Widen the view to people who have worked in that industry at some point in their careers, and the number rockets up to six in 10, according to a 2019 report by the Urban Institute, a nonprofit research organization.
For many, retail is a first job; for others, it's a lifelong career.
To get a sense of how much retail workers made in 2025, Business Insider used AlphaSense to search the latest proxy statements for median employee pay data that publicly traded firms are required to disclose to the US Securities and Exchange Commission.
That means half of a company's workers earned more than its median employee, and half earned less. The range can vary considerably because many retail companies offer part-time and seasonal work.
For many retail workers, an individual's annual earnings depended on their hourly wage and the number of hours they worked.
The following list includes retailers with a market capitalization of more than $10 billion that have so far filed proxy statements for the 2025 fiscal year, sorted from lowest to highest annual pay.
Ross Stores — $10,059
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Ross Stores said more than 85% of its employees work at one of its retail locations, and that the figure fluctuates seasonally.
Last year's median worker was a part-time hourly associate who earned $10,059.
Burlington — $10,827
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Burlington said its median worker is a part-time associate at one of its Burlington stores, earning $10,827 last year.
Ulta Beauty — $11,883
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Ulta Beauty had 61,223 associates globally last year, including 24 working in Uruguay that were not included in its calculations.
The median worker earned $11,883.
Yum Brands — $15,346
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Of the fast food parent company Yum Brands, 49,000 employees, about 28,000 were in the US, and 21,000 were overseas.
The median Yum worker was a part-time Taco Bell worker in the US who earned $15,346 last year.
Yum Brands said four out of five of its restaurant general managers were promoted from other roles within the company. In addition, 90% of the company's workforce is part-time.
Starbucks — $17,279
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Starbucks directly employs more workers than most restaurant brands, which typically operate on a franchise model.
Last year, the coffee chain had 367,000 employees across more than 21,000 company-operated stores, nearly half of whom were in locations outside the US.
The median Starbucks worker was a part-time barista in the US who made $17,279 last year.
Dollar General — $18,876
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Dollar General considered its 185,811 temporary, part-time, and full-time employees located in the US to identify its median worker, who earned $18,876 last year.
McDonald's — $19,020
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McDonald's included all full-time, part-time, seasonal, and temporary workers employed at the end of the year to identify its median worker.
Last year's median worker was a restaurant crew employee in Poland who made $19,020.
Tractor Supply Co. — $24,376
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Rural retailer Tractor Supply Co. employed 51,460 people last year, with about half working part time. The median worker earned $24,376.
Walmart — $30,520
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Walmart is the largest private employer in the US — and the world — with 2.1 million full-time, part-time, seasonal, and temporary associates worldwide.
The median worker made $30,520 last year.
O'Reilly Auto Parts — $33,054
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O'Reilly had considered some 89,339 full-time, part-time, and seasonal workers in the US for its calculation of the median worker, who earned $33,054 last year.
Domino's — $36,776
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Domino's had about 9,500 US workers and 9,800 in other countries for a total of nearly 20,000 full-time, part-time, seasonal, or temporary employees.
The pizza chain's median employee was a part-time delivery driver who worked less than 30 hours a week and made $36,776 last year.
Lowe's — $37,371
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Lowe's had 266,000 full-time, part-time, or temporary workers, including about 5,200 employees overseas.
The median worker was a full-time hourly associate in the US who made $37,371 last year.
Home Depot — $37,881
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Home Depot employed about 472,400 people last year, including nearly 50,000 outside the US.
The median worker was an hourly associate in the US, who made $37,881 last year.
Genuine Parts Company — $38,901
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NAPA parent company Genuine Parts Company said its median worker for 2025 was paid $38,901.
Amazon — $40,206
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Amazon's median employee across its global workforce of full-time, part-time, and permanent workers earned $40,206 last year.
The e-commerce giant also breaks out figures for its full-time US workforce, of whom the median worker made $53,211 last year, up from $47,990 the year before.
Amazon also said its hourly wage in fulfillment roles works out to more than $30 an hour when healthcare and other benefits are included.
Costco — $49,186
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Costco topped the list with a median worker compensation of $49,186 last year.
The wholesale club employs 336,700 people worldwide, of whom about 222,000 are in the US.
The company also said that more than a third of its workforce is part-time, seasonal, or temporary. Its median full-time worker earned $66,262 last year.