Here’s How Top Workplaces for Higher Education Are Determined
Top Workplaces don’t happen by accident. They are created through a people-first approach to workplace excellence.
For the first time, employee survey company Energage has partnered with The Princeton Review to honor the best places to work in higher education.
The award is verified and earned through an employee survey process. Colleges and universities where employees offer positive feedback about their experience make the winners list.
Energage, an employee survey company based in suburban Philadelphia, analyzes feedback based on responses to 26 questions. The survey asks employees for their feedback on such factors as pay and benefits, direction, leadership, meaningfulness, and appreciation. Energage scores companies based on the responses.
The award cannot be bought; it is earned. There is no cost to employers to survey their employees. If they choose, organizations can purchase the survey data from Energage. There is no obligation for winners to purchase any product or service.
For the 2026 winners list, colleges and universities across the United States were asked to survey their employees. Based on the survey feedback among those that participated, seven have earned recognition as Top Workplaces for Higher Education.
“Earning a Top Workplaces for Higher Education award is a celebration of excellence,” Energage CEO Eric Rubino said. “It serves as a reminder of the vital role a people-first workplace experience plays in achieving success.”
To qualify for Top Workplaces for Higher Education recognition, employers must have at least 150 employees in the United States.
Employers earn Top Workplaces recognition if their aggregated employee feedback score exceeds national benchmarks. Energage has established those benchmarks based on feedback from about 30 million employees over 20 years.
Energage also runs tests on survey feedback and in some cases may disqualify an organization if, for example, a high number of employees said they felt pressured to answer positively.
To participate in the 2027 Top Workplaces for Higher Education awards, or for more information, go to the nominations page at https://topworkplaces.com/nominate/higher-education.
