Meet America’s Best Employers For Women 2025

Founded in 1863, Kansas State University is the country’s first operational land-grant university, a designation for universities given federal land to create postsecondary institutions that were more affordable and accessible than most universities were at the time. The mission of the land-grant system was to focus its teachings and research on the practical fields of agriculture, military strategy and mechanical arts. Originally called Kansas State Agricultural College, the university has since deepened its expertise in agriculture and engineering and broadened its offerings to include areas of study ranging from aeronautics and business to healthcare and computer science.

K-State, as it’s often called, was also the first land-grant university to admit women, and included two women on its first faculty roster—which was far from the norm in the late 1800s. That number has, of course, increased dramatically over the decades, and today, the university’s employees—male and female—benefit from collaborative research opportunities, workplace flexibility, tuition assistance, robust leave programs and vacation time, and multiple paths toward professional development and career advancement.

These benefits are partly due to the university’s strategic plan, known as Next-Gen K-State, which has set forth key imperatives including “being an employer of choice,” says Shanna Legleiter, K-State’s chief human resources officer. That plan includes a compensation study to ensure that the university’s salary structure and rewards are competitive with their peers and enable K-State to recruit and retain top talent. And when it comes to the university’s female employees, says Legleiter, the goal is to remove any barriers to their success: “We want to make sure they have access and can succeed personally or professionally, and this goes back to our operational excellence and business processes.”

All of which, combined, has helped Kansas State University rank No. 3 on Forbes’ annual list of America’s Best Employers For Women 2025.

This eighth edition of the ranking, created in partnership with research firm Statista, is based primarily on surveys of more than 140,000 women working for companies that employ at least 1,000 people in the United States. Survey respondents were asked how likely they were to recommend their current—and previous—employers, and if they’d recommend any employers they knew through their industry or through family and friends who work there. Participants were also asked to rate their current employers in areas such as pay equity, career development, parental leave, work-life balance, benefits for childcare or eldercare, and the company’s handling of incidents related to sexual misconduct and discrimination. Responses from the last three years were considered. Additionally, Statista analysts researched the percentage of women in executive and board positions at each company.

To calculate each company’s ranking, the survey responses and data analysis were combined into a scoring system, with the more recent data from current employees weighted more heavily than information gathered in previous years or from employees with second-hand knowledge of the companies. Ultimately, the 700 companies with the highest scores made our final ranking.

Kansas State University was surpassed on this year’s list only by NASA (No. 1), which jumped up from No. 18 last year; and Johnson & Johnson (No. 2), which rose up from No. 22. Rounding out the top five was Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (No. 4) and Mutual of Omaha (No. 5).

These high-ranking companies, among others that made our list, have likely learned that when women are represented in leadership—and across an organization—it can lead to material benefits not just for those women but for all employees. Companies with executive teams comprised of more than 30% women are significantly more likely to financially outperform companies with 30% or less, according to a McKinsey report.

At Expedia Group (No. 34), the online travel platform, women make up 39.5% of the company’s director-level and leadership roles, and 47.5% of the company globally. Christine Deputy, Expedia Group’s chief people officer, says building a workforce that reflects the travelers they serve and the communities in which they operate helps the company understand and meet the needs of its customers. This translates into “more personalized and relevant travel experiences.”

Expedia Group also provides personalized and relevant benefits to its employees. The company’s comprehensive offerings include up to 20 weeks of fully paid parental leave, wellness reimbursement and fertility and caregiver support. These benefits, on top of opportunities for mentorship and targeted learning, create a supportive environment for employees while enhancing Expedia Group’s business goals, says Deputy. “When everyone feels valued and heard, we unlock broader perspectives, drive innovation and deliver better outcomes.”

At Sarasota Memorial Hospital (No. 22), roughly 76% of the institution’s 11,000 employees across two Florida campuses and multiple care centers are women, says Laurie Bennet, the health system’s vice president of human resources. At Sarasota Memorial Hospital (No. 22), roughly 76% of the institution’s 11,000 employees across twoFlorida campuses and multiple care centers are women, says Laurie Bennet, the health system’s vice president of human resources. Women also make up 43% of its vice presidents and higher. Overall, the health system has a 92% employee retention rate that Bennet says is due in part to its work-life balance, which many employees, not just women, appreciate. Given the nation’s healthcare worker shortage and the increasing number of clinicians who are leaving the sector because of burnout and low job satisfaction, Sarasota Memorial Hospital’s employee engagement is a standout.

“We have a lot of different schedules and per diem roles, and moms sometimes want to step into those roles to have that kind of flexibility,” says Bennet. The health system also offers on-site childcare, and lactation support for working mothers. “We try to be as nimble as we can to be supportive of moms,” says Bennet

Ranking at No. 27, PUMA, the multinational footwear and apparel company, has long made gender equity a priority, and it’s reflected in the makeup of the company’s employees. Women represent more than 50% of PUMA’s global workforce and 43% of its leadership team, up from 42% last year—which was not achieved by chance. According to Stefanie Decker, PUMA’s senior director of people and organization, the company does regular accountability checks on its demographics and offers international leadership programs that provide education and mentorship, which helps women move quickly through the pipeline and into leadership positions. “Our efforts we’ve been putting into practice are paying off,” says Decker. “We have a goal for 45% representation of women in leadership by 2027, or 2030 the latest.” The company also aims to minimize its pay gap between men and women to 2.5% by 2030, says Decker.

But it’s not just a matter of numbers. Employees “give feedback about work conditions in general,” says Decker, noting that the global company is mindful of the differences in practices across countries. But, for instance, PUMA offers generous leave options regardless of where the employee is based, and helps support childcare needs once women are back at work. “We know women unfortunately face more challenges and issues than men,” says Decker. “We want to break barriers and support women even further.”

For the full list of America’s Best Employers For Women, click here.

Methodology

To create America’s Best Employers for Women 2025, Forbes partnered with market research firm Statista to survey more than 140,000 women working at companies with at least 1,000 employees in the United States. Survey respondents were asked how likely they were to recommend their current—and previous—employers, and if they’d recommend any employers they knew through their industry or through family and friends who work there.

Participants were also asked to rate their current employers in areas such as pay equity, career advancement opportunities, parental leave, work-life balance, benefits for childcare or eldercare, and the company’s handling of incidents related to sexual misconduct and discrimination. Responses from the last three years were considered. Additionally, Statista analysts researched the percentage of women in executive and board positions at each company.

To calculate each company’s ranking, the survey responses and data analysis were combined into a scoring system, with the more recent data from current employees weighted more heavily than information gathered in previous years or from employees with second-hand knowledge of the companies. Ultimately, the 700 companies with the highest scores made our final ranking of America’s Best Employers For Women 2025.

As with all Forbes lists, companies pay no fee to participate or be selected. To read more about how we make these lists, click here. For questions about this list, please email listdesk [at] forbes.com.