Forbes Names Duke Among 'America's Dream Employers' for 2026

In the second year the rankings were released, Duke University and Duke University Health System were among 500 employers recognized

An aerial view of Duke University and Duke University Health System
Duke University and Duke University Health System were named to Forbes' "America's Dream Employers" for 2026 list. Photo by Bill Snead, Duke Marketing and Communications

Duke University and Duke University Health System have been recognized among “America’s Dream Employers” for 2026, according to rankings released by Forbes.

In the list of 500 employers, Duke University Health System ranked 53rd and Duke University ranked 464th due to strong reputations among the workforce of the future.

Published by Forbes and the market research firm Statista, the list is based, in part, on survey responses from 10,000 U.S. college students who nominated “dream employers” and 140,000 employees who relayed personal evaluations from organizations with more than 1,000 employees from all industries. About 7,400 employers were analyzed.

College students were asked who they considered to be “dream employers,” and to rate how excited they would be to receive an offer from the company. Employees were asked to gauge their willingness to recommend their employer to family and friends based on atmosphere and development, salary/wage, company culture, working conditions, company image and workplace.

“The fact that students are able to see beyond just their traditional education and deem this as a place that they would consider to be their dream job is very impressive,” said Antwan Lofton, Vice President for Duke Human Resources. “We do want to be that employer of choice not just for today’s employees, but for the future employees that will come here, as well.”

The ranking is the second time Forbes has released its “Dream Employers” ranking with Duke represented. Last year Duke University Health System was 103, while Duke University was 328.

"At Duke Health, we strive to create an environment where every person feels seen, supported, and valued for their contributions," said Rhonda Brandon, Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer for Duke University Health System. "Being named a Forbes 'Dream Employer' reinforces our commitment to investing in our people and continuing to build a workplace worthy of their dedication."

In 2025, Duke University and Duke University Health System were honored by Forbes as among “America’s Best Employers for Company Culture,” “America’s Best-in-State Employers” and “America’s Best Employers for New Grads.” Duke University was included in Forbes’ 2025 list of “America’s Best Large Employers.”

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