SOURCE Express Services dba Express Employment Professionals

OKLAHOMA CITY, Jan. 13, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Express Employment Professionals has once again earned the No. 1 ranking among staffing/recruiting franchises in Entrepreneur's 2026 Franchise 500®, marking 15 years of industry leadership and innovation.

"Earning the top spot in Entrepreneur's Franchise 500® for the 15th year reflects more than consistency. It shows our relentless drive to innovate and support our franchise owners," said Bob Funk Jr., CEO, President and Chairman of Express Employment International. "As employment trends transform, we remain committed to helping entrepreneurs build thriving businesses that make a real impact in their communities."

Jason Feifer, editor-in-chief of Entrepreneur, called the Franchise 500 the gold standard for recognizing franchise excellence, noting that this year's ranking shows the best brands don't just adapt to changing markets; they thrive in them.

"These 500 companies represent some of the most reliable pathways to business ownership in America, each one vetted through our rigorous analysis of what actually drives franchisee success," he added.

Key factors in the company's ranking formula include costs and fees, size and growth, support, brand strength, and financial strength and stability. Each franchise is then assigned a cumulative score based on an analysis of more than 150 data points, and the 500 franchises with the highest scores are ranked in the Franchise 500®.

Over its 47 years in existence, the Franchise 500® has become both a dominant competitive measure for franchisors and a primary research tool for potential franchisees. Express' position on the ranking is a testament to its strength as a franchise opportunity.

With more than 870 franchises internationally, in 2025, Entrepreneur further recognized Express as a Top Global Franchise, a Top Franchise for Veterans, a Top Franchise for Less Than $150,000, a Top Brand for Multi-Unit Owners and gave the company a Best of the Best ranking. Forbes added to the recognition with awards for one of America's Best Temp Staffing Firms, Best Employers for New Grads and Best Professional Recruiting Firms.

From Staffing Industry Analysts, Express was named among the largest U.S. staffing firms, largest U.S. industrial staffing firms, largest U.S. office/clerical staffing firm, largest U.S. direct hire firms, largest global staffing firms and among the top 30 providers of direct hire services globally.

If you want to make your mark as part of the top staffing/recruiting franchise, visit ExpressFranchising.com for more information.

If you would like to arrange for an interview to discuss this topic, please contact [email protected], Director of Corporate Communications & PR.

About Robert (Bob) Funk Jr.
Robert (Bob) Funk Jr. is the Chief Executive Officer, President and Chairman of Express Employment International, a global staffing franchisor founded and headquartered in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He leads a portfolio of workforce solution brands, including the flagship Express Employment Professionals franchise, along with several affiliated brands serving specialized markets. The Express franchise brand is an industry-leading, international staffing company with franchise locations across the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand.

About Express Employment Professionals
At Express Employment Professionals, we're in the business of people. From job seekers to client companies, Express helps people thrive and businesses grow. Our international network of franchises offers localized staffing solutions to the communities they serve across the U.S., Canada, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, employing more than 11 million people globally since its inception. For more information, visit ExpressPros.com.

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