In a year rattled by economic anxiety and the accelerating rise of AI, uncertainty has become the norm for workers and employers alike. Against that backdrop, Glassdoor’s 18th annual Best Places to Work list for 2026 points to a surprisingly simple winning strategy: invest in employees.
“Even though the market might be sluggish and budgets might be tight, investing in employees is critical long-term for the long term,’’ Daniel Zhao, chief economist at Glassdoor, told TechRepublic. “Some companies are doing that by riding the waves of the AI revolution, while others are doubling down on their unique culture.”
Zhao added that while there is no one path to success, “the best companies are the ones who know what unique opportunities they can create for their employees.”
The awards are based on voluntary employee input, with employees submitting anonymous feedback on Glassdoor by completing a company review of their job, work environment, and employer over the past year.
Crew Carwash was ranked the No. 1 company to work at in the US in 2026. Two companies, Bain & Co. (#8) and Google (#11), have ranked among the US Best Places to Work for all 18 years.
Top 10 Best Places to Work in Tech 2026
There was a slight drop in tech companies on the list; 24 this year, down from 26 in 2025.
The top 10 best tech companies to work at on a scale of 3.5 to 5 are:
- #1 – Nvidia (4.5)
- #2 – ServiceNow (4.4)
- #3 – EPAM Systems (4.4)
- #4 – Google (4.4)
- #5 – Motorola Solutions (4.4)
- #6 – Salesforce (4.3)
- #7 – SAIC (4.3)
- #8 – Bloomberg (4.3)
- #9 – World Wide Technology (4.3)
- #10 – SAP (4.3)
The top three metro areas with the highest number of best companies to work at are:
- San Francisco Bay Area (13 companies); Down from 23 companies in 2025
- Washington DC (five companies); Down from seven companies in 2025
- New York City (10 companies); Up from six companies in 2024
Tech’s image grows slightly tarnished
Among Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work, the tech sector has “lost some of its luster after several years of layoffs and increasing pressure from leaders,’’ Zhao observed.
However, he added that “overall, tech is still the best represented industry on the list. Tech still offers an alluring combination of high pay and career growth, all while not requiring the same level of educational investment as other lucrative fields like law or medicine.”
Zhao expects 2026 to be another turbulent year, marked by economic uncertainty and the ongoing AI revolution.
“The best companies are the ones that are flexible enough to adjust to an uncertain world, and that requires their employees to be engaged and flexible, too,’’ he said.
Methodology
The Best Places to Work 2026 winners were determined using Glassdoor’s proprietary awards algorithm, the company said. Rankings were based on the quantity, quality, and consistency of reviews submitted by US-based employees between Oct. 17, 2024, and Oct. 16, 2025. Large companies required at least 75 ratings per category.
Each company must have at least a 3.5 overall company rating, and at least a 2.5 across workplace factor ratings (career opportunities, compensation and benefits, culture and values, diversity and inclusion, senior management, work-life balance) during the eligibility period.
Also read: A roundup of 2026 tech predictions maps where AI, security, and infrastructure priorities may head next.
