The Top 10 Best Colleges and Universities to Work For

In the Academic field it is easy for professors to feel as if they are just one among thousands, a cog in the machine of the modern education system. It is difficult to feel valued in an intellectual field when your input isn’t taken under advisement. These universities do an excellent job of involving their faculty in decision making and curriculum design. These universities recognize that university faculty is at its best when there is room for innovation. Not only do they allow for this, but they actively seek out faculty members who want to be a part of an active intellectual community committed to developing strong education strategies and changing the face of modern higher education. This makes these universities some of the strongest choices for those seeking institutions where their voice is valued and they are an integral part of the decision making process.  This article is part of our feature on The Top 100 Best Companies to Work For in the U.S.

Ranking the Best Colleges and Universities to Work For

1. The University of Kansas

This university places a high value on the input of its faculty in the decision making process and internal communications. Ideas from faculty members are regularly bounced around, debated and tweaked before being implemented. This combined with an emphasis on work-life balance that allows faculty and staff to manage their day to day personal responsibilities in conjunction with their work responsibilities makes this one of the best universities in the country to work for.

2. Iowa State University

This school offers strong benefits including child care subsidies and a strong tuition reimbursement program, generous vacation and sick days accrual. The university also boasts strong relationships between administration and faculty in which strong, unique teaching methods are encouraged.

3. Brigham Young University

At Brigham Young University the employee comes first and there is a strong emphasis on  real work-life balance. The college focuses on developing mutual respect and trust between faculty, staff and students. BYU offers strong benefits, with an emphasis not just on the commonplace insurance coverage, but also offering a tuition benefit that allows eligible employees to take six credits per semester, a wellness program and cross-campus employee discounts. BYU places emphasis on being a fantastic place from which to launch a career.

4. Georgia Institute of Technology

There are many amenities involved with working at Georgia Tech including discounts on everything from recreation center memberships to the university vision center. The University offers flexible work arrangements a child care center, employee assistance program, employee banking, and discounts on athletic events. Employees also enjoy free access to the Georgia Tech transportation services and the stingerette escort service (which provides safe transport of students, faculty and staff after hours).

5. Brown University

Brown University sports a wide array of benefits including strong educational benefits including an employee education program and a tuition aid program. Child care and backup child care services are also very convenient offerings. All of this combined with an intellectually rigorous and stimulating environment make Brown a strong choice in the higher education field.

6. Michigan State

MSU was named one of the top family friendly colleges in the country and it is readily apparent why. The Family Resource Center is extensive and provides employees with nearly every imaginable service to make life more manageable. One of the focus areas of the Family Resource Center is in supporting families going through life even changes, whether it be the loss of a loved one or the addition of a new loved one to the family through birth or adoption, the Family Resource Center is readily available to help employees manage the transition.

7. Massachusetts Institute of Technology

MIT was recently distinguished as one of the top 50 places to work in Massachusetts. MIT has a reputation for attracting some of the greatest minds in the world, and keeping them. This is done through a combination of great benefits, working conditions and an academic culture that lends itself to employee satisfaction.

8. Cornell University

Winner of the Alfred P. Sloan Award for Business Excellence in Workplace Flexibility, named on the top Adoption Friendly Workplaces list by the Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption, and considered one of the best employers for working mothers, the list of awards and recognitions of Cornell for being an amazing place to work is long. The college offers great benefits and a supportive, flexible workplace that inspires employee loyalty like few institutions can.

9. University of Pennsylvania

With awards ranging from a Healthy Workplace Award, to being considered one of the top universities for a working parent to work at, or one of the top IT employers in the country, UPenn’s devotion to excellence is clearly not limited to its academic standards. The institution is devoted to offering a quality, caring workplace with excellent benefits.

10. North Carolina State University

This large state university distinguishes itself amongst other large universities in that employee satisfaction and the benefits offered are above and beyond that of most large universities. They host special employee events such as the Employee Appreciation Tailgate for which employees sign up and tailgate for one of the university’s football games and also get tickets to said game.

About the Author

Andrea Harper, editor of the website Best Liberal Arts Colleges, contributed to this article.