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Compensation, culture, and reputation remain the most significant factors for employee satisfaction across the American mortgage sector. That’s the headline result of Mortgage Professional America’s Top Mortgage Employers 2025 report.
Nationwide firms submitted nominations outlining their offerings, and thousands of employees then rated their employer anonymously over a range of criteria.
The rise in the relative importance of benefits and reputation, even if modest, is no surprise to Valerie Saunders, chief executive strategist at the National Association of Mortgage Brokers. “The mortgage industry operates on trust and relationships, and that dynamic extends directly to our employment relationships,” she says. “When skilled professionals are evaluating opportunities, they’re looking far beyond base salary and commission structures. In an industry where your professional reputation follows you throughout your career, people are incredibly cautious about associating with firms that might damage their standing.”
The biggest change in the criteria is the drop in the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DE&I). While this could be due to a change in views, it could also be explained by the industry being predominantly white and male.
Respondent employees also shared their current and preferred work arrangements. The data shows 93 percent prefer not to be office-based, underlining the importance of flexibility and accommodation on the part of employers.
Saunders explains, “Now, offering flexible work arrangements isn’t just a perk – it’s an expectation. Brokerages that insist on full-time office presence are finding themselves at a significant disadvantage in attracting talent.”
MPA’s employee survey also indicated that almost three-quarters would remain in their current position, even if an appealing offer from another company arose. This suggests a lack of confidence in the market and a reluctance to risk moving to an organization that may not have the same reputational standing.
It’s a challenge for the leading employers to stand out in such a crowded market.
Saunders, who has spent over three decades in the sector, lists what she sees as the key differentiators:
regulatory compliance expertise and culture
financial stability and transparency
technology integration with human touch
And she also shares that employee development moves the needle. “The most effective practices I’ve observed include skill-based hiring and comprehensive training programs,” adds Saunders. “Mentorship and professional development are game changers. Employers who properly train their employees and help guide them into becoming better loan officers generally succeed.”
A study of the ratings that employee respondents of MPA’s Top Mortgage Employers 2025 delivered provided a series of conclusions.
Employers with fewer than 100 staff consistently received perfect or near-perfect scores (10) across all categories, including compensation, benefits, reputation, culture, advancement, innovation, and support for sustainability and DE&I
Their overall ratings are extremely high, indicating that employees at smaller firms are the most satisfied in the sector.
Conclusion: Smaller mortgage employers are perceived as offering the best overall employee experience, likely due to more personalized attention, flexibility, and a strong sense of community.
Large employers also score well, especially in compensation, reputation, and culture (mostly above 8.7 out of 10), but there is more variability compared to smaller firms.
Their overall satisfaction ratings range from 93.36 percent to 86.49 percent, showing a slight drop-off at the lower end.
Conclusion: Large firms maintain strong reputations and compensation, but may struggle to deliver the same level of personalized culture and advancement opportunities as smaller organizations.
Brokerages show high scores in compensation, reputation, and culture (mostly above 9.5), with overall satisfaction ratings above 93 percent.
Aggregator/network/tech employers have lower scores across most categories (compensation, benefits, advancement, and innovation all below 9), and their overall satisfaction ratings are the lowest in the chart (88 percent and 82 percent).
Conclusion: Brokerages are generally rated higher than aggregator/network/tech firms, especially in compensation and culture, suggesting that employees value the traditional brokerage environment more highly.
Compensation, reputation, and culture consistently have the highest scores across all employer types, reinforcing their importance as primary drivers of employee satisfaction.
Advancement and innovation tend to score slightly lower, especially at larger and aggregator/network/tech firms, indicating these are areas for improvement.
Conclusion: While pay and workplace culture are strong, employees see room for growth in career advancement and innovation, particularly at larger and tech-focused organizations.
Scores for “supporting green or sustainable business” and “dedicated to diversity, equity, and inclusion” are generally high (mostly above 8.5), but not as high as compensation or culture.
Small firms again lead in these areas.
Conclusion: Sustainability and DEI are valued, but not as highly as compensation or culture. Smaller firms excel at demonstrating commitment to these values.
Smallest firms: highest satisfaction and scores. (mostly above 8.5), but not as high as compensation or culture.
Large firms and brokerages: high satisfaction, but with more variability.
Aggregator/network/tech: lower satisfaction, especially in advancement and innovation.
Fairway Independent Mortgage prioritizes faith, family, and work in that order, and these principles shape their culture. It’s created a supportive and cohesive environment where every team member has the opportunity to flourish.
This is embedded within a flat, lateral organizational structure that encourages open communication. CEO Steve Jacobson often says, “It’s not about the loans we do; it’s about the hearts we change and the people we help.”
Employees are able to access Health Savings Accounts, 401(k), Employee Stock Ownership Plan, and a non-qualified deferred compensation plan. The comprehensive benefits plan offered to employees also includes:
accident, hospital indemnity, and critical illness plans, as well as discounts on insurance, travel, computer hardware/software, and diagnostic full-body scans
mortgage discounts, including reduced rates and origination fees
the option to convert up to 40 hours of PTO annually toward student debt and provide annual scholarships for employees and their children
Veterans receive Veterans Day in addition to other PTO and observed holidays
Fairway is also deeply committed to supporting communities through several initiatives, such as:
Fairway Foundation: provides assistance to employees in need due to natural disasters or personal tragedies
Fairway Cares: supports those with critical illnesses, physical traumas, or the loss of loved ones through care packages and financial aid
American Warrior Initiative (AWI): donates service dogs and provides grants to wounded veterans, having provided over 352 service dogs nationwide in three years
The HR department has a dedicated team for diversity and inclusion, offering resources and learning opportunities. “Fairway Independent Mortgage is more than just a workplace; it’s a family dedicated to exceeding expectations, guaranteeing satisfaction, and earning trust,” says employee experience and development manager, Breanna Crews. “Our culture, driven by our core values, outstanding benefits, community support, and inclusive environment, makes Fairway a top workplace where every team member can thrive and succeed.”
wemlo’s collaborative environment stems from leadership investing in the team and striving to create career paths and opportunities.
“Company culture is ingrained in everything we do, and it differentiates us from any other processing company out there. We highly value the diverse perspectives and experiences our team members bring to the table. Our unique culture focuses on collaboration, welcoming challenges, and ongoing development,” says Zabrina Suero, director of operations.
The firm hosts regular focus groups to gather insight into what’s needed to improve performance and more effectively serve customers. This not only helps improve outputs but also helps nurture a culture where each team member feels like they are part of something bigger, which fosters pride as they play a critical role in the development of the wemlo brand.
Employee offerings also include:
financial wellness program, Finance GPS, looking at wellness on a broader level, including all savings, investments, property, etc.
unlimited visits with a certified financial coach and quarterly education sessions company-wide
discounted workout classes through ClassPass
employer-paid service around student loans through Vault to assist employees in pulling student loan information into one portal and walking them through options and advice to better manage those obligations.
employer-paid Health Advocate to assist in anything benefits-related, including finding services, explanation of diagnosis, claim appeal service, and out-of-network claim negotiation, saving employees hours of stress and work
identity theft protection service through ID Watchdog
Employees seek assurance that their efforts will be recognized and rewarded, especially in a market subject to economic fluctuations and interest rate changes. Adequate compensation also signals that the company values its workforce, which in turn boosts morale and loyalty.
A healthy culture encourages teamwork, innovation, and ethical behavior – critical in a sector where trust and integrity are paramount. Moreover, a culture that prioritizes work-life balance, diversity, and inclusion helps employees feel respected and supported, reducing turnover and enhancing engagement.
Working for a reputable company not only instills pride but also provides job security and career mobility. Employees are conscious of how their employer’s reputation reflects on their own professional standing and future prospects. A strong reputation attracts better clients, partners, and talent, creating a virtuous cycle that benefits everyone in the organization.
To help recognize and narrow down the nominations for the Top Mortgage Employers 2025 in the United States, MPA invited organizations to fill out an employer form highlighting their various offerings and practices. Employees of the nominated companies were then asked to take an anonymous survey evaluating their workplace based on eight key factors: compensation, benefits, reputation, culture, advancement, innovation, sustainable programs, and DE&I.
To qualify, each nominee had to meet a minimum number of employee responses based on the overall size of the organization: employers with 10–100 employees must provide a minimum of 10 responses; employers with 101–500 employees must provide a minimum of 20 responses; and employers with 500+ employees must provide a minimum of 50 responses.
Gold, silver, and bronze medals are awarded to the top three companies in each category based on overall employee satisfaction.