Top 5 Employers in Virginia: Which Companies Have the Most Jobs?

The biggest employers in Virginia, like companies in any state at any time, can fluctuate wildly. Dependent upon the whims of a supply and demand economy, a company could be at the top of the list one month and at the bottom the next.

According to most recent available data by the Virginia Employment Commission, these were the top five employers for the second quarter of the fiscal year 2014:

1. U.S. Department of Defense: The Defense Department employs more people in Virginia than any other employer. The Pentagon is located in Arlington, and there are numerous military bases in the state. 

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2. Wal-Mart: Known to be one of the world's largest employers, Wal-Mart maintains a significantly strong presence in every major metropolitan center in Virginia. This privately owned company provides general store merchandise and is a powerhouse employer in Virginia.

3. Fairfax County Public Schools: Founded in 1870, this sprawling school system enrolls close to 200,000 students. According to the U.S. Department of Education, it is the 13th largest school district in the nation and operates the largest school bus fleet in the country. No wonder it's one of the Virginia's largest employers.

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4. Huntington Ingalls Industries: Norfolk Naval Base houses the largest concentration of naval forces in the United States. It also homeports close to 50 ships, more than any other base. Huntington Ingalls Industries is a ship manufacturer that claims that have built many of these.

They are the sole builder of U.S. Navy aircraft carriers, only one of two companies building nuclear submarines, and stand as the largest industrial job creator in Virginia.

5. Sentara Healthcare: Rounding out the top five employers is Sentara, a mainstay of the healthcare industry for over a century. A nonprofit, privately owned company, they specialize in "advanced imaging centers, nursing and assisted-living centers, outpatient campuses, physical therapy and rehabilitation services, home health and hospice agency, a 3,800-provider medical staff, and five medical groups," as stated on their website.

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