Springfield’s Core Industries & Leading Employers
Professionals in nearly any industry can find rewarding employment in Springfield. Our robust economy has made Springfield and the surrounding region an attractive environment for a diverse spectrum of businesses from Fortune 500 companies to private ventures. Several key industries including engineering, architecture, healthcare, information technology (IT) and more are consistently rich with opportunities.
Explore Top Employers by Industry
Rewarding Opportunities for Healthcare Professionals
With two premier U.S. health networks, CoxHealth and Mercy, healthcare employs more than 20,000 people in and around Springfield at area hospitals, clinics and specialty care facilities.
Springfield is a regional medical center with four major health providers—CoxHealth, Mercy, Ozarks Community Hospital and Jordan Valley Community Health Center. Learn more about healthcare in Springfield.
An Epicenter for Business & Commerce
The Springfield area is home to two well-known retail giants. Bass Pro Shops, one of America’s largest privately held companies, and Fortune 500 company O’Reilly Auto Parts are both headquartered here, employing thousands in everything from sales to operations.
One of the largest accounting firms in the country, Forvis Mazars, is also headquartered in downtown Springfield, and the headquarters for banking technology company Jack Henry is just outside Springfield in nearby Monett.
A Central Hub for U.S. Shipping & Freight
World-famous SRC Holdings (the subject of many business case studies for its pioneering success with open-book management) calls Springfield home, employing thousands.
With manufacturing employing more than 18,000 in the area, employers like Kraft Foods, 3M, John Deere Remanufacturing, and Paul Mueller also have a significant presence in the region.
The city’s central U.S. location also makes it a cost-effective location for distribution and logistics services like Prime Inc., TransLand, and Amazon.
Our Wide Spectrum of City Government Opportunities
Employing nearly 30,000 people, the government offers a wide range of employment opportunities. Federal, state, and local government organizations make up 12% of the local workforce, providing a wide range of jobs from administrative and actuarial positions to arborists and electrical engineers.
Outstanding City Utilities
Top-Notch EMS Services
Excellent City Security
The Springfield Police Department is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies — a designation that fewer than 5% of American law enforcement agencies have successfully attained.
Award-Winning Park Board
The Springfield-Greene County Park Board is a Gold Medal Award winner recognized by the National Recreation and Park Association. It coordinates programs, facilities, and events at 105 park sites. The 3,200-acre system includes four golf courses, three family centers, a zoo, a farm park, botanical gardens, several sports and athletic complexes, two indoor aquatics center, six outdoor swimming pools, multiple school-park sites, and more than 100 miles of recreational trails. There are many opportunities to find a rewarding part-time or full-time career with the park system.
Growth-Oriented Business Ventures
Some of Springfield’s biggest companies are also its greatest entrepreneurial success stories. Bass Pro Shops, O’Reilly Auto Parts and Jack Henry were all once small upstarts that found their path to growth in this region.
Small businesses make up more than 95% of businesses in Springfield, and entrepreneurs have access to resources like the eFactory, a Missouri State University-owned business and entrepreneurship resource offering workspace, business training, mentorship, and SBDC support.
A Leading City for Academic Progress
Springfield employs thousands of teachers, coaches, administrators and staff members at public and private schools and colleges throughout the area. Springfield Public Schools and Missouri State University, the region’s two largest educational employers, have nearly 6,000 employees combined.
In fact, SPS is Missouri’s largest accredited school district with 50-plus schools serving more than 30,000 students. Hundreds more work at Drury University, Evangel University and Ozarks Tech. If you’ve chosen a career in education, the Springfield area offers an abundance of employment opportunities. What are you waiting for? Check out the current openings at
SPS, MSU, Drury, and Ozarks Tech.
Frequently asked Questions
Springfield’s largest employers include CoxHealth (13,297 employees) and Mercy (9,238 employees), the two major health systems that dominate the local job market. Other top employers include the State of Missouri, Walmart, Bass Pro Shops, Springfield Public Schools, and O’Reilly Auto Parts. In 2025, CoxHealth, Bass Pro Shops, Prime Inc., and O’Reilly Auto Parts were all named among Forbes’ America’s Best Employers by State. Browse top employers in Springfield by industry to find the right fit for your career.
Several nationally recognized companies call Springfield home. Bass Pro Shops, a privately held outdoor retailer founded in Springfield in 1972, maintains its global headquarters here alongside Fortune 500 company O’Reilly Auto Parts. Forvis Mazars, the eighth largest public accounting firm in the US, is headquartered in downtown Springfield, and Prime Inc., one of North America’s most successful refrigerated, flatbed, and tanker carriers, is also based here. Learn more about businesses and entrepreneurship in Springfield.
Springfield has a diversified economy anchored by healthcare, manufacturing, education, government, retail, and professional services. Healthcare is the largest sector, with CoxHealth and Mercy together employing more than 22,000 people across hospitals, clinics, and specialty care facilities. Manufacturing employers like SRC Holdings, 3M, Kraft Foods, and John Deere Remanufacturing employ thousands more, and professional and business services have shown 5% growth over the last decade. Learn more about Springfield’s core industries and leading employers.
Yes. With CoxHealth and Mercy both operating as nationally recognized Level I Trauma Centers, healthcare is Springfield’s largest employment sector by a wide margin. The University of Missouri has also established a medical school clinical campus in Springfield in partnership with both health systems, further strengthening the region’s position as a major medical hub for Southwest Missouri. Learn more about healthcare in Springfield.
Live in Springfield maintains a regularly updated job board pulling current openings across all industries and career levels in Springfield and the surrounding area. Search by job title or career field to find opportunities that match your background. Browse current job openings in Springfield and take the next step toward your career in the Ozarks.