6 Financial Perks of Being a Costco Employee
Written by
Gabrielle Olya
Edited by
Gary Dudak
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Costco was one of the companies at the forefront of raising its minimum wage, raising their minimum hourly wage for many positions to $19.50 in July 2024. Not only do Costco employee benefits include a 401(k) and pension plan for eligible workers, but the company also offers a variety of fun financial perks.
Here are a few key takeaways:
- As of March 2025, Costco pays top-of-the-scale clerks $31.90 an hour and top-of-the-scale assistants $30.20 an hour.
- The latest version of a three-year employee agreement calls for two additional $1 hourly increases in March 2026 and March 2027.
- Lower-level clerks and assistants are getting 50-cent hourly increases, which will push the hourly range to $20 to $21.
- For comparison purposes, the Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates the median pay for retail sales clerks to be around $16.30 an hour.
The pay, retirement planning and health benefits are only a few of the job perks that come with working at the warehouse club. Here’s a look at six incredible benefits enjoyed by Costco employees.
Multiple Yearly Bonuses
Although this is a long-term perk you only get after being at the company for a few years, it’s a good one to boost morale within the work environment. According to Costco’s website, “We provide twice-yearly Extra Checks (bonuses) for long-tenured hourly employees.”
Free Executive Membership
If you want to attract and retain talent, you should give them financial incentives for their work. Costco employees get free membership cards for themselves and their friends and family.
“We get four free membership cards (including mine) with 2% cash back annually,” one long-time Costco cashier wrote on Quora. “[These] cards can be given to any family members or any friend of your choice. And if you work for Costco for more [than] 25 years [and retire, you get] a lifetime membership card.”
First Dibs on Hot-Ticket Items
Employees get to test out new products before they hit shelves and can often buy hot-ticket items as soon as they are available. Considering sometimes Costco has a limited supply of its best bulk items, this is a great way to save money.
“It’s frequently the case that we’re out of stock of something because we’ve bought them all,” a Costco employee in Ohio told Fox Business.
First Dibs on Sale Items
If you’re an avid Costco shopper as well as a worker, then your work-life balance is leveled by the ability to get the best deals before anyone else. Employees get access to sales before shoppers do.
“We see stuff go on clearance before you do, and if it’s a good deal, we’ll snatch them up,” the Ohio employee added.
Free Thanksgiving Turkey
Prepping for the holidays can get quite expensive, so Costco offers employees working during the festive season a deal anyone would gobble up. Multiple employees confirmed on Reddit that American Costco workers all receive a voucher for a free turkey every Thanksgiving.
Costco then donates the turkeys that employees choose not to take home.
Exclusive Employee Shopping Hours
Perhaps the biggest downside to shopping at Costco is the super long checkout lines, but part-time and full-time employees get to avoid these. Sometimes the employee discount is attached to the time you save.
“You can shop after hours, and a lot of employees do that,” a Costco employee in Washington State told Mental Floss.
Caitlyn Moorhead contributed to the reporting for this article.
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