1.  Valero Energy

• Avg. pay in that job: $97,730
• What makes it so great? Largest oil refiner in North America makes its corporate jet available for employees with medical emergencies and covers 100% of health insurance premiums.

Goldman Sachs Group

• Avg. pay in that job: $137,000
• What makes it so great? It was a rough year for Wall Street, but Goldman had record sales and profits. Comp and benefits rose 23% from the previous year, to $20.19 billion.

Microsoft

• Avg. pay in that job: N.A.
• What makes it so great? Software behemoth offers 2,300 different courses; training consumes 3% of budget. It has expanded the campus to include 5.5 million square feet of new office space.

• Avg. pay in that job: $76,751
• What makes it so great? Firm continues a no-layoff philosophy, offers health insurance to retirees and part-timers, and promotes from within (90% of FedEx Express managers worked their way up).

• Avg. pay in that job: $132,004
• What makes it so great? Though the stock flatlined in 2007, CEO John Chambers won praise for his leadership and his new blog, On My Mind, which solicits employee ideas.