How Much Money Does A Manager At Costco Make?

The surprising amount a Costco store manager can make

May 14, 2019 Updated: May 15, 2019 5:14 p.m.

1of17 Costco compensates its employees well, at least by retail standards. Store managers average $138,000 a year in salary, but Costco's bonus and stock compensation can roughly triple that amount. Chris Tomlinson/Houston Chronicle

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4of17 Here's a smart reason to buy your next TV at Costco: With all tech purchases at this discount retailer, you get access to an on-call concierge line for free tech support via the phone. No more yelling at the remote the next time your Netflix isn't syncing. PAUL SAKUMA/ASSOCIATED PRESS

5of17 No one enjoys haggling with a car salesman. Since more than 3,000 dealerships are part of the Costco Auto Program, you get a huge selection of new or pre-owned cars (or motorcycles or snowmobiles or side-by-sides) to choose from that the Costco team has already negotiated down for an even better deal. Nati Harnik

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7of17 Price cuts don't just apply to what's on the shelves in this store. Members also get discounts off of all-inclusive resorts, theme parks, plane flights, car rentals, and cruise ships. Do we hear Mexico calling your name? Nati Harnik

8of17 If your insurance doesn't cover all of your medications, you need to investigate Costco's Prescription Program, which has a list of drugs members can get for a fraction of the price — many for just $5. Scott Olson/Getty Images

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10of17 Anyone who loves going to see the latest blockbuster or catching DiCaprio's most recent Oscar-worthy performance, you know ticket prices add up — fast. At Costco, you can buy discounted cinema tickets in packs of four or 10 that never expire. Vstock LLC/Getty Images

11of17 Bypass the co-pay at your ear doctor and head to Costco's Hearing Aid Centers, where they offer free exams for members. Even better: They don't charge for follow-up appointments or cleanings either. SUZANNE DECHILLO

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13of17 Running out of checks is a pain, because it's costly to replace them. But the warehouse club offers the same service for half of the price as your bank — and you can pick up business checks, ink stamps, and tax forms while you're there. Mayra Beltran/Staff

14of17 Costco doesn't accept general manufacturer coupons, but you can use rebate apps to save. "With cash back apps — like Ibotta, Mobisave, and Checkout51 — you can submit your Costco receipts and anywhere from $0.20 to $3 will be deposited into your account," says Melody Hansen, the blogger behind This Beautiful Frugal Life. "Once you hit a certain amount, you can redeem for cash or gift cards." ap/getty

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Costco compensates its employees well, at least by retail standards. Rank and file employees average $22.50 an hour.
Tim Boyle/Getty Images

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NOTE: This story was updated at 2:30 p.m. Wednesday, May 15.

Costco is beloved by customers for its low prices, wide selection of products and generous return policy. But it's also a pretty good place to work, especially if you rise to the rank of store manager.

Less than a week after Walmart revealed how much it paid its U.S. store managers, Readers Digest dug up Glassdoor figures on Costco salaries for comparison.

They showed that general managers of the big-box chain make on average $106,000 a year, with top earners clearing $180,000. Not bad, right?

But Costco reached out to us Wednesday to inform us that those figures were grossly underreported by Glassdoor.

Patrick Callans, Costco executive vice president, administration, said the actual annual salary of a general manager was $138,000. But that's just a fraction of the compensation package for the position.

"Adding bonus and stock-based compensation, a Costco GM can earn approximately triple that amount," Callans wrote in an email.

MORE: The search for the Bay Area's cheapest alcohol

Walmart earlier reported its store managers earn $175,000 salary annually on average.

Meanwhile, the average Walmart worker makes $14.46 per hour, or about $25,000 a year for 34-hour weeks, which is considered full-time at Walmart. That's not enough to stay above the poverty line for a family of four.

At Costco, the average hourly employee pay is $22.50.

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Read Mike Moffitt's latest stories and send him news tips at moffitt@sfgate.com .

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