Shopping at your favorite store like Costco is great, but working at your favorite store is even better. Working at restaurants and grocery stores usually allows employees to have certain benefits like discounts or knowing when the next big sale is. But do Costco employees get a discount on top of the other amazing deals and offers? 

Whether you’re looking for a part-time job to fill up the odd hours of the day or want to find a career through Costco, these are a few of the benefits of working for the wholesaler. 

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Related: Is There a Costco Membership Discount? Here Are the Member Prices and Discounts

Do Costco Employees Get a Discount?

First, let’s figure out the big question, do Costco employees get a discount? Unfortunately no, Costco employees have to pay the same price as everyone else. 

But that doesn’t mean that Costco doesn’t offer incentives to their employees. Costco employees actually have some great perks and benefits that counter the fact that they have to pay in full. 

7 Perks for Working at Costco

Find out the various perks of working at Costco, from their amazing pay to generous insurance and retirement plans. 

7. Great Insurance Plans

Insurance is one of the many benefits when finding a job, and Costco has one of the best. You have to work at Costco for at least 180 consecutive days and work at least 24 hours per week to be eligible for health benefits. 

From there, you can choose your own provider and out-of-pocket costs. And with the in-house pharmacy, you can get a solid prescription drug plan. 

6. Generous Retirement Plans

You can also plan for your future, not just for your medical needs. Costco offers a 50% match of your 401(k) contributions up to a maximum of $500 per year. 

They will also contribute a percentage of your pay regardless of what you add to your 401(k) that kicks in after you’ve been employed for a year, and starts at 3%, then increases periodically. 

5. Peacefully Shop After Hours

This is one perk that might outshine the fact that Costco doesn’t offer employee discounts, as you can shop after hours when the store is pretty much empty. It doesn’t help you save money, it saves you time and is pretty relaxing. 

Check Out: Best Time to Shop at Costco 

4. Amazing Salary

Shopping at Costco means you can support how great they are towards employees. When it comes to salary, Costco is the leading company, which shows that it isn’t hard to pay employees a livable wage. 

In a The Street article released in November 2023, the starting pay for many states is around $18 an hour, with some reaching as high as $50 depending on the position and experience. While this heavily depends on location and job position, Costco’s pay is hard to beat.  

3. Accommodating PTO 

Paid time off can be really strict at some locations, but Costco knows how important it is to enjoy your free time. That’s why you can gradually earn more paid time off the more you stay with the company. 

Once you’ve worked at Costco for a year and have accrued at least 2,000 hours, you can start accumulating paid time off. Your first year earns you a week of PTO, but if you work at Costco for 15 or more years, you can earn up to 5 weeks of PTO. 

2. Nice Gestures

If you’ve ever worked in retail, whether in boutiques or grocery stores, then you know how stressful the holidays are. People have little patience and the workload grows immensely. 

Costco knows this and wants its employees to feel appreciated for all their hard work, which means that it gifts them a free turkey over the holidays. And apparently, if you don’t accept the turkey, then it’ll be donated to charity

1. Pass Along Free Memberships

Do Costco employees get a discount when shopping? No, but they do get 4 free annual memberships. This is a wonderful benefit, as not only will you get to shop at Costco and experience its glory, but you can gift a free membership to 3 other individuals. It’s a gift that keeps on giving! 

Should You Work at Costco? 

Now that we’ve answered the main question of “Do Costco employees get a discount?”, is it worth working there? Every job has its pros and cons, but if you’re looking for an accommodating company that has great benefits, then yes. Costco is a wonderful place to work and is praised for its positive work environment and flexible schedule.  

How Old Do You Have to Be to Work at Costco?

You have to be at least 18 years old to apply for Costco. Costco also hires seniors, especially in specific departments like the pharmacy or member services

How to Apply for Costco

busiest Costco in the world: checkout line

Ready to put in your application today? Head over to Costco’s career center here to apply. Depending on your location, you’ll have to pick from a certain list of jobs.

Read More: How Much Is a Costco Membership?

Don’t forget to keep checking back at Costco97’s blog to stay updated with the latest finds, deals, and specials. 

And make sure to keep an eye open for those elusive .97 deals and other hidden price tag deals. You can even find monthly deals to help you bulk save by checking out the Costco Coupon Book (updated monthly)