The American Opportunity Index
Assessing what really happens to workers at America’s largest employers over time
As economic uncertainties lead many employers to pull back on hiring and reduce chances for promotions, the 2024 American Opportunity Index reveals the large U.S. companies across multiple sectors that are still opening their doors to new workers and advancing the careers of their employees.
Why it Matters
50%
of entry-level workers churn in low-paying jobs for 5 years
24m
frontline workers have no upward career mobility
130%
Employees at top-100 companies on the Index’s Pay metric earn, on average, 130% more for the same job than those who work for companies near the bottom.
2.5x
Top 100 companies on the Index’s Continued Promotion metric promote their workers 2.5x more often than companies near the bottom.
Discovering the top American employers proven to deliver for their employees
In 2022, the Schultz Family Foundation launched the American Opportunity Index in partnership with the Burning Glass Institute and Harvard Business School as a tool for the public good to raise awareness about the critical role businesses play in creating economic opportunity and upward mobility for American workers.
Measuring what really happens to employees
The American Opportunity Index is the only measure of employer quality to evaluate what really happens to workers at America’s largest employers over time.
The 2024 American Opportunity Index measures the career trajectories of more than 5.4 million employees at 395 of America’s largest companies using independent data.
Using independent data
Unlike most other measures that seek to identify high-quality employers, the Index does not rely upon data provided or self-reported by companies. Instead, it is based on objective external sources.
The Index uses a range of labor-market data sources—including resumes uploaded to career sites, career updates posted to social media platforms, pay data, and job postings—to assess the progress of individual employees over a five-year period.
Uncovering the employers that are leading the way
The Index measures the core elements of corporate performance that are central to effective talent management and drive business growth and opportunity-creation for employees.
Explore the Index to see the Top 100 Employers of Choice, discover top performers in each sector, and browse the profiles and data behind every company on the Index.
