Costco ended fiscal year 2025 with 341,000 employees worldwide, an increase of 8,000 workers (2.40%) from the previous year, according to the company’s annual SEC filings. The retailer now ranks 12th on the Fortune 500 and operates 923 warehouses across 14 countries. This post breaks down Costco’s workforce size, country distribution, demographics, pay scale, and retention numbers for 2026.
Costco Employee Statistics 2026 – TLDR;
- Costco has 341,000 employees globally as of August 31, 2025, up 2.40% year-over-year.
- Around 65% of the workforce sits in the United States, with Canada hosting 16% and other international markets the rest.
- Top-of-scale clerks earn $31.90 per hour in 2026, with locked-in $1 raises through March 2027.
- The 1-year employee retention rate runs at 93%, against a retail industry turnover of 60–70%.
- About 7,000 corporate staff work at Costco’s Issaquah, Washington headquarters; the remaining 95% work in warehouses.
How Many People Work at Costco?
Costco reported 341,000 employees worldwide at the close of FY2025 (August 31, 2025), per its 10-K annual filing. The headcount has grown every year since 2019, when the company employed 254,000 people. Net additions have averaged around 10,800 workers per year, with a record 19,000 added during 2020.
For context on how Costco compares to the broader US labor market, see this breakdown of US employment statistics.
| Fiscal Year | Total Employees | YoY Change |
|---|---|---|
| 2019 | 254,000 | — |
| 2020 | 273,000 | +7.5% |
| 2021 | 288,000 | +5.5% |
| 2022 | 304,000 | +5.6% |
| 2023 | 316,000 | +3.9% |
| 2024 | 333,000 | +5.4% |
| 2025 | 341,000 | +2.4% |
Source: Costco FY2025 Annual Report (10-K), MacroTrends
Costco Employees By Country
The United States accounts for the bulk of Costco’s workforce. As of FY2025, 223,000 to 227,000 employees worked in US warehouses and offices, while Canada employed 53,000 to 55,000 and other international markets accounted for around 61,000 staff.
The US workforce grew the fastest in absolute terms last year, adding more than 11,000 people. Canada and international markets each grew between 4% and 7%. Costco operates in 14 countries, including Mexico, Japan, the UK, South Korea, Australia, China, France, Iceland, Spain, and Sweden.
| Region | Employees (FY2025) | Share of Workforce |
|---|---|---|
| United States | ~223,000 | 65.4% |
| Canada | ~55,000 | 16.1% |
| Other International | ~63,000 | 18.5% |
| Worldwide Total | 341,000 | 100% |
Source: Costco FY2025 Annual Report (10-K), Statista
For more on workforce trends north of the border, the Canadian employment data provides useful context on how Costco fits into the country’s retail labor market.
Costco Employee Demographics
Costco’s workforce skews younger and male, with most employees clustered in the 20-to-30 age band. Bachelor’s degrees are common at the corporate level, while warehouse staff typically hold a high school diploma. Average tenure across the company is 4.6 years, well above the US retail average of 3.4 years.
Gender Breakdown
Roughly 57% of Costco employees are male and 43% are female, based on workforce composition data compiled across US locations. The split is closer to even at the corporate office and in customer-facing roles like cashiers and membership clerks.
Source: Costco workforce composition data, Comparably
Age Distribution
The 20-to-30 age range makes up the largest single group at 53% of all employees. Workers under 20 account for about 21%, while those over 30 represent 22% of the workforce.
| Age Group | Share of Employees |
|---|---|
| Under 18 | 1% |
| 18–20 | 20% |
| 20–30 | 53% |
| 30–40 | 15% |
| 40+ | 11% |
Source: Costco Wholesale workforce demographics, Zippia
Race and Ethnicity
White employees make up 56% of the US workforce. Hispanic or Latino workers account for 24%, Black or African American employees represent 9%, and Asian employees make up 7%. The remaining 4% identify as other or unspecified.
| Race / Ethnicity | Share of US Workforce |
|---|---|
| White | 56.1% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 23.7% |
| Black or African American | 9.0% |
| Asian | 7.0% |
| Other / Unknown | 4.3% |
Source: Costco Wholesale demographics, Comparably
Costco Employee Wages in 2026
Entry-level Costco workers start at $20 per hour as of 2026. Bottom-of-scale clerks earn $21 per hour, and senior clerks at the top of the pay scale make $31.90 per hour following the March 2025 increase. The 2025 Teamsters agreement locked in additional $1 hourly raises for both March 2026 and March 2027.
Around 18,000 unionized Costco workers across California, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, and Washington fall under the contract. The non-union majority of 272,000 employees receives equivalent pay, a deliberate company policy.
| Position | Hourly Pay (2026) |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (Cashier Assistant, Food Court) | $20.00 |
| Bottom-of-Scale Clerk | $21.00 |
| Top-of-Scale Senior Clerk | $31.90 |
| Supervisor | $33.90 |
| Warehouse Manager (Salaried) | $72–$144/hr equivalent |
Source: Costco-Teamsters Agreement 2025–2027, MOJO Sales & Branding
The pay scale puts Costco well above most other large US retailers. For comparison with white-collar tech wages, see this Google employee compensation breakdown.
Costco Employee Retention and Turnover
Costco posts a 93% one-year retention rate as of 2026, meaning 93 out of every 100 employees who reach the one-year mark stay with the company. The figure compares to retail industry turnover rates of 60% to 70%. For employees with more than one year of tenure, turnover drops to about 6%.
Six-year veterans receive average annual bonuses above $5,500. Thirty-year employees earn up to six weeks of paid vacation. First-year employees now receive paid vacation from day one, a benefit added in the 2025 contract.
| Metric | Costco | Retail Industry Avg |
|---|---|---|
| 1-Year Retention Rate | 93–94% | 30–40% |
| Annual Turnover (1+ year tenure) | ~6% | 60–70% |
| Average Tenure | 4.6 years | ~3.4 years |
Source: Costco Wholesale, US Bureau of Labor Statistics
Costco Hiring Trends
Costco hires a net average of 10,800 new employees each year worldwide. The company added 8,000 net workers in FY2025 and 17,000 in FY2024. Around 7,000 corporate employees work at the Issaquah, Washington headquarters, including the CEO, who sits in a cubicle alongside other staff. The remaining 95% of the workforce is based in warehouses.
Promotion from within is standard practice. CEO Ron Vachris started as a forklift driver at a Price Club warehouse in Arizona in 1982 and worked his way up over four decades. To see how Costco compares with the country’s other top employers, this list of the best companies to work for in 2026 covers retention, pay, and culture metrics.
FAQs
How many employees does Costco have in 2026?
Costco had 341,000 employees worldwide as of August 31, 2025, the end of its FY2025 reporting period. This is an 8,000 employee (2.40%) increase from the 333,000 reported in 2024.
What is Costco’s starting hourly wage in 2026?
Costco starts entry-level positions at $20 per hour and clerks at $21 per hour. Top-of-scale senior clerks earn $31.90 per hour, with another $1 raise locked in for March 2027 under the current Teamsters agreement.
What is Costco’s employee retention rate?
Costco’s one-year employee retention rate is 93%. Annual turnover for workers with more than one year of tenure is around 6%, far below the US retail industry average of 60–70%.
How many Costco employees work in the United States?
Roughly 223,000 of Costco’s 341,000 employees work in the United States, or 65.4% of its global workforce. Canada accounts for around 55,000 employees, with the remaining 63,000 spread across 12 other countries.
How many people work at Costco’s headquarters?
About 7,000 corporate employees work at Costco’s headquarters in Issaquah, Washington. All staff sit in cubicles, including the CEO. The other 95% of the workforce is based in Costco’s 923 warehouses worldwide.
