If you have driven the nation’s highways recently or spent any time in downtown America, you have seen the “We’re hiring” signs in front of stores, office buildings, supermarkets, and warehouses. At many of America’s largest public employers, hiring is brisk. (These are states with the largest drop in unemployment.)
To identify the 100 largest public employers in America, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed total employment figures at the top 1,000 companies from Fortune 500. Worldwide employment for 2020 and 2021 as well as revenue figures for 2021 also came from Fortune.
The U.S. job market seems very strong. The unemployment rate has fallen to 3.6% in March, and the number of job openings in the U.S. stood at a near-record 11.3 million at the end of February, according to the latest report from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Of the top 10 public employers in the United States, eight increased hiring from 2020 to 2021. (These are states where job openings are surging.)
Many of America’s biggest employers are recovering from the pandemic-induced job reductions. Certain sectors, such as home improvement with companies like Home Depot and Lowe’s and delivery services, including UPS and FedEx, have seen a surge in employment.
America’s biggest employer, Walmart, added 100,000 workers to raise its total employees to 2.3 million in 2021. Walmart is the largest employer in 19 states, including every Southern state except North Carolina.
E-commerce powerhouse Amazon, founded in 1994, boosted employment by more than 62% to about 1.3 million workers in 2021. The Seattle-based company employs most of them in Washington state and California.
Companies in customer-facing sectors such as hospitality (Marriott, Hilton), retail (Macy’s, Best Buy), airlines (Delta, United), and food (Darden, Yum) that were hurt the most during the pandemic and lowered headcount but still made the list.
Click here to see the largest public employers in America
50. Johnson & Johnson
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 134,500
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 132,200
> 2021 revenue: $82.58 billion — #36 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $432.69 billion
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49. Oracle
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 135,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 136,000
> 2021 revenue: $39.07 billion — #80 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $202.34 billion
48. Alphabet
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 135,301
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 118,899
> 2021 revenue: $182.53 billion — #9 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $1.393 trillion
47. DXC Technology
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 138,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 130,000
> 2021 revenue: $19.58 billion — #152 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $7.96 billion
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46. Tyson Foods
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 139,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 141,000
> 2021 revenue: $43.19 billion — #73 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $27.10 billion
44. Boeing
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 141,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 161,100
> 2021 revenue: $58.16 billion — #54 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $148.66 billion
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44. Hilton
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 141,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 173,000
> 2021 revenue: $4.31 billion — #596 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $33.57 billion
43. Apple
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 147,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 137,000
> 2021 revenue: $274.52 billion — #3 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $2050.67 billion
42. General Motors
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 155,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 164,000
> 2021 revenue: $122.49 billion — #22 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $82.79 billion
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40. Dell Technologies
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 158,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 165,000
> 2021 revenue: $94.22 billion — #28 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $67.23 billion
40. Dollar General
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 158,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 143,000
> 2021 revenue: $33.75 billion — #91 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $48.48 billion
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39. Microsoft
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 163,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 144,000
> 2021 revenue: $143.02 billion — #15 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $1.778 trillion
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38. Comcast
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 168,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 190,000
> 2021 revenue: $103.56 billion — #26 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $247.86 billion
37. Lear
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 174,600
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 164,100
> 2021 revenue: $17.05 billion — #179 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $10.90 billion
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36. Darden Restaurants
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 177,895
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 184,514
> 2021 revenue: $7.81 billion — #377 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $18.51 billion
35. Raytheon Technologies
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 181,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 243,200
> 2021 revenue: $56.59 billion — #57 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $117.14 billion
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34. General Electric
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 184,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 205,000
> 2021 revenue: $79.62 billion — #38 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $115.34 billion
33. Ford Motor
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 186,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 190,000
> 2021 revenue: $127.14 billion — #21 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $48.74 billion
32. McDonald’s
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 200,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 205,000
> 2021 revenue: $19.21 billion — #157 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $167.11 billion
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31. Walt Disney
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 203,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 223,000
> 2021 revenue: $65.39 billion — #50 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $334.95 billion
30. Aramark
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 209,325
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 233,400
> 2021 revenue: $12.83 billion — #235 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $9.60 billion
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29. Citigroup
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 210,153
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 200,000
> 2021 revenue: $88.84 billion — #33 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $151.81 billion
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28. Bank of America
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 212,505
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 208,131
> 2021 revenue: $93.75 billion — #29 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $333.79 billion
27. Costco Wholesale
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 214,500
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 201,500
> 2021 revenue: $166.76 billion — #12 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $155.98 billion
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26. Publix Super Markets
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 227,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 207,000
> 2021 revenue: $45.20 billion — #69 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $ billion
25. AT&T
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 230,760
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 247,800
> 2021 revenue: $171.76 billion — #11 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $215.88 billion
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24. HCA Healthcare
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 235,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 245,000
> 2021 revenue: $51.53 billion — #62 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $63.46 billion
23. Jabil
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 240,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 200,000
> 2021 revenue: $27.27 billion — #104 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $7.83 billion
22. JPMorgan Chase
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 255,351
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 256,981
> 2021 revenue: $129.50 billion — #19 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $464.53 billion
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21. CVS Health
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 256,500
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 290,000
> 2021 revenue: $268.71 billion — #4 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $98.65 billion
20. Wells Fargo
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 268,531
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 259,800
> 2021 revenue: $80.30 billion — #37 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $161.52 billion
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19. Albertsons
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 270,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 267,000
> 2021 revenue: $62.46 billion — #52 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $8.88 billion
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18. Yum China Holdings
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 271,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 450,000
> 2021 revenue: $8.26 billion — #363 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $24.89 billion
17. Walgreens Boots Alliance
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 277,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 287,000
> 2021 revenue: $139.54 billion — #16 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $47.46 billion
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16. TD Synnex
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 277,900
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 240,900
> 2021 revenue: $24.68 billion — #117 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $5.87 billion
15. Lowe’s
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 280,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 260,000
> 2021 revenue: $89.60 billion — #31 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $136.41 billion
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14. Cognizant Technology Solutions
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 289,500
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 292,500
> 2021 revenue: $16.65 billion — #185 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $41.45 billion
13. PepsiCo
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 291,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 267,000
> 2021 revenue: $70.37 billion — #44 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $195.21 billion
12. TJX
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 320,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 286,000
> 2021 revenue: $32.14 billion — #97 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $79.77 billion
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11. UnitedHealth Group
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 330,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 325,000
> 2021 revenue: $257.14 billion — #5 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $351.73 billion
10. Starbucks
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 349,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 346,000
> 2021 revenue: $23.52 billion — #125 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $128.64 billion
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9. Berkshire Hathaway
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 360,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 391,500
> 2021 revenue: $245.51 billion — #6 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $587.82 billion
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8. IBM
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 364,800
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 383,800
> 2021 revenue: $73.62 billion — #42 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $119.08 billion
7. UPS
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 408,255
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 377,640
> 2021 revenue: $84.63 billion — #35 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $147.79 billion
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6. Target
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 409,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 368,000
> 2021 revenue: $93.56 billion — #30 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $98.76 billion
5. FedEx
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 418,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 389,500
> 2021 revenue: $69.22 billion — #45 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $75.37 billion
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4. Kroger
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 465,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 435,000
> 2021 revenue: $132.50 billion — #17 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $27.06 billion
3. Home Depot
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 504,800
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 415,700
> 2021 revenue: $132.11 billion — #18 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $328.78 billion
2. Amazon
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 1,298,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 798,000
> 2021 revenue: $386.06 billion — #2 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $1.558 trillion
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1. Walmart
> Worldwide employees, 2021: 2,300,000
> Worldwide employees, 2020: 2,200,000
> 2021 revenue: $559.15 billion — #1 in Fortune 500
> Market value as of Mar 31, 2021: $382.64 billion
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