Ever wondered what it takes to work at one of those magical warehouses where everything comes in packs of 50 and pizza slices are the size of your face?
Costco has a firm age requirement that might surprise you – and some pretty sweet perks that explain why people stick around for nearly a decade on average. Let’s dive into what you need to know about landing a job at everyone’s favorite bulk shopping paradise.
How Old Do You Need to Be to Work at Costco?
If you’re dreaming of handing out those tiny sample cups or scanning enormous packages of toilet paper, I’ve got some news for you: you must be at least 18 years old to work at Costco. No exceptions.
Unlike many retailers that hire 16-year-olds for certain positions, Costco maintains this age minimum across all departments and all positions. Whether you want to be a cashier, stocker, food court worker, or anything else – 18 is the magic number.
Why the Age Restriction?
Costco isn’t just being mean to teenagers. There are good reasons for their age policy:
Physical demands – Have you seen those pallets? Those massive carts? The sheer volume of stuff being moved around? Costco work is physically intensive.
Safety concerns – Operating heavy machinery, dealing with large crowds, and handling bulk merchandise creates an environment where maturity matters.
Scheduling flexibility – Costco needs employees who can work various shifts without school hour restrictions.
Legal considerations – Labor laws restrict certain tasks for minors, and Costco has streamlined their hiring by setting a universal age requirement.
As one Costco employee put it in a Reddit discussion about working conditions, “There’s nothing ‘easy’ about any position at Costco. Every job is physically and mentally demanding in its own way.”
What Jobs Can You Get at Costco?
Once you hit that magical 18th birthday, a world of red vest opportunities opens up to you!
Entry-Level Positions
- Cashier – Scanning items at lightning speed while maintaining that Costco cheerfulness
- Stocker – Keeping those massive shelves filled with everything from giant teddy bears to 5-gallon mayo jars
- Food Court Worker – Serving those famous $1.50 hot dog combos that have somehow defied inflation
- Membership Services – Checking IDs and helping members with their accounts
- Cart Attendant – Wrangling those massive shopping carts (yes, this is actually quite the workout)
All of these positions start at the same age requirement: 18 years or older. According to the Costco careers page, there are no “junior” positions or exceptions for younger applicants.
Why People Love Working at Costco
The average Costco employee sticks around for 8.2 years – that’s practically a lifetime in retail! Why do people stay so long?
The Benefits Package
Costco is known for treating employees well, with benefits like:
- Health insurance that kicks in after just 90 days for part-timers
- Paid vacation that increases with tenure
- 401(k) matching that helps employees build actual retirement savings
- Sunday premium pay (time-and-a-half just for working Sundays!)
- Free Costco membership (hello, impulse purchases of 36-packs of muffins)
According to Glassdoor reviews of Costco’s work environment, employees consistently mention the strong benefits package as a major reason for their job satisfaction.
Career Growth
Costco loves to promote from within. Many managers started as cart pushers or cashiers and worked their way up. This creates a culture where hard work is recognized and rewarded.
As one store manager told Business Insider in their profile of Costco’s work culture, “Almost all of our leadership started at the bottom. I began as a front-end assistant and now run a warehouse with 250 employees.”
What About Memberships?
Interestingly, while you need to be 18 to work at Costco, you only need to be 16 years old to get a Costco membership. So teenagers can shop there (and enjoy those food court deals) before they can work there.
Maybe that’s Costco’s strategy – hook ’em on the hot dogs at 16, hire ’em at 18!
If you’re under 18 and itching to work at Costco, I hate to break it to you, but you’ll need to wait. In the meantime, you might consider other retail positions that hire at 16, gaining experience that will make you a stronger Costco candidate when you hit 18.
For those who are 18+, applying at Costco could be the start of a surprisingly rewarding career. Many employees report that what began as “just a job” turned into a long-term career with competitive pay, great benefits, and a supportive work environment.
Just be prepared to lift heavy things and wear that red vest with pride!
