The rank of private sector employment by Maine firms varies with both long- and short-term trends in the economy. The table below is a snapshot of the fifty largest private employers in Maine in the first quarter of 2012 and the second quarter of 2014.
The largest business category is “General Medical and Surgical Hospitals.” That plus “Medical and social services,” accounts for 34% of the top 50 employers in Maine. Retail stores account for another 18%. Using the midpoint of the employment range for each business as an estimate, retail stores employ 31% and general medical and surgical hospitals 30% of the workforce among the top 50 employers. *
| 2012 | 2014 | BUSINESS | EMPLOYEE | BUSINESS |
| RANK | RANK | NAME | RANGE | DESCRIPTION |
| 1 | 1 | HANNAFORD BROS | 7,501-8,000 | Supermarkets |
| 2 | 2 | WALMART/SAM’S CLUB | 7,001-7,500 | Discount department stores |
| 2 | 3 | MAINE MEDICAL CENTER | 6,501-7,000 | General medical/surgical hospitals |
| 4 | 4 | BATH IRON WORKS | 5,001-5,500 | Ship building and repairing |
| 3 | 5 | L.L.BEAN, INC. | 4,001-4,500 | Mail order houses |
| 6 | 6 | EASTERN MAINE MED CTR | 3,501-4,000 | General medical/surgical hospitals |
| 10 | 7 | MAINE GENERAL MED CTR | 3,001-3,500 | General medical/surgical hospitals |
| 9 | 8 | CENTRAL ME HEALTHCARE | 3,001-3,500 | General medical/surgical hospitals |
| 7 | 9 | T D BANK | 2,501-3,000 | Commercial banking |
| 8 | 10 | UNUM PROVIDENT | 2,501-3,000 | Direct life insurance carriers |
| 11 | 11 | SHAWS SUPERMARKETS | 2,001-2,500 | Supermarkets |
| 18 | 12 | WEBBER HOSPITAL ASSOC | 1,501-2,000 | General medical/surgical hospitals |
| 12 | 13 | MERCY HOSPITAL | 1,501-2,000 | General medical/surgical hospitals |
| 15 | 14 | HOME DEPOT | 1,501-2,000 | Home centers |
| 20 | 15 | LOWES HOME CENTERS | 1,001-1,500 | Home centers |
| 13 | 16 | VERSO PAPER | 1,001-1,500 | Paper, except newsprint, mills |
| 22 | 17 | GOODWILL INDUSTRIES | 1,001-1,500 | Vocational rehabilitation services |
| 17 | 18 | S D WARREN | 1,001-1,500 | Paper, except newsprint, mills |
| 32 | 19 | CIRCLE K | 1,001-1,500 | Gasoline stations + convenience stores |
| 14 | 20 | PRATTWHITNEY AIRCRAFT | 1,001-1,500 | Aircraft engine and engine parts mfg. |
| 16 | 21 | ST MARY’S REGIONAL MED | 1,001-1,500 | General medical and surgical hospitals |
| 19 | 22 | RITE AID OF MAINE | 1,001-1,500 | Pharmacies and drug stores |
| 21 | 23 | JACKSON LABORATORY | 1,001-1,500 | Research & development, biotech |
| 23 | 24 | BOWDOIN COLLEGE | 1,001-1,500 | Colleges and universities |
| 25 | 25 | UNIVERSITY OF NEW ENG | 1,001-1,500 | Colleges and universities |
| 27 | 26 | MID COAST HOSPITAL | 1,001-1,500 | General medical/surgical hospitals |
| NL | 27 | ME BEHAVIORAL HEALTH C | 1,001-1,500 | Outpatient mental health centers |
| 26 | 28 | YORK HOSPITAL | 1,001-1,500 | General medical and surgical hospitals |
| 35 | 29 | IDEXX LABORATORIES | 1,001-1,500 | Pharmaceutical preparation mfg. |
| NL | 30 | AROOSTOOK MED CEN | 1,001-1,500 | General medical/surgical hospitals |
| NL | 31 | PENOBSCOT BAY MED CEN | 501-1,000 | General medical/surgical hospitals |
| 34 | 32 | CENTRAL MAINE POWER CO | 501-1,000 | Electric power distribution |
| NL | 33 | NEW BALANCE SHOE | 501-1,000 | Footwear manufacturing |
| 40 | 34 | UNITED PARCEL SERVICE | 501-1,000 | Couriers & express delivery services |
| 33 | 35 | SPURWINK SERVICES | 501-1,000 | Individual and family services |
| 36 | 36 | BATES COLLEGE | 501-1,000 | Colleges and universities |
| 39 | 37 | ATTENDANT SERVICES | 501-1,000 | Services for elderly/disabled |
| 43 | 38 | MARDENS | 501-1,000 | Discount department stores |
| 47 | 39 | C N BROWN | 501-1,000 | Fuel dealers |
| 50 | 40 | ST JOSEPH HOSPITAL | 501-1,000 | General medical/surgical hospitals |
| 42 | 41 | NORTH COUNTRY ASSOC | 501-1,000 | Nursing care, skilled nursing |
| 46 | 42 | CIANBRO CORPORATION | 501-1,000 | Highway, road, bridge construction |
| 48 | 43 | COLBY COLLEGE | 501-1,000 | Colleges and universities |
| NL | 44 | FIA CARD SERVICES | 501-1,000 | Credit card issuing |
| 29 | 45 | DEAD RIVER COMPANY | 501-1,000 | Fuel dealers |
| NL | 46 | TIME WARNER | 501-1,000 | Wired telecommunications carriers |
| NL | 47 | PINE STATE TRADING CO | 501-1,000 | Wine and spirit wholesalers |
| 41 | 48 | ANTHEM HEALTH SYSTEMS | 501-1,000 | Direct health/medical insurance |
| NL | 49 | BONNEY STAFFING CENTER | 501-1,000 | Temporary help services |
| NL | 50 | MANPOWER | 501-1,000 | Temporary help services |
NL = Not listed in 2012
Source: Maine Department of Labor, Center for Workforce, Research and Information http://www.maine.gov/labor/cwri/publications/Excel/MaineTop50Employers.xlsx (accessed January 22, 2014)