Being between the two major cities of Charleston + Greenville — and being the state’s capital — Columbia is vital to South Carolina’s economy. After all, every road leads to I-26. But who may you ask is taking advantage of our ideal location? We have compiled a list of ten of the largest employers in our city to give you insider information, courtesy of Richland County Economic Development.
Ranging from international giants to businesses that started right here, we are proud of how much Columbia has grown + developed over the years.
Let’s take it from the top.
State of South Carolina
25,570 employees | Est. annual revenue NA
With Cola being the capital of South Carolina, the city’s largest employer is the state – which helps drive tourism, the economy, biz + local government agencies. Find careers in the state here. Read reviews here.
Prisma Health
15,000 employees | Est. annual revenue $3.9B
Earlier this year, Greenville Health + Palmetto Health merged to become Prisma – and became the second-largest employer in Richland County and one of the largest healthcare providers in the region. Find careers at Prisma here. Read reviews here.
BlueCross BlueShield of SC
6,585 employees | Est. annual revenue $500MM-$1B
BCBS is the only S.C.-owned + operated health insurance carrier in the state, and has a family of companies and affiliates also offering services to South Carolinians. Find careers at BlueCross BlueShield here. Read reviews here.
University of South Carolina
5,678 employees | Est. annual revenue $500MM-$1B
The over 200-year-old university is the largest in South Carolina, and the nation’s number one first-year student experience. The university also boasts the country’s number one ranking for international business via the Darla Moore School of Business. With its campus spread throughout the city, UofSC is the heartbeat of Columbia. Find UofSC careers here. Read reviews here.
United States Department of the Army
5,286 employees | Est. annual revenue NA
Cola is home to Fort Jackson, the Army’s largest basic training center in the country – with over 45,000 Soldiers trained here per year. DYK Fort Jackson trains 69% of women who enter the Army each year. Find Army careers here. Read reviews here.
Richland School District 1
4,265 employees | Est. annual revenue $300MM
Richland One is nationally accredited, and S.C.’s ninth-largest school district.The district is comprised of 52 schools representing 57 countries + 24,000 students. Find careers in Richland One here. Read reviews here.
Richland School District 2
3,654 | Est. annual revenue $280MM
Richland Two prides itself on their R2i2 program, preparing students for college and life beyond grade school They recently opened their 20th elementary school, and serve over 27,000 students. Find careers in Richland Two here. Read reviews here.
Richland County
2,393 employees | Est. annual revenue $350K
Dating back to 1785, Richland County is named after its “rich land,” originally referring to the indigo+ cotton plantations. Today, our county has 400,000+ residents, award-winning museums and hospitals, arts districts and historical markers, and several educational institutions. Find careers in Richland County here. Read reviews here.
City of Columbia
2,300 employees | Est. annual revenue $350MM
The City of Columbia was established as the state’s capital in 1786 and was officially chartered as a City in 1854. The city currently has over 25 departments, including City Council, grants, animal services, forestry and beautification + more. Find careers with City of Columbia here. Read reviews here.
AT&T South Carolina
2,100 employees | Est. annual revenue $170B
Maybe AT&T really does have the best coverage. They finish as the 10th largest employer in Columbia, offering over 2,000 jobs. Find AT&T careers here. Read reviews here.