AU named one of state’s top employers by Forbes for seventh straight year

For the seventh straight year, Augusta University has been named one of the top 100 employers in the state of Georgia by Forbes’ annual list, “America’s Best-In-State Employers.”

AU, which ranks 33rd in the state, was the top-ranked representative for the University System of Georgia with four other institutions listed, including the University of Georgia, Georgia Technical Institute, Georgia Southern University and Kennesaw State University. Emory University and Wellstar Health System also made the list. The distinction placed AU alongside the likes of companies including Delta, Georgia-Pacific, The Home Depot, Coca-Cola, Chick-fil-A, Aflac and Zaxby’s, to name a few.

“This recognition reflects the culture we are building together, one that values every interaction with our students, faculty, staff and visitors,” said AU President Russell T. Keen. “We are committed to creating an environment where employees feel supported and empowered to thrive, while also ensuring our students have access to innovative learning experiences that prepare them for success in the workforce. With our continued growth, outstanding faculty and staff and strong academic programs, the future of Augusta University has never been brighter.”

Forbes teamed up with Statista to survey more than 160,000 U.S. employees at companies with 500-plus people. They rated their employer’s likelihood of recommendation and workplace quality, including wage parity and handling of serious issues. Current and former employees, as well as industry insiders, shared their experiences. The results, combined with data from the past three years, created a score. Top-scoring companies in each state made the list.

As Georgia’s premier public health sciences and medical research university and home to the state’s flagship medical school, the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University; Georgia’s only dental school, the Dental College of Georgia at Augusta University; and the Georgia Cyber Innovation and Training Center, AU employs over 6,200 people, including nearly 4,300 staff and over 2,000 faculty as of August 2025.

Last fall, AU celebrated a 9.8% increase over the previous year with 11,584 total students enrolled, and, with current enrollment for fall 2025 exceeding 12,000 students, it is on track for another record-breaking year, marking 10 straight years of enrollment growth.

The impact of Augusta University is felt statewide as during fiscal year 2024, Augusta University provided a $1.62 billion boost to the state economy – marking a 4.6% increase over the previous year – and generated 11,543 jobs. This is according to the University System of Georgia’s annual “Economic Impact of University System of Georgia Institutions on their Regional Economies in FY 2024.”