Costco Wholesale Salaries in 2026
Costco Wholesale is a retail company headquartered in Issaquah, WA, founded in 1983. With approximately 316,000 employees, it is a major employer in the retail sector.
Average Salary
$62,000
$5,167/mo
Total Compensation
$72,000
base + bonus + equity
Employees
316K
large company
Rating
3.9
★★★★☆
Costco Wholesale Salary by Level
Salary progression from entry-level to director positions at Costco Wholesale.
Entry-level employees at Costco Wholesale earn around $35,000, while directors can earn $240,000 or more.
Top Paying Roles at Costco Wholesale
| Role | Base Salary | Est. Total Comp |
|---|---|---|
| Software Engineer | $62,000 | $66,960 |
| Product Manager | $58,900 | $63,612 |
| Operations Manager | $50,220 | $54,238 |
| Marketing Manager | $48,980 | $52,898 |
| Data Analyst | $47,120 | $50,890 |
Total compensation estimates include base salary and an average 8% bonus. Stock options/equity are offered but vary significantly by role and level.
Costco Wholesale Benefits & Perks
Costco Wholesale Salary Calculator
Select a role and experience level to estimate your salary at Costco Wholesale.
Mid Career (5-9 yrs)
Estimated Salary at Costco Wholesale
$65,000
$5,417/month · $31.25/hr
Est. total comp with 8% bonus: $70,200
About Costco Wholesale
Costco Wholesale is a retail company headquartered in Issaquah, WA, founded in 1983. With approximately 316,000 employees, it is a major employer in the retail sector.
Headquarters
Issaquah, WA
Founded
1983
Industry
Retail
Company Size
large
Employees
316,000
Median Salary
$55,000
Hourly Rate
$29.81/hr
Monthly Pay
$5,167
Costco Wholesale Employee Ratings
3.9
★★★★☆
Overall Rating
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Methodology & Sources for Costco Wholesale Salary Data
How we estimate Costco Wholesale compensation data: Our salary figures combine self-reported employee compensation data (Glassdoor, Levels.fyi, Comparably, Blind), SEC filings for public companies (DEF 14A proxy statements include executive compensation), and BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for industry baselines. We weight recent data points (last 2 years) higher to reflect current market conditions.
- Base salary distribution aggregated from employee-reported data points. Costco Wholesale (founded 1983, 316K employees, headquartered in Issaquah, WA) is in the Retail sector.
- Total compensation includes base salary, bonus, and where applicable, equity or other long-term incentives. At Costco Wholesale, bonuses vary by role, level, location, performance cycle, and business division.
- Level mapping normalizes role names across companies (Entry/Junior/Mid/Senior/Lead/Principal/Director) for cross-company comparison.
- Cost-of-living adjustment uses BLS regional CPI-U data when comparing Costco Wholesale's Issaquah, WA salaries to other markets.
- Industry benchmarking compares Costco Wholesale compensation to BLS national averages for Retail sector occupations.
Authoritative compensation data sources:
- BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — national salary baselines for Retail
- SEC EDGAR — Company Filings — public company executive compensation in DEF 14A proxies
- BLS Industries at a Glance — Retail — sector employment, wages, productivity
- BLS Employment Cost Index — quarterly compensation trend data
- BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) — county-level wage data by industry
- DOL Wage and Hour Division — federal wage compliance and minimum wage
Disclaimer: Costco Wholesale compensation data is aggregated from multiple sources and reflects general patterns, not guaranteed offers. Actual salaries vary based on level, location, negotiation, performance, and equity vesting. For personalized career advice, consult HR professionals or executive coaches. For job offers, always negotiate based on multiple data points and your unique value.
Reviewed by Brazora Monk · Last updated May 12, 2026 · BLS data current as of latest annual release
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