Forbes Magazine’s America’s Best-in-State Employers listing once again includes East Tennessee State University among its ranks for 2025.
This is the second consecutive year for ETSU to make this prestigious listing of 1,417 employers. In its description, Forbes notes that ETSU “has grown to be a prominent university in the South” with over 140 degree programs across 11 colleges and schools at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Forbes specifically recognized ETSU’s bachelor’s program in surveying and mapping science; its offerings in Appalachian studies, including bluegrass, old-time and roots music; its 240-plus student organizations; and more.
ETSU is located in Johnson City, in the heart of the Southern Appalachian Mountain region – a place featuring great outdoor recreation opportunities, arts and cultural experiences, and more. The university offers its employees benefits that encourage a healthy work/life balance, including generous paid time off, professional development and educational opportunities, and a variety of services and facilities that support their health and well-being.
And, in 2024-25, ETSU made a significant investment in its employees by allocating more than $4.1 million in recurring funds to address market pay gaps, which provided targeted salary enhancements to nearly 1,000 faculty and staff.
This advances ETSU’s long-term strategy to align compensation with peer institutions and underscores the university’s commitment to attracting and retaining top talent while strengthening its competitive position for the future.
Employers listed among America’s Best-in-State Employers 2025 were identified by Forbes and Statista Inc., the leading statistics portal and industry ranking provider, based on a sample of over 160,000 employees working for companies with at least 500 U.S.-based workers.
Learn more about why ETSU is a great place to work.
