebook and X (formerly Twitter) with the hashtag #BCTWF.
About U.S. News & World Report
Known as the global thought leader in journalistic integrity, U.S. News & World Report empowers consumers with reliable rankings and insights across various domains, including education, health, politics, and careers. Their steadfast commitment to unbiased reporting and analysis has established them as a trusted resource for millions of users, marking over 90 years of excellence based in Washington.
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SOURCE U.S. News & World Report, L.P.
