20 of the highest-paid entry-level retail jobs in the US, from Aldi to Zara

July 11, 2026 adminsr

A retail job is one of the most common ways for US workers to start their careers.

About six in 10 people have held a job in the industry at some point in their careers, according to a 2019 report by the Urban Institute, a nonprofit research organization.

To find out which companies pay the most for early-career roles, Business Insider asked jobs search and reviews site Glassdoor to share its pay data from the past year for entry-level sales floor jobs.

Glassdoor calculated average pay using hourly wage information submitted by platform users between January 2025 and June 2026, for retail or sales roles in the retail and wholesale sectors.

To be included in the analysis, companies had to have at least 1,000 employees. All companies on this list had at least 30 worker-submitted salaries.

Keep reading for a look at 20 of the highest-paying entry-level retail jobs in the US:

20. J.Crew — $17.25

A J.Crew store in New York.

Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Getty Images

J.Crew has been making all-American fashions for men, women, and children since 1983 and now operates more than 100 J.Crew locations and 330 J.Crew Factory stores in the US.

19. Madewell — $17.27

Madewell logo and store seen in Hudson Yards

A Madewell store in New York.

John Lamparski/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images

Madewell, owned by J.Crew, has specialized in denim and wardrobe basics since 2006. The brand now has over 150 stores across the US.

18. Uniqlo — $17.28

Shoppers enter a Uniqlo store in Shenzhen, Guangdong Province, China. — A Uniqlo store in China.

Cheng Xin/Getty Images

Owned by Japan’s Fast Retailing Co., Uniqlo has been operating in North America since 2005 and had 84 stores in the US and 37 in Canada as of June.

17. Hannaford — $17.29

Hannaford Supermarket in Saco. — A Hannaford Supermarket in Maine.

Shawn Patrick Ouellette/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images

Hannaford traces its roots to 1883 and is now owned by international grocery giant Ahold Delhaize. The chain operates 188 stores across New England and New York.

16. The Home Depot — $17.31

The entrance to a Home Depot store in San Diego, CA. — A Home Depot store in San Diego.

Kevin Carter/Getty Images

Founded in 1978, the Atlanta-based home improvement retailer has grown to more than 2,300 stores across North America and employs more than 470,000 workers.

15. Zara — $17.33

Shoppers enter a Zara store in Hong Kong, China. — A Zara store in Hong Kong.

Cheng Xin/Getty Images

European fast fashion retailer Zara has nearly 1,500 stores worldwide, with around 100 in the US.

14. Harbor Freight Tools — $17.62

Harbor Freight tools in Middletown, DE. — A Harbor Freight tool store in Delaware.

credit should read JIM WATSON/AFP via Getty Images

Harbor Freight started as a mail-order tool business in North Hollywood, California in 1977. It now operates more than 1,600 stores in the US.

13. Nordstrom — $17.72

Nordstrom department store entrance — Shoppers visit a Nordstrom store in a mall.

Brandon Bell/Getty Images

Department store Nordstrom had a rocky run a few years back a few years back, but the now-private company said in 2024 that it was back to profitability and building momentum.

12. Fred Meyer – $17.81

In 1922, entrepreneur Fred Meyer wanted to offer a one-stop shopping experience. Kroger acquired the business in 1999, and today, Meyer’s namesake’s cavernous stores carry some 225,000 different products.

11. Aldi – $18.24

People walk into and out of an Aldi grocery store on a cloudy day in Hyattsville, Maryland. The blue-and-white Aldi logo hangs on a sign above the entrance, while a row of shopping carts sits to the left of the entrance.

People visit an Aldi grocery store in Maryland.

Alex Bitter/BI

Limited-selection grocer Aldi has roughly 2,600 stores in the US, and big expansion plans. It said in January that it aims to operate 3,200 locations by the end of 2028.

10. Dillard’s – $18.30

A Dillard's logo is displayed outside a department store on February 21, 2025 in Peoria, Arizona.

A Dillard’s store in Arizona.

Kevin Carter/Getty Images

Dillard’s opened its first store in 1938 in Nashville, Arkansas. It now has over 270 stores across 30 states.

9. REI – $18.52

A person walks past an REI store.

Robert Alexander/Getty Images

Founded in 1938, the outdoor lifestyle co-op employs nearly 12,500 people across about 195 locations in the US.

8. Bloomingdale’s – $18.72

The Macy’s-owned luxury department store has around 60 US locations, including its department stores, small-format concept Bloomies, furniture stores, and outlet locations. It’s a key part of the struggling corporation’s growth plans.

7. CarMax — $18.86

CarMax is one of the largest sellers of used autos in the US, with around 255 locations across the country.

6. Sephora — $18.96

A Sephora location at Kohl's. — A Sephora shop inside a Kohl’s store in Wisconsin.

Talia Lakritz/Business Insider

LVMH-owned beauty retailer Sephora has more than 1,700 retail locations in North America, including both stand-alone stores and partnerships with other retailers like Kohl’s.

5. IKEA – $19.29

The Swedish furniture giant has dozens of US stores where it sells its products, as well as smaller-format showcase locations focused on delivery.

4. Trader Joe’s – $19.64

Trader Joe's bag in front of Trader Joe's grocery store sign. — A Trader Joe’s shopping bag outside a grocery store.

Melissa Wells/Insider

From its humble beginnings in Pasadena, California, Trader Joe’s now boasts over 600 locations across the US that sell a low-cost assortment of private-label groceries.

3. Buc-ee’s – $20.21

buc-ee's magnets — Magnets with Buc-ee’s beaver mascot for sale at a gas station.

Allison V. Smith for The Washington Post via Getty Images

Buc-ee’s large format travel centers boast clean restrooms — a must-have for any road trip — and its retail and food operation has attracted legions of fans of the growing brand.

2. Lululemon – $20.46

Clothes on the wall — Apparel for sale at a Lululemon store.

John Greim// Getty Images

The yoga pants (and more) brand has hundreds of US stores, which double as hubs for events, trainings, and alterations.

1. Costco – $20.52

Costco price tags showing an asterisk fans call the "star of death" — Customers shop for clothing at a Costco warehouse in California.

Justin Sullivan/Getty Images

The wholesale club has more than 630 locations across the US and employs over 200,000 US workers.