How Much Does Costco Pay?

Costco, the largest wholesale club operator and third-largest retailer in the US, has over 288,000 employees and is always looking for new ones. But how much does Costco pay its employees? If you were to work there, what benefits could you count on?

If you’re considering working at Costco, this article will provide you with answers to any Costco-related questions you might have.

How Much Does Costco Pay per Hour?

According to Payscale, the average hourly wage at Costco is $17.62. This is more than Amazon ($17.43), and Walmart ($13.19) employees earn per hour.

However, this is just an estimate based on employee reviews and statistics. In reality, the average hourly rates at Costo are not the same for all employees. They will often vary based on location, experience, and an employee’s job position.

In addition to this, the average Costco hourly pay depends on whether you receive a salary or are paid by the hour.

Costco part-time pay

Full-time and part-time employees at Costco have the same hourly wage. However, since part-time employees work fewer hours, their overall earnings will be lower than those of full-time workers.

As a part-time worker, you can expect to work between 20 to 24 hours a week.

How Much Does Costco Pay Annually?

To give an estimate of a Costco employee’s yearly earnings, we will use the average pay per hour as given by Payscale ($17.62). Using it as a basis, we will further assume an average Costco employee works 40 hours per week, 52 weeks a year.

Using these parameters for calculation, we get to an expected annual income of $36,650. However, many Costco employees work entry-level jobs, so this amount could be even lower. In addition to this, this estimated annual income doesn’t include paid vacations, days off, or sick days.

Note: The amount above refers to gross income.

How Much Does Costco Pay per Position?

Let’s see how much Costo employees can make depending on what they do.

Which Costco jobs pay the most?

As previously stated, many Costco employees work in entry-level positions. Naturally, those leading the company and working in Costco’s security and IT sectors earn the most money in the company.

Let’s check out some of the highest-paid positions at Costco other than those from the previously mentioned departments.

• A Costco wholesale buyer earns about $92,423 per year. Depending on their department, they could make anywhere from $74,000 to $118,929 per year. Usually, wine buyers at Costco are the ones that get paid the most.
• A pharmacist at Costco makes approximately $154,700 per year.
• Costco merchandise managers can earn about $81,610 per year.
• A membership supervisor at Costco has an average yearly salary of $61,456.

How much does Costco pay cashiers?

According to Glassdoor, Costco cashiers make about $18 per hour. However, this is just the most recent national average. Costco cashiers can earn anywhere between $10 and $47 per hour. What determines their hourly rate is their experience and the state they work in.

What is the average Costco warehouse pay?

The average hourly wage a Costco warehouse worker can expect is $17. Incidentally, $17 is also Costco’s minimum wage.

How much does Costco pay stockers?

A stocker at Costco can expect to make about $17 per hour. According to Payscale, this is over $5 more than stockers in the US earn on average ($11.67 per hour).

The Average Costco Salary by State

Before moving to state averages for different positions at Costco, we should mention that in October 2021, Costco announced the new minimum wage of $17 per hour. However, some of the averages you’ll find below are lower than this amount.

Because the company doesn’t disclose pay averages, and these are usually given by third-party sources, there are bound to be some discrepancies. In addition to this, many third-party estimates are based on outdated employee reviews and statistics or hourly calculations based on salaries.

Still, here are some pay averages for different positions at Costco in California, Texas, and Florida.

How much does Costco pay in California?

• A Costco cashier in California earns about $16.20 an hour.
• A customer service representative is paid approximately $16.19 per hour.
• In California, Costco pharmacists make about $68.47 an hour.
• Warehouse workers at Costco in California earn approximately $14.21 per hour.

How much does Costco pay in Texas?

• Costco cashiers in Texas have an average hourly wage of $15.41.
• Opticians at Costco in Texas earn about $16.59 per hour. This is almost $9 less than the national average wage for this Costco position.
• In Texas, a Costco forklift operator’s yearly salary is about $39,094.
• Costco warehouse workers in Texas are paid approximately $16.33 per hour.

How much does Costco pay in Florida?

• On average, Costco cashiers in Florida make $15.85 an hour.
• The average hourly wage of a Costco forklift operator in Florida is $17.15.
• In Florida, a pharmacist at Costco earns approximately $67.28 per hour.
• A Costco front-end associate makes about $17.31 an hour.

As you can see, on average, Costco employees in California have the highest wages. However, some positions (e.g., warehouse workers) are paid more in Texas.

Costco Hiring Regulations, Pay, and Benefits

Let’s see how old you have to be to work at Costco and what you can expect in terms of wages and benefits.

At what age does Costco hire?

Unlike Walmart and Target, Costco doesn’t hire minors. To work at Costco, you must be 18 or older.

Costco starting pay in 2022

In October 2021, Costco raised the minimum wage to $17 an hour. However, those working in specialized roles at the optical center and pharmacies have a starting pay of $25 an hour. Naturally, long-term employees can expect pay raises. Lastly, employees who work on Sundays can expect their hourly wage to be 50% higher that day.

Health benefits

Salaried, full-time, and part-time employees are eligible for health benefits. They can use them after they’ve satisfied the required work duration period. These include dental, vision, and short-term disability insurance.

Paid time off

To qualify for paid time off, you need to work at Costco for at least 90 days. These benefits include:

• Sick days
• Vacation
• Holidays
• Six-week maternity leave
• Holidays

Financial and additional benefits

Costco employees can count on the following financial and additional benefits:

• Four free memberships
• Contributions to company-sponsored retirement plans
• Two extra bonuses per year for long-term hourly employees
• Tuition contributions ($2,500 per academic year)

Wrap Up

As far as working in retail goes, Costco seems like an excellent place to work. When it comes to the minimum wage it offers, it definitely beats Walmart and Target. However, although Costco offers quite a lot of benefits, Target and Walmart offer a bit more.

If you’re a minor who wants to earn a bit of money, you might want to seek employment elsewhere because Costco only hires adults. Still, if you’re over 18, we do recommend applying to work at Costco.

But how much does Costco pay, and are the benefits it offers good? To figure that out, it’s best to research your local Costco and see if working conditions there would meet your expectations.

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