Costco leads major retailers with a $49,186 median worker salary while Ross Stores is lowest at $10,059, per 2025 SEC filings

A Business Insider analysis of 2025 proxy statements filed with the SEC found that Costco pays the highest median worker compensation among major U.S. retailers at $49,186, followed by Amazon at $40,206 globally and $53,211 for full-time U.S. workers, while Ross Stores and Burlington sit at the bottom at $10,059 and $10,827 respectively, largely reflecting the high proportion of part-time and seasonal workers at those chains. Walmart, the world's largest private employer with 2.1 million workers, reported a median of $30,520, while Starbucks came in at $17,279 and McDonald's at $19,020, both reflecting predominantly part-time workforces. The figures represent median total compensation, meaning half of each company's workers earned more and half earned less, with part-time and seasonal staffing ratios heavily influencing where companies land on the list.