Special Report

Largest Employer in Every State

Steve Debenport / Getty Images

Walmart is by far the largest employers in the United States, employing about 1.5 million Americans. Other companies, however, are beginning to close in on Walmart’s headcount.

Amazon, thanks to rampant growth and the acquisition of businesses such as Whole Foods, is now the nation’s second largest employer, although it has far to go to catch up to Walmart. The company now employs about 400,000 people in the United States.

State governments tend to be the largest employers in each state. There are over 5 million state government employees nationwide. When excluding public administrative bodies, Walmart is the largest employer in 22 states, but a number of other public organizations operating as companies — often a state university or hospital network — also emerge as the biggest employers on the state level.

The size of these companies and institutions varies considerably. In Alaska, the largest employer, the Providence Health & Services network of hospitals, employs around 4,000 people. In Washington state, Boeing employs nearly 80,000 people. In Texas, Walmart employs over 164,000 workers.

Based on the most recent available full- and part-time employee counts, these are the largest employers in each of the 50 states.

To determine the largest employer in each state, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed employment figures for nonprofits and private and publicly held companies from company press releases, government data, business journals, local media reports, as well as statements from company representatives. For the purposes of our analysis, we treated some state government employers like public universities as independent organizations, in keeping with how states frequently identify and compare company headcounts. Military bases were excluded from the list. In some cases, the employment count of a hospital network primarily located in a state included a small portion of out-of-state employees. If the network was determined to be mostly in-state, we kept the total employment figure when a state-specific employment count could not be determined. In those cases and some others, the values included are listed as estimates.

Correction: A previous version of this piece listed the largest employer in New Hampshire as Walmart. In fact, the largest employer is the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health System. 

Click here to see the largest employer in every state.

walmartcorporate / Flickr

1. Alabama
> Largest employer: Walmart
> Employee headcount: 37,989
> Industry: Retail

See all stories featuring: Alabama

[in-text-ad]

Wikimedia Commons

2. Alaska
> Largest employer: Providence Health & Services
> Employee headcount: ~4,000
> Industry: Hospitals

See all stories featuring: Alaska

Jen Meacham

3. Arizona
> Largest employer: Banner Health
> Employee headcount: 43,102
> Industry: Hospitals

See all stories featuring: Arizona

courtesy of Wal-Mart Stores Inc.

4. Arkansas
> Largest employer: Walmart
> Employee headcount: 49,165
> Industry: Retail

See all stories featuring: Arkansas

[in-text-ad-2]

Bev Sykes-Wikimedia Commons

5. California
> Largest employer: University of California
> Employee headcount: 227,786
> Industry: Public universities

See all stories featuring: California

beklaus / Getty Images

6. Colorado
> Largest employer: University of Colorado
> Employee headcount: ~36,000
> Industry: Public universities

See all stories featuring: Colorado

[in-text-ad]

healthcare-informatics.com

7. Connecticut
> Largest employer: Yale New Haven Health System
> Employee headcount: 25,199
> Industry: Hospitals

See all stories featuring: Connecticut

Courtesy of Christiana Care Health System

8. Delaware
> Largest employer: Christiana Care
> Employee headcount: 11,856
> Industry: Hospitals

See all stories featuring: Delaware

Raysonho @ Open Grid Scheduler / Wikimedia Commons

9. Florida
> Largest employer: Walmart
> Employee headcount: 105,888
> Industry: Retail

See all stories featuring: Florida

[in-text-ad-2]

Mike Kalasnik / Wikimedia Commons

10. Georgia
> Largest employer: Walmart
> Employee headcount: 59,922
> Industry: Retail

See all stories featuring: Georgia

Image courtesy of Altres Staffing Aiea via Yelp

11. Hawaii
> Largest employer: Altres Industrial
> Employee headcount: ~10,000
> Industry: Staffing

See all stories featuring: Hawaii

[in-text-ad]

St. Luke's Health System / Facebook

12. Idaho
> Largest employer: St. Luke’s Health System
> Employee headcount: ~14,000
> Industry: Hospitals

See all stories featuring: Idaho

Benchapple / Wikimedia Commons

13. Illinois
> Largest employer: Walmart
> Employee headcount: 52,603
> Industry: Retail

See all stories featuring: Illinois

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

14. Indiana
> Largest employer: Walmart
> Employee headcount: 40,385
> Industry: Retail

See all stories featuring: Indiana

[in-text-ad-2]

Andrei Stanescu / Getty Images

15. Iowa
> Largest employer: Walmart
> Employee headcount: 17,218
> Industry: Retail

See all stories featuring: Iowa

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

16. Kansas
> Largest employer: Walmart
> Employee headcount: 20,330
> Industry: Retail

See all stories featuring: Kansas

[in-text-ad]

Stu pendousmat / Wikimedia Commons

17. Kentucky
> Largest employer: Walmart
> Employee headcount: 28,862
> Industry: Retail

See all stories featuring: Kentucky

MikeMozartJeepersMedia / Wikimedia Commons

18. Louisiana
> Largest employer: Walmart
> Employee headcount: 34,830
> Industry: Retail

See all stories featuring: Louisiana

MaineHealth Careers / Facebook

19. Maine
> Largest employer: MaineHealth
> Employee headcount: ~15,000
> Industry: Hospitals

See all stories featuring: Maine

[in-text-ad-2]

DelmasLehman / iStock

20. Maryland
> Largest employer: Johns Hopkins University
> Employee headcount: 31,320
> Industry: Universities

See all stories featuring: Maryland

Partners HealthCare / Facebook

21. Massachusetts
> Largest employer: Partners Healthcare
> Employee headcount: 60,300
> Industry: Hospitals

See all stories featuring: Massachusetts

[in-text-ad]

Scruggelgreen / Shutterstock.com

22. Michigan
> Largest employer: General Motors
> Employee headcount: 52,113
> Industry: Public universities

See all stories featuring: Michigan

Jonathunder / Wikimedia Commons

23. Minnesota
> Largest employer: Mayo Clinic
> Employee headcount: 41,691
> Industry: Hospitals

See all stories featuring: Minnesota

Maryland Pride / Wikimedia Commons

24. Mississippi
> Largest employer: Walmart
> Employee headcount: 23,605
> Industry: Retail

See all stories featuring: Mississippi

[in-text-ad-2]

Aneekr / Wikimedia Commons

25. Missouri
> Largest employer: Walmart
> Employee headcount: 41,399
> Industry: Retail

See all stories featuring: Missouri

Famartin / Wikimedia Commons

26. Montana
> Largest employer: Walmart
> Employee headcount: 4,622
> Industry: Retail

See all stories featuring: Montana

[in-text-ad]

Beatmastermatt / Wikimedia Commons

27. Nebraska
> Largest employer: University of Nebraska
> Employee headcount: ~14,000
> Industry: Public universities

See all stories featuring: Nebraska

Wikimedia Commons

28. Nevada
> Largest employer: MGM Resorts International
> Employee headcount: 51,000
> Industry: Casinos & hotels

 

See all stories featuring: Nevada

Ken Gallager / Wikimedia Commons

29. New Hampshire
> Largest employer: Dartmouth-Hitchcock Health system
> Employee headcount: 12,860
> Industry: Health care

See all stories featuring: New Hampshire

[in-text-ad-2]

Thinkstock

30. New Jersey
> Largest employer: Wakefern Food Corporation
> Employee headcount: 40,000
> Industry: Supermarkets

See all stories featuring: New Jersey

Public Domain / Wikimedia Commons

31. New Mexico
> Largest employer: University of New Mexico
> Employee headcount: 27,000+
> Industry: Public universities

See all stories featuring: New Mexico

[in-text-ad]

crz4mets2 / Wikimedia Commons

32. New York
> Largest employer: State University of New York system
> Employee headcount: 91,182
> Industry: Public universities

See all stories featuring: New York

bgwalker / Getty Images

33. North Carolina
> Largest employer: Walmart
> Employee headcount: 57,431
> Industry: Retail

See all stories featuring: North Carolina

NanoStockk / Getty Images

34. North Dakota
> Largest employer: Sanford Health
> Employee headcount: 14,487
> Industry: Hospitals

See all stories featuring: North Dakota

[in-text-ad-2]

Michael Rivera / Wikimedia Commons

35. Ohio
> Largest employer: Walmart
> Employee headcount: 49,330
> Industry: Retail

See all stories featuring: Ohio

Abras2010 / Wikimedia Commons

36. Oklahoma
> Largest employer: Walmart
> Employee headcount: 31,845
> Industry: Retail

See all stories featuring: Oklahoma

[in-text-ad]

M.O. Stevens / Wikimedia Commons

37. Oregon
> Largest employer: Providence Health & Services
> Employee headcount: 22,340
> Industry: Hospitals

See all stories featuring: Oregon

Crazypaco / Wikimedia Commons

38. Pennsylvania
> Largest employer: University of Pittsburgh Medical Center
> Employee headcount: 87,000
> Industry: Hospitals

See all stories featuring: Pennsylvania

hasbrochildrenshospital.org

39. Rhode Island
> Largest employer: Lifespan System of Hospitals
> Employee headcount: ~14,000
> Industry: Hospitals

See all stories featuring: Rhode Island

[in-text-ad-2]

walmartcorporate / Flickr

40. South Carolina
> Largest employer: Walmart
> Employee headcount: 33,298
> Industry: Retail

See all stories featuring: South Carolina

Sdgjake / Wikimedia Commons

41. South Dakota
> Largest employer: Sanford Health Network
> Employee headcount: 13,196
> Industry: Hospitals

See all stories featuring: South Dakota

[in-text-ad]

Raysonho @ Open Grid Scheduler / Grid Engine / Wikimedia Commons

42. Tennessee
> Largest employer: Walmart
> Employee headcount: 40,274
> Industry: Retail

See all stories featuring: Tennessee

Ben Schumin / Wikimedia Commons

43. Texas
> Largest employer: Walmart
> Employee headcount: 164,611
> Industry: Retail

See all stories featuring: Texas

An Errant Knight / Wikimedia Commons

44. Utah
> Largest employer: Intermountain Healthcare
> Employee headcount: ~37,000
> Industry: Hospitals

See all stories featuring: Utah

[in-text-ad-2]

Gopats92 / Wikimedia Commons

45. Vermont
> Largest employer: The University of Vermont Medical Center
> Employee headcount: ~7,500
> Industry: Public universities

See all stories featuring: Vermont

MikeMozartJeepersMedia / Wikimedia Commons

46. Virginia
> Largest employer: Walmart
> Employee headcount: 43,323
> Industry: Retail

See all stories featuring: Virginia

[in-text-ad]

Thinkstock

47. Washington
> Largest employer: Boeing
> Employee headcount: 69,830
> Industry: Manufacturing

See all stories featuring: Washington

Courtesy of West Virginia University

48. West Virginia
> Largest employer: WVU Health
> Employee headcount: 18,492
> Industry: Retail

See all stories featuring: West Virginia

James Steakley / Wikimedia Commons

49. Wisconsin
> Largest employer: University of Wisconsin
> Employee headcount: 39,000
> Industry: Public universities

See all stories featuring: Wisconsin

[in-text-ad-2]

Mike Kalasnik from Fort Mill, USA / Wikimedia Commons

50. Wyoming
> Largest employer: Walmart
> Employee headcount: 4,438
> Industry: Retail

See all stories featuring: Wyoming

Take This Retirement Quiz To Get Matched With An Advisor Now (Sponsored)

Are you ready for retirement? Planning for retirement can be overwhelming, that’s why it could be a good idea to speak to a fiduciary financial advisor about your goals today.

Start by taking this retirement quiz right here from SmartAsset that will match you with up to 3 financial advisors that serve your area and beyond in 5 minutes. Smart Asset is now matching over 50,000 people a month.

Click here now to get started.

Thank you for reading! Have some feedback for us?
Contact the 24/7 Wall St. editorial team.