Jun. 25, 2026
Covenant Health has earned the No. 68 slot among 500 top companies nationwide on Forbes’ “America’s Best Employers for New Grads” list for 2026. The recognition highlights the not-for-profit health system’s standing among top employers and its commitment to developing future healthcare professionals.
Covenant Health, East Tennessee’s largest employer, hired more than 3,359 employees in 2025, and had a 159 percent increase year-over-year in new graduate nurses from 2024-25.
“Being recognized among the top healthcare systems named in Forbes’ ‘America’s Best Employers for New Grads’ list is a tremendous honor,” said Jim VanderSteeg, president and CEO for Covenant Health. “We work hard every single day to create a culture where the next generation of healthcare professionals grow and thrive. Great patient care starts with great people, and great people deserve an organization that believes in and invests in them from day one. To be counted among the top employers in the country for new graduates across all industries is something our entire team should be incredibly proud of.”
The Forbes list ranks the top 500 U.S. companies that score highest with young professionals using metrics such as benefits, advancement opportunities, employee satisfaction and likelihood to recommend an employer to others. Rankings are compiled in partnership with Statista and are based on survey responses from more than 100,000 working professionals with less than 10 years of work experience.
Covenant Health’s commitment to early-career talent is backed by programs designed to turn new graduates into confident, capable professionals. The health system’s Nurse Residency Program recently earned the Accreditation with Distinction designation from the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC). This is the highest recognition ANCC’s Practice Transition Accreditation Program offers for nursing professionals gaining advanced experience.
Beyond nursing, Covenant Health offers pathways for students and early-career professionals across disciplines. The Patient Care Support Assistant program provides paid positions for high school students ages 16-18, offering hands-on hospital training and a head start on a healthcare career.
Covenant Health’s Project SEARCH partnership with Knox County Schools and Sertoma provides hands-on learning, mentoring and employment opportunities for graduating high school students with disabilities.
The Methodist Family Medicine Residency Program trains the next generation of family physicians through a community-based, ACGME-accredited program. Residents gain hands-on experience across Covenant Health’s clinically integrated network, with support in research, quality improvement and patient-centered care.
“At the heart of our success is our commitment to our people,” said Kandis Smith, senior vice president of human resources at Covenant Health. “We are committed to creating a workplace where new graduates feel welcome, supported and encouraged to grow from the moment they arrive. Our people are our greatest strength, and this recognition is meaningful because it reflects the experiences of our employees, especially those beginning their careers with Covenant Health.”
The health system has been recognized 12 times by Newsweek on various “America’s Greatest Workplaces” lists and has now received 11 “Best Employer” recognitions from Forbes.
Covenant Health provides an environment where work has purpose and development is encouraged. It’s an ideal fit for new nursing graduates, students seeking clinical experience and early-career professionals ready to grow.
Explore career opportunities at CovenantHealth.com/Careers.
About Covenant Health
Covenant Health is an East Tennessee-based healthcare enterprise committed to providing the right care at the right time and place. As a not-for-profit health system, we are dedicated to being the region’s premier healthcare network through service, community and innovation. We provide patient-centered care that inspires clinical and service excellence and strives to be the first and best choice for our patients, employees, physicians, employers, volunteers and communities. Covenant Health is the area’s largest private employer with more than 14,000 compassionate caregivers, expert clinicians, and dedicated employees, in addition to valuable volunteers. Learn more at CovenantHealth.com.
