Southwest Airlines Named Arizona‘sโ Top Employer in Forbes Ranking
PHOENIX, AZ – September 24, 2025 – Southwest Airlines has been recognized as the best employer in Arizona, according to Forbes’โข annual list released today.โค Theโฃ Dallas-based airline topped the โrankings for the state,โข marking โคa shift from last year’s leader, Marriott โขInternational,โฃ wich fellโฃ to No. 11. This is the โfirst timeโ in โrecentโข yearsโ aโค company headquartered outside of Arizonaโ has claimed the top spot, signaling a competitive โขlandscapeโ for โฃattracting and retaining talent.
The Forbesโค list,which identifies companiesโ employees recommend to others,highlights a growing โtrend of public sector employers gaining recognition. notably,the City of Scottsdale and City of Phoenix both secured positions in the top 10,a departure โฃfrom previousโค years โwhen the list primarily featured for-profit โorganizations. This shift reflects a potential increase in employee satisfaction within government roles and a broader emphasis on work-life balance and โbenefits.
Here are the โtopโฃ 10 โฃemployers in Arizona, according to Forbes:
- Southwest Airlines (headquartered in Dallas)
- American Express (New York)
- Apple (Cupertino, California)
- Progressive (Mayfield Village, โOhio)
- Costco Wholesale (Issaquah, Washington)
- Microsoft โข(Redmond, Washington)
- Safelite AutoGlass (columbus, Ohio)
- City of Scottsdale (Scottsdale)
- Mayo Clinic (Rochester, Minnesota)
- City of Phoenix (Phoenix)
Beyond the overall rankings, several โฃArizona-based โคorganizations โalso earned high โคmarks. Theโ City of โขScottsdale โคranked No. 8 overall in โtheโฃ state, while the City of Phoenix cameโ in at No.โฃ 10. Arizona State University (No. 15), Salt river โProject (No. โค16), Grand Canyon University (no. โฃ21), HonorHealth (No. 25), Tucson โฃMedical Center (No. 29), Chandler Unified School District (No. โฃ30), Mesa Public Schools (No. 32), andโ the City โof Tucsonโค (No. โฃ33) were also recognized as top โemployers within theโ state.
The rankings are based onโข an autonomous โsurvey of American workers,โข providing insights โคinto โcompany culture, opportunities forโ advancement, and overall employee satisfaction.