Bethesda is home to the corporate headquarters of notable companies such as Lockheed Martin, Marriott International, Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc., and Coventry Health Care. Numerous financial companies also have operations in Bethesda including Wachovia, PNC, Chevy Chase Bank, Charles Schwab and Fidelity.
The city is regarded as one of the most affluent and highly educated places in the nation. Forbes Magazine has ranked Bethesda #1 in a list America's most educated small towns. The city has also been ranked #11 on CNNMoney.com's list of top-earning American towns.
A large number of the residents work in professional, scientific and technical services occupations. Other popular segments for jobs include government, finance and insurance, education and healthcare. The city includes numerous lawyers, computer specialists, business operations specialists and life and physical scientists. About 25% of the workforce is employed by the government.
Occupations that are more prevalent in Bethesda, Maryland when compared to most other cities are health diagnosing and treating practitioners, biological scientists, microbiologists, physical scientists, life scientists, survey researchers, statisticians, computer and information research scientists, natural science managers and chemists.
Some of the notable employers in the Bethesda region are:
- Broadpoint
- Cardiocore
- Coventry Healthcare
- Hallmark Windows and Siding
- Marriott International
- Immune Tolerance Network
- Radio Shack
- Lockheed Martin
- National Institute of Health
- National Naval Medical Center
- Calvert Social Investment Foundation
- Catapult Technology
- Host Hotels & Resorts
- USEC
- Northrop Grumman
- General Dynamics
- Raytheon
- SAIC
Noteworthy information about Bethesda Maryland: In 2008 the cost of living index in Bethesda was at 131.9 which is high when compared to the country's average of 100. For the population over the age of 25, about 79% have earned a bachelor's degree or higher. In 2009 the average earnings in Bethesda Maryland was $71,000.
Some of the helpful organizations for local businesses include:
- Bethesda - Chevy Chase Chamber of Commerce
- Small Business Administration - Maryland
- Maryland Economic Development Association
Gazette.net is a good resource for keeping current with Bethesda business and industry news.