PULLMAN, WA– Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories (SEL) has released the 2025 edition of its Index of Freedom, ranking all 50 U.S. states based on business climate factors including government efficiency, regulatory freedom, and energy resiliency.

Now in its fourth year, the Index highlights the top-performing states that SEL considers most conducive to business innovation and growth. South Dakota claimed the top spot in 2025, followed by Wyoming, Utah, Idaho, and North Dakota.

This year’s edition introduces a new feature: a Trade Overview for the seven states where SEL maintains its largest presence. The section provides insights into each state’s global economic footprint, detailing export and import data, number of exporting companies, and jobs supported by international trade.

“As we continue to serve customers throughout the U.S. and globally, this Index is a useful tool to help guide our decisions about where to build, hire and grow,” said SEL founder Dr. Edmund O. Schweitzer, III. “The addition of trade data provides a clear picture of how states are connecting with the world.”

The Index uses publicly available data from sources such as the U.S. Census Bureau, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Energy Information Administration, CATO Institute, and American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC).

To download the full 2025 SEL Index of Freedom and view state-specific highlight pages, visit selinc.com/company/news/2025-index-of-freedom.

SEL is headquartered in Pullman, Washington, and provides power system protection and automation solutions to customers in 173 countries. The company has been employee-owned since its founding in 1984.