New York, United States, August 26th, 2026, NewsDirect
American Banker today unveiled the 2026 Best Credit Unions to Work For, its annual ranking of the credit unions where employees rate them highest as places to work. Seventy credit unions earned a place on this year’s list — institutions spread across the country and ranging in size from fewer than 30 employees to more than 3,000.
In surveys conducted by American Banker and the consulting firm Best Companies Group, credit union employees across the country reported being quite happy with their employers. They describe a culture of shared purpose and community. They appreciate their institutions’ leadership, communications and pay. And they point to benefits ranging from the practical — generous 401(k) matches and tuition reimbursement — to the quirky, like therapy dogs and shuffleboard tournaments.
“What comes through in the survey data is a sense of shared purpose — employees who believe in the mission of member-owned institutions and in the leaders running them,” said Chana Schoenberger, Editor-in-Chief of American Banker. “That’s a real competitive advantage in a tight labor market.”
The 2026 Top 10
- #1 UnitedOne Credit Union — Manitowoc, Wisconsin ($330 million in assets)
- #2 One Nevada Credit Union — Las Vegas, Nevada ($1 billion)
- #3 South Carolina Federal Credit Union — North Charleston, South Carolina ($2.6 billion)
- (#4 Avadian Credit Union — Birmingham, Alabama ($1.4 billion)
- #5 Lookout Credit Union — Pocatello, Idaho ($314 million)
- #6 Southwest Financial — Farmers Branch, Texas ($85 million)
- #7 Deseret First Credit Union — West Valley City, Utah ($1 billion)
- #8 NIH Federal Credit Union — Rockville, Maryland ($825 million)
- #9 Consumers Credit Union — Kalamazoo, Michigan ($2 billion)
- #10 Innovations Financial Credit Union — Panama City, Florida ($670 million)
The full ranking of all 70 winners is available at americanbanker.com.
What the Employee Survey Found
Across the 70 winning credit unions:
- 87% of employees approved of their employer’s leadership and planning
- 89% had positive feelings about their work environment
- 91% said they had good relationships with their supervisors
Methodology
The Best Credit Unions to Work For program is produced by American Banker in partnership with Best Companies Group, an independent workplace research firm. Rankings are based on two separate questionnaires: an employer survey covering workplace policies, practices, philosophy, systems and demographics, and a confidential employee survey asking workers a wide range of questions about their own experience, from their training to their vision insurance. Asset sizes and employee headcounts were provided by the credit unions at the time of application.
Explore the List
The Best Credit Unions to Work For in 2026
About American Banker
American Banker is the trusted source that senior executives rely on to lead through change. Through independent journalism, expert analysis, proprietary research, and benchmarking, American Banker delivers the insight financial leaders need to navigate critical opportunities and risks — AI and technology innovation, policy and regulation, M&A, and risk and resilience. American Banker connects a financial services community of more than 950,000 professionals both in person and online. Learn more at americanbanker.com.
About Arizent
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