NEWS
NORMAN, Okla. – For the second year in a row, the University of Oklahoma is the No. 1 university to work for in the state of Oklahoma, according to Forbes.
The University also maintained its position as No. 6 in the magazine’s annual list of America’s Best Employers by State, which recognizes employers with at least 500 employees.
“To receive this recognition again is a great honor and a reflection of the intentional choices we make every day to support our people,” said Dorothy Anderson, vice president for human resources and chief human resources officer. “From compensation to benefits, our goal is always the same: to build a workplace where faculty and staff can do their best work and build lasting careers here at OU.”
For five years running, the university has sustained a merit-based raise program for eligible employees, continuing to invest in recruiting and retaining top faculty and staff at OU. That commitment extends to health coverage — as premiums have climbed nationally, OU has taken proactive steps to keep costs below the national trend, including a competitive bidding process for medical and pharmacy benefits and health navigation tools that help employees make cost-effective care decisions. This September, for the third year, OU will conduct the Gallup Q12 survey, a research-backed tool, to measure and strengthen engagement among faculty and staff. The university’s broader benefits package also includes paid parental leave, an expanded slate of paid holidays, educational benefits for employees and their dependents, career development opportunities, wellness programs and employee discounts.
For the eighth annual list, Forbes partnered with market research firm Statista to survey more than 245,000 employees at companies with at least 500 people in the U.S. The survey measures every aspect of the employee experience, including wages and benefits, management style, company reputation, flexibility and career advancement opportunities.
The complete Best Employers by State 2026 list is available on the Forbes website.
To learn more about careers at the University of Oklahoma and to view current job openings, visit jobs.ou.edu.
About the University of Oklahoma
Founded in 1890, the University of Oklahoma is a public research university located in Norman, Oklahoma. As the state’s flagship university, OU serves the educational, cultural, economic and healthcare needs of the state, region and nation. For more information about the university, visit www.ou.edu.
With funding from the U.S. Department of Energy, the University of Oklahoma is helping build AI into the future of American science. Two OU-led research teams have been awarded nearly $1.4 million in funding under the DOE’s Genesis Mission, with a third researcher providing significant support for a Genesis Mission project being led by Los Alamos National Laboratory.
For the second year in a row, the University of Oklahoma is the No. 1 university to work for in the state of Oklahoma, according to Forbes and maintained its position as No. 6 in the magazine’s annual list of America’s Best Employers by State.
The University of Oklahoma announced today the lineup for its 2026-2027 Presidential Speakers Series dinners, which will bring two distinguished thought leaders to the Norman campus. OU will welcome Siddhartha Mukherjee, presenting “Research and the Future of Medicine” on Sept. 9, and Daron Acemoglu, delivering an address titled “Power and Progress: How We Can Use AI and Innovation for Everyone’s Good” on April 6.
