Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield Named State’s Top Employer for 2026

Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield, a Little Rock-based health insurance company, has been named the top employer in Arkansas for 2026, according to Forbes. The rankings evaluate employers based on employee satisfaction, benefits, management style, reputation, and workplace flexibility.

Amazon secured the second spot on the list, followed by Conagra Brands, PepsiCo, and Arkansas Children’s Hospital, which rounded out the top five.

Several Arkansas-based organizations and companies were also recognized. These included Fort Smith-based logistics company ArcBest at No. 6, Jonesboro's St. Bernards Healthcare at No. 9, and the Rogers School District at No. 10. Fayetteville-based Washington Regional Medical Center ranked at No. 11, while Arvest Bank, headquartered in Lowell, came in at No. 14, marking the bank's seventh consecutive year within Forbes' top employer rankings.

“Earning this recognition is very special because it comes directly from the voices of our associates, their families, and their friends,” said Cynthia Kruithof, Arvest Bank’s Executive Director of Associate Relations. “A people-first culture doesn’t exist without incredible people, and we are thankful to our associates for making Arvest such a special place to work.”

Other notable companies and institutions featured on the list include Tyson Foods, Baptist Health, the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Simmons Foods, Walmart, Mercy, and J.B. Hunt Transport Services.

The full ranking of Arkansas’s top 25 employers for 2026 is as follows:

1. Arkansas Blue Cross and Blue Shield 2. Amazon 3. Conagra Brands 4. PepsiCo 5. Arkansas Children’s Hospital 6. ArcBest 7. Waffle House 8. FedEx 9. St. Bernards Healthcare 10. Rogers School District 11. Washington Regional Medical Center 12. Casey’s General Stores 13. CommonSpirit Health 14. Arvest Bank 15. Tyson Foods 16. University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences 17. Baptist Health 18. Simmons Foods 19. University of Arkansas 20. Baptist Memorial Health Care 21. Mercy 22. Walmart 23. Peco Foods 24. Simmons Bank 25. J.B. Hunt Transport Services.