Top U.S. retailers disclose wide pay gap in 2025 median worker earnings

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U.S. retailers median pay gap 2025

Highlights

2025 proxy filings show median employee pay at major U.S. retailers ranges from $10,059 at Ross Stores to $49,186 at Costco.
Reported pay figures reflect varying mixes of part-time, full-time, seasonal, and global staffing, impacting comparability across retailers like Starbucks, McDonald's, and Amazon.
Amazon's median global pay rises to $40,206, Costco's full-time median reaches $66,262, and Amazon's U.S. full-time median jumps from $47,990 to $53,211.

2025 proxy filings map worker pay across major retailers

As reported by Business Insider, the comparison uses 2025 proxy statements filed by publicly traded companies with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and covers retailers with market capitalizations above $10 billion. The disclosures reflect median employee pay, meaning half of workers earn more and half earn less, and the figures are influenced by each company's mix of full-time, part-time, seasonal, and temporary staff.

At the lower end of the list, Ross Stores reports median worker pay of $10,059, followed by Burlington at $10,827 and Ulta Beauty at $11,883. Yum Brands reports $15,346 for its median worker, described as a part-time Taco Bell employee in the U.S., while Starbucks lists $17,279 for a part-time U.S. barista.

Dollar General reports median pay of $18,876, McDonald's lists $19,020 for a restaurant crew employee in Poland, and Tractor Supply Co. reports $24,376. Walmart, the world's largest private employer, reports median worker pay of $30,520, while O'Reilly Auto Parts lists $33,054 and Domino's reports $36,776 for a part-time delivery driver working less than 30 hours a week.

Lowe's reports $37,371 for a full-time hourly associate in the U.S., Home Depot lists $37,881 for an hourly U.S. associate, and Genuine Parts Company reports $38,901. Amazon reports median global employee pay of $40,206, while Costco tops the list at $49,186.

Part-time staffing and global workforces shape comparisons

Several companies say their median figures reflect large part-time workforces, which helps explain the broad pay range. Ross Stores says more than 85% of employees work in retail locations and that staffing fluctuates seasonally, while Yum Brands says 90% of its workforce is part-time and that four out of five restaurant general managers are promoted internally.

Global employment footprints also affect the calculations. Starbucks says nearly half of its 367,000 workers are outside the U.S., McDonald's median employee is based in Poland, and Amazon separates its global median from its full-time U.S. workforce, where median pay reaches $53,211, up from $47,990 a year earlier.

Costco provides one of the highest disclosed figures among the group, and says more than a third of its workforce is part-time, seasonal, or temporary. The company also says its median full-time worker earns $66,262, underscoring how hours worked and employment status continue to drive headline pay figures across the retail sector.

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