ETSU named to Forbes' Best-in-State Employers, Great Colleges to Work For

East Tennessee State University is again one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, according to the Great Colleges to Work For program. This is the third consecutive year that ETSU has earned this designation, according to a press release from ETSU. Now in its 19th year, Great Colleges to Work For recognizes colleges that receive top ratings from their employees for workplace practices and policies. ETSU is one of the largest employers in the region, with approximately 2,400 regular employees. The results released Friday in a special insert of "The Chronicle of Higher Education," are based on a survey of 171 institutions. In all, 76 of those institutions achieved "Great College to Work For" recognition. ETSU achieved honors in three categories this year: Compensation and Benefits, Shared Governance and Faculty Experience. "These recognitions reflect our ongoing commitment to the people who help drive ETSU's growth and success," ETSU President Brian Noland said. "We have made significant investments in compensation, including more than $25 million in new funding for faculty and staff salaries since 2022, while also building a culture of shared governance that values engagement and collaboration." The survey results are based on a two-part assessment process: an institution questionnaire that captures employment data and workplace policies from each institution and a survey administered to faculty, administrators and professional support staff. The primary factor in deciding whether an institution received recognition was employee feedback. The Great Colleges to Work For program is one of the country's largest and most respected workplace recognition programs. Forbes' list of America's Best-in-State Employers 2026 ETSU was also named to Forbes' list of America's Best-in-State Employers 2026. The award is presented in collaboration with Statista, the world-leading statistics portal and industry ranking partner. Forbes and Statista selected America's Best-in-State Employers 2026 through an independent survey from a sample of over 245,000 U.S. employees working for companies employing at least 500 people within the U.S. Over 2 million employer evaluations were considered. An employer's final score is based on two types of employee evaluations: personal evaluations by the employees themselves and public evaluations, or those given by friends and family members of employees or members of the public working in the same industry. According to the release, ETSU encourages a healthy work/life balance for its employees, offering generous paid time off, professional development and educational benefits and a variety of services and facilities that support the health and well-being of employees and their families. In addition, the State of Tennessee offers employees excellent group insurance programs and a comprehensive retirement plan. This marks ETSU's third time receiving America's Best-in-State honors after doing so in 2022 and 2024, and the university was also awarded a place on Forbes' list of America's Best Employers for Women 2026.