Stratospheric recognition

Iconic Houston-area landmark rockets to No. 1 in new list of best employers in Texas

Johnson Space Center astronauts enjoy the best workplace in Texas.

NASA must be over the moon about a new ranking of the best employers in Texas.

A new list from Forbes and Statista puts NASA at No. 1 among the state’s major employers, both those based in Texas and those with a significant presence here.

NASA’s $1.5 billion Johnson Space Center complex occupies more than 1,600 acres in Clear Lake. The site, home to the space agency’s mission control and astronaut training operations, employs roughly 3,000 NASA workers, along with thousands of NASA contractors. NASA’s headquarters is in Washington, D.C.

It’s estimated that Johnson Space Center contributed more than $4.7 billion to the Texas economy in 2018.

On its career website, NASA cites several reasons to work at the federal agency. For instance, NASA says it offers “a range of challenging projects that will make a difference to society. You need only find the intersection between talent, passion, and opportunity.”

“To tackle the most complex problems, we employ the best of the best. Our world-class, accessible experts will become your trusted colleagues and mentors,” NASA goes on to say.

To come up with their ranking, Forbes and Statista surveyed about 70,000 Americans working at employers in the U.S. with at least 500 employees each. The final list features 1,382 highly recommended employers in the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Here are the 30 best large employers in Texas, as determined by Forbes and Statista.

Houston area

No. 1 NASA (based in Washington, D.C.; Johnson Space Center in Clear Lake)
No. 2 University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston
No. 3 Oceaneering International, based in Houston
No. 4 MD Anderson Cancer Center, based in Houston
No. 11 Bechtel (based in Reston, Virginia; major corporate hub in Houston)
No. 13 Clear Creek ISD, based in League City
No. 20 Air Liquide, based in Houston
No. 23 Kelsey-Seybold Clinic, based in Pearland
No. 25 Houston Methodist, based in Houston

Dallas-Fort Worth

No. 7 University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas
No. 8 Capital One (based in Richmond, Virginia; major corporate hub in Plano)
No. 16 University of Texas at Dallas
No. 17 Southwest Airlines, based in Dallas
No. 18 Lewisville ISD, based in Lewisville
No. 19 GM Financial, based in Fort Worth
No. 21 City of Plano
No. 22 Fidelity Investments (based in Boston; major corporate hub in Westlake)
No. 28 Jordan Health Services, based in Addison

San Antonio

No. 5 University of Texas at San Antonio
No. 9 H-E-B (based in San Antonio; more than 300 stores in Texas)
No. 12 University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio

Austin area

No. 14 Google (based in Mountain View, California; major corporate hub in Austin)
No. 29 Dell Technologies, based in Round Rock
No. 30 NXP Semiconductors (based in the Netherlands; major corporate hub in Austin)

Throughout Texas

No. 6 IKEA (based in Sweden; five stores in Texas)
No. 10 Costco (based in Issaquah, Washington; 35 stores in Texas)
No. 15 Hyatt (based in Chicago; hotels throughout Texas)
No. 24 Microsoft (based in Redmond, Washington; offices in Austin, Dallas, Friendswood, Frisco, Houston, San Antonio, and The Woodlands)
No. 26 Sherwin-Williams (based in Cleveland; more than 300 stores in Texas)

rankings lists

a new record

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo commits over $30 million to education

Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo cattle exhibition

Courtesy of the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo

The money supports studies in fields such as animal husbandry.

The Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo continues its annual tradition of breaking its own record when it comes to educational endowments. On Giving Tuesday, the organization pledged to disburse $30,353,380 in 2026 in the form of scholarships, grants, and other funding.

“This milestone moment of reaching $30 million in a single year highlights the Rodeo’s unwavering dedication to Texas youth and education,” HLSR president and CEO Chris Boleman said in a statement. “Thanks to our loyal donors, sponsors, more than 36,000 volunteers and dedicated attendees, 2026 will reach historic heights in supporting the next generation of leaders, agricultural professionals and organizations that share the Rodeo’s mission.”

This brings the total of education funding provided by the Rodeo since 1932 up to $660 million. Last year's $28 million commitment also set a new record.

One innovation this year is the establishment of the Area Go Texan Vocational Scholarship, a program that expands on the relationship with 68 Texas counties through the Area Go Texan affiliate program. One student from each county will receive $6,000 toward a degree or certificate in a vocational field at a Texas nonprofit college or university. Another $500,000 in vocational scholarships will awarded to 10 schools in 2026. Guidelines for applying can be found at this link.

In total, the Rodeo will hand out $15,126,000 in scholarships, $11,273,500 to junior exhibitors, $3,430,880 in grants, and $523,000 in graduate assistantships. Grants will be awarded to 82 Texas institutions and organizations, such as Arts for Rural Texas, BridgeYear, The Bryan Museum, Diversity in the Arts and Entertainment, Greater Houston Partnership Foundation, Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts (MECA), Space Center Houston, Texas State University Development Foundation, and University of St. Thomas at Houston.

Money for the annual endowment is raised through the annual auctions, sales of livestock and art, and through charitable donations. The goal of the endowment program is to promote study and research in agriculture, animal husbandry, and other fields that directly benefit the Rodeo.

The Rodeo is scheduled to run from March 2 – 22, 2026. More information on performers, attractions, and vendors can be found at RodeoHouston.com. Scholarship applications are open through February 2, with funds being awarded in summer 2026.

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