Here’s How Much Money Costco Store Managers Make—It’s More Than You Think

Costco regularly wins praise, both from customers who love the wholesale store and employees who love working there. Costco has been hailed by Glassdoor as one of the best places to work, with reviews citing the company’s great pay and benefits. Former employees confess the same, saying healthcare for all employees, complimentary store memberships, and free turkeys on Thanksgiving are some of the great secret perks of the superstore.

But even better is the pay. According to GOBankingRates, Costco CEO Craig Jelinek makes about $6.5 million a year. That’s not shocking, but what may be a little more surprising is how much Costco managers make. While Glassdoor reports an average base pay of $106,836, Costco managers actually make much more. According to Costco’s Executive Vice President of Administration, Pat Callans, “The average annual salary for a Costco general manager in the U.S. is currently $138,000.” If that sounds like a lot, wait for it: Once you add “bonus and stock-based compensation, a Costco GM can earn approximately triple that amount,” Callan tells Reader’s Digest. In contrast, this is how much the average Costco employee makes.

Costco employees overall seem pretty content with their pay and benefits. However, not every role working for the superstore is great—here’s what employees say is the worst job when it comes to working at Costco.