Atlanta’s Best – The Top 25 Employers


No matter what your dreams, expertise or career plan, Atlanta has a variety of jobs for everyone. Here are the top ten employers in the metro area you should seek out based on your talents.
1. Delta Air Lines; The busiest airport in the world is supported with the largest workforce in Atlanta with over 30,000 employees. The major American airline has its headquarters and largest hub at Hartsfield–
Jackson Atlanta International Airport. Delta and its subsidiaries operate over 5,400 flights daily and serve an extensive domestic and international network that includes 319 destinations in 54 countries on six
continents.
2. Emory University / Emory Healthcare; Emory, one of the world’s leading research universities along with the largest hospital system in Atlanta, employs 26,000. The private university attracts nearly 3,800 international students and scholars from more than 100 countries. The research healthcare system has seven hospital locations in Atlanta and is nationally ranked for quality among the top 10 percent of
academic medical centers in the U.S.
3. The Home Depot; Not your average “hardware store”, The Home Depot employs 25,000 at their corporate headquarters in Atlanta. They are the largest home improvement retailer with more than 2,200 stores across North America. This year The Home Depot was named one of the world’s 50 Most Innovative Companies for 2017 by Fast Company for its bold e-commerce strategy and efforts to integrate digital and in-store shopping experiences.
4. WellStar Health System; WellStar Health System, the largest health system in Georgia, is known nationally for its innovative care models focused on improving quality and access to healthcare. Specialists and primary care providers work in a multi-disciplinary environment with 20,000 team members throughout 11 hospitals, 225 medical office locations, outpatient centers, health parks, a pediatric center and nursing
centers. As a not-for-profit, WellStar continually reinvests into the health of its communities through new treatments, services and facilities.
5. AT&T; AT&T Midtown Center, a 47-story skyscraper in Midtown Atlanta, is the regional headquarters for the largest provider of fixed telephone services in the U.S. and second largest provider of mobile telephone
services. 17,000 employees ranging from sales to support work at the skyscraper and at a data center in North Atlanta.
6. UPS (United Parcel Service); The UPS headquarters complex in Sandy Springs and shipping services at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport employs 16,000 employees. They are experts in organization, specializing in air courier services and delivery logistics. Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport provides airport-to-airport services for global coverage within one-to-three or three-to-five days.
7. Northside Hospital; Northside Hospital is one of the fastest growing health care organizations in the Southeast and currently employs nearly 15,000 employees in Atlanta including physicians, nurses, allied health professionals, administrative and support services personnel. In 2016, Forbes named Northside Hospital to its list of America’s Best Employers in a survey that polled U.S. employees across all industries.
8. Piedmont Healthcare; For over 100 years, Piedmont Healthcare has been a leader in Atlanta health services. Last year, a team of 12,900 Piedmont employees served nearly two million patients performing over 44,000 surgeries, delivering 8,000 babies, providing 471,695 outpatient encounters, completing 235 organ transplants and handling nearly 250,000 emergency room visits.
9. Marriott International; Marriott International employs over 12,000 Atlantans to assist with hospitality, customer service and expertise in overnight travel. Of the 94 Marriott hotels in Atlanta, the Marriott Marquis is one of the top luxury hotels in Atlanta. The hotel has an amazing atrium, marked by the 50-foot color changing sail of Pulse cocktail lounge and floor- to-ceiling windows with amazing skyline views.
10. Publix Supermarkets; Nearly 10,000 work at the Publix Super Markets in Atlanta and at the divisional headquarters in Marietta. Publix corporate has been named as one of Fortune’s “100 Best Companies to Work For” from 1998–2017, earning Publix recognition as one of the Great Place to Work Legends. The large supermarket chain also has a bakery manufacturing plant in Atlanta.
11. Georgia State University …………………. 9,422 As the largest institution of higher education in the University System of Georgia, Georgia State has graduated more than 227,000 alumni with over 100,000 alumni living in the Atlanta area.
12. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ……………………………… 9,151 The CDC, the leading national public health institute for the US employs nearly 10,000 at the headquarters location in Atlanta.
13. Cox Enterprises ……………………………….. 8,269 Communications and automotive company Cox Enterprises, Inc. is includes Cox Communications, Cox Media Group and Cox Automotive.
14. Southern Company …………………………. 7,800 Southern Company provides the entire southeast region with energy sources. The company is expanding product offerings to provide energy that is clean, safe
and reliable across all gas and electric services.
15. Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta …….. 7,208 Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta has over 100 years’ experience in pediatric care. They are ranked among the nation’s top pediatric hospitals in the U.S. News & World Report 2016-2017 edition of “Best Children’s Hospitals.”
16. SunTrust Bank …………………………………. 7,128 SunTrust Bank, one of the nation’s largest and strongest financial services companies, is headquartered in the tallest building in downtown Atlanta.
17. State Farm Hub………………………………… 7,000 State Farm’s insurance has large hubs in Atlanta, Dallas, and Phoenix. The Atlanta location recently built a new tower in Dunwoody and are developing a corporate campus called Park Center.
18. Georgia Institute of Technology ……… 6,860 Leading technological university, Georgia Tech, has more than 100 centers focused on interdisciplinary research. GA Tech was ranked as the #7 best public university with more than 21,500 undergraduate and graduate students.
19. Grady Health System ………………………. 5,999 Grady as one of the nation’s best trauma centers- saving people who’ve been severely hurt in car accidents, industrial mishaps and other trauma incidents, 24/7.
20. Bank of America, Regional HQ………… 5,552 The regional headquarters for Bank of America is also the tallest building in the Southeastern United States, Bank of America Plaza is an iconic skyscraper between
Midtown and Downtown and is one of the most recognized buildings in America.
21. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. (TBS) …………………………….. 5,421 CNN, HLN, Boomerang, Cartoon Network/Adult Swim, TBS, TNT and Turner Classic Movies are all assets of Atlanta media conglomerate Turner. The company started in 1970 with Ted Turner and has grown to include Time Warner.
22. Lockheed Martin ……………………………… 5,400 Lockheed Martin is the world’s largest defense contractor and for the F-22 Raptor fighter jet and development of the F-35 Lightning II. The airlifter C-130J Super Hercules is manufactured in Marietta, GA.
23. Gwinnett Medical Center ………………… 4,856 Not-for-profit Gwinnett Medical Center provides a wide range of high-quality services and facilities to the metro Atlanta area. In 2014, the system was recognized by Georgia Trend as the top large hospital in the state.
24. Kennesaw State University……………… 4,813 Kennesaw State University, the third largest university in the state, has been recently received an R3 classification for a doctoral institution with moderate research activity. They have nearly 150 undergraduate, masters and doctoral programs.
25. Verizon Communications Inc. Regional HQ …………………………………….. 4,349 As a technology leader in the South, Atlanta boasts large communications companies like Verizon. The company has set regional headquarters in Atlanta with employees ranging in customer service specialists to innovation center experts creating the latest in wireless products

North Fulton County – where business is booming

North Fulton County

North Fulton County is known for many things: top-notch schools, well-preserved historical sites and great parks. It is also a hub for many businesses, both large and small. The educated population base makes it the perfect place to start a business or to seek a job with one that is already well established. From the IT giants of Alpharetta to the local shops lining Roswell Square, North Fulton has it all. Over the past few years, industry leaders such as
State Farm have made moves to increase their presence in the metro area. In addition to being the hub for some of the world’s most innovative companies, North Fulton also boasts more than a few business that employ a large number of county residents, making it the perfect place to live, work and play. Here is a list of
the 10 largest employers in North Fulton, according to the Greater North Fulton Chamber of Commerce.

Employer: Northside Hospital
Industry: Medical Care
Employees: 6000
More than 6,000 of Northside Hospital’s 10,000 employees work at the Fulton County facility, which has been open since 1970. The hospital originally had 250 beds and has subsequently been expanded to 537. Northside physicians perform more surgical procedures than any other hospital in Georgia, and for three years running, Northside has been awarded the J.D. Power and Associates Distinguished Hospital award for Maternity Services.

Employer: AT&T Inc.
Industry: Telecommunications
Number of employees: 3,500
AT&T is one of the nation’s largest providers of cable, Internet and cell phone service. In 2013, the company added many new jobs to its local operations. Most of these jobs support Project Velocity IP, a multibillion-dollar investment plan to expand and enhance AT&T’s national wireless and wired IP broadband networks.

Employer: Verizon
Industry: Telecommunications
Employees: 3000
More than just the namesake for one of the area’s best entertainment venues (Verizon Wireless Amphitheatre at Encore Park in Alpharetta), the telecommunications giant—which serves nearly 58 million voice and data customers—also operates a corporate office in Alpharetta. Employees here support everything from finance to technology and supply chain logistics.

Employer: UPS
Industry: Shipping, Logistics
Employees: 2800
UPS is one of the largest shipping and logistics companies in the world, delivering more than 15 million packages a day to more than 220 countries and territories. With a total employee base of more than 400,000, UPS is a strong presence in the metro Atlanta area. UPS was founded in 1907 in Seattle and called several cities across the U.S. home in the past 100 years before moving its headquarters to Sandy Springs in 1991.

Employer: ADP
Industry: Business, technology
Number of employees: 2,100
ADP provides outsourcing and computer services for many businesses. It is one of only four companies in the U.S. to earn a AAA credit rating from both Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s. ADP serves clients in more than 125 countries around the world, with 90 of those clients being Fortune 500 companies. In 2012, the company earned a spot on Computerworld’s list of the 100 best IT places to work.

Employer: Emory St. Joseph’s Hospital of Atlanta
Industry: Medical Care
Number of employees: 2,100
Saint Joseph’s has been recognized as one of the best facilities in the nation for hip and knee replacement surgeries, and in March 2014 it was recognized by the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association for implementing measures to prevent and treat strokes. Finally, it is the only Atlanta hospital named to J.D. Power and Associates’ Distinguished Hospital Program for Service Excellence.

Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta
Industry: Health care
Number of employees: 2,055
In addition to being one of the nation’s best health care networks for children, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta (CHOA) is also a great place to work. For nine years running, Fortune magazine has named CHOA to its list of the 100 best companies in the country to work for. Additionally, due to its flextime hours, telecommuting options, paid maternity leave and employee assistance programs, Working Mother magazine named Children’s a Working Mother
100 Best Company—an honor bestowed on only three companies in Georgia.

Kimberly-Clark
Industry: Health care, consumer products
Number of employees: 1,600
Kimberly-Clark’s Roswell campus sits on 98 acres of private land and includes a 9-acre lake. Employees benefit from the campus’s health center, exercise room and indoor pool, among other perks. The site houses the company’s business sectors and employs scientists, engineers, finance professionals and sales and operations.

McKesson
Industry: Pharmaceutical, medical supply
Number of employees: 1,500
With a sales figure of more than $122 billion, McKesson is one of the largest pharmaceutical and medical supply companies in the country. McKesson has the distinction of being the 14th largest company in the United States, with a network of more than 37,000 employees. It is one of the many Fortune 500 companies with a strong presence in the Atlanta area.

Hewlett-Packard
Industry: Technology
Number of employees: 1,200
In 2013, the Palo Alto, Calif.-based technology company and No. 1 maker of personal computers added 200 new employees to its 60- acre Alpharetta office. New positions included customer support staffers who help customers resolve issues that arise with its hardware products. The campus also runs an HP education center
where technology professionals can brush up on skills like project management and security.

Cobb County: An Entrepreneurial Community

There’s a new energy in Cobb County. It’s a way of life and doing business that’s attracting the nation’s best known brands, passionate entrepreneurs and professionals eager to live out their version of the American dream. Discover the county’s unparalleled assets—charming neighborhoods, high-performing schools, breathtaking recreational offerings and cultural attractions, a thriving dining scene and the lowest tax rates in the metro area. The Home Depot, GE Energy, Genuine Parts Company, The Weather Channel and now the Atlanta Braves all call Cobb home because it’s a place to grow your business and your family.

The county’s mix of economic development assets is impressive. Cobb County offers quick and easy access to downtown Atlanta and the world’s busiest airport—the gateway to the world—a low cost of living, and a fiscally sound, pro-business government. Plus, you’ll find the nation’s top K-12 and higher education institutions, and quality of life accolades from some of the nation’s top publications. These assets and an aggressive new focus on economic development by the Cobb Chamber and its community-wide partners led to an impressive 6 project wins, generating over $1.04 billion in new investments and creating 5,332 new jobs in 2013. Representing 5,200 jobs, the Atlanta Braves stadium site is the largest economic development win for the county.

Big Business

Cobb County is known for many things: top-notch schools, well-preserved historical sites and great parks. It is also a hub for many businesses, both large and small. The county’s low tax rate and educated population base make it the perfect place to start a business or to seek a job with one that is already well-established. As the headquarters for such globally recognized brands as The Home Depot and the Weather Channel, Cobb County is known throughout the Atlanta metro area for being pro-business. In addition to being the hub for some of the world’s most innovative companies, Cobb also boasts more than a few business that employ a large number of county residents, making it the perfect place to live, work and play. Here is a list of the 10 largest employers in Cobb, as compiled by the Cobb Chamber of Commerce.

Employer: The Home Depot
Industry: Retail, home improvement
Number of employees: 20,000
Founders Bernie Marcus and Arthur Blank opened their first one-stop do-it-yourself home improvement store in Atlanta in 1979. Despite its humble beginnings, The Home Depot now has 2,200 stores in the U.S., Canada, China and Mexico and is the world’s largest home improvement specialty retailer. Its 2013 retail sales totaled some $78.8 billion. With more than 300,000 employees worldwide, it ranks No. 34 on the Fortune 500 list and is one of the many Fortune 500 companies to call the metro area home. Having its headquarters in the Vinings area of Cobb has undoubtedly been a boom to the entire metro area.

Employer: Cobb County Public Schools
Industry: Public education
Number of employees: 14,027
It takes more than 14,000 employees to keep the 112 schools in one of the state’s top school systems running at full speed. The system boasts a 76.5 percent graduation rate and has received numerous regional and national awards, including Georgia Schools of Excellence and National Blue Ribbon Schools designations.

WellStar Health Systems
Industry: Health care
Number of employees: 11,785
Cobb County residents have many choices when it comes to health care, but many of them choose WellStar doctors and hospitals. With its five hospitals, seven urgent care centers and a host of other facilities and specialists across the county, WellStar’s employees take good care of residents’ health.

Lockheed Martin Aeronautics
Industry: Aeronautics, manufacturing
Number of employees: 7,568
Though it is based in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin’s sprawling Marietta complex serves an important role in providing IT services and training to the Department of Defense and other vendors. Among other jobs, the more than 7,000 employees at the Marietta facility help to manufacture important parts for the military’s F-35 fighter jets.

Employer: Cobb County Government
Industry: Local government
Number of employees: 5,223
From running the county’s senior centers to helping residents figure out how to pay their property taxes, the more than 5,000 employees who make up the county government are focused on making Cobb a great place to live.

Kennesaw State University
Industry: Education
Number of employees: 3,400
The state’s third largest university is also one of Cobb’s largest employers. Including all full- and part-time workers, KSU employees more than 3,400 people to support is 24,600 undergraduate and graduate students.

Publix
Industry: Retail, grocery
Number of employees: 2,973
One of the more ubiquitous grocery stores in the metro area with 181 stores statewide, this Florida-based chain employees nearly 3,000 people in Cobb County alone. Publix also has manufacturing facilities in the cities of Atlanta (bakery) and Lawrenceville (dairy).

Six Flags Over Georgia
Industry: Amusement park
Number of employees: 2,386
While most of Six Flags’ employees are seasonal, they help operate the largest theme park in the Southeast. Six Flags has 11 roller coasters, three interactive kids’ areas and water rides, as well as entertainment venues and seasonal events like the annual Halloween Fright Fest.

Wal-Mart
Industry: Retail
Number of employees: 2,750
The Bentonville, Ark., discount retailer employees 1.3 million people in the U.S., and has a large presence all across Georgia. Of its 53,000 employees statewide, nearly 3,000 of them are in Cobb County alone.

The Kroger Company
Industry: Retail, grocery
Number of employees: 2,150
Since the mid-1800s, this Cincinnati-based grocery chain has been providing customers with fresh foods. It now has more than 2,400 stores in 31 states and its annual sales top $96 billion. Kroger has more than 170 stores in Georgia, and many of its 2,100 employees are based on Cobb County.