Pay transparency is one of those subjects that many families wish they could talk about more openly, especially when grocery bills, rent and childcare keep climbing. One Costco employee decided to lay out every step of their hourly wage history in a post shared online by @cozypinguino, and the numbers tell a story about promises, raises, training and licensing.
@cozypinguino
The creator begins with an important disclaimer, saying they are an employee of Costco and do not speak on behalf of the company. That is worth keeping in mind as you read. This is one person’s experience, in one state, and it is not an official statement about what any other worker earns.
The Promise Versus The First Paycheck
According to the post, the employee was hired in September of 2023 and was told the job would pay $17.50 an hour. By the time orientation arrived, though, a corporate wide raise of a dollar had taken effect. That meant the actual starting wage was $18.50 an hour instead, which is a pleasant surprise for any new hire. On Sundays, the pay was time and a half, which the creator lists as $27.75.
The next step came in the spring of 2024, when a first raise brought the wage to $19 an hour, based on hours worked. In August of 2024 the employee switched over to the membership desk, and the creator says that move brought a dollar raise plus a fifty cent corporate raise, landing at $20.50. By November of 2024 the wage had reached $21.
Supervisor Training And A Big Jump
In April of 2025 the employee applied for a supervisor role and was accepted into training. The creator says the pay during that stretch was $33.40 an hour, or $50.10 on Sundays, and that it lasted for a bit more than six weeks. After the training period ended, the employee went back to the membership desk, and then transferred to the hearing aid center. At first they were unlicensed there and earned $22 an hour.
A raise to $23 followed in November of 2025, and then $24 in May of 2026. The creator points out, with a bit of humor, that the raise to $24 arrived only two days before the license came through. Once licensed in the hearing aid center, the creator says the wage became $37.90 on weekdays and $56.85 on Sundays.
What The Handbook Says About Future Raises
The creator also explains how raises are expected to work going forward. The current handbook, they say, has a raise of one dollar every year written in for a couple of years. After that period ends, a new negotiation would take place. They do not predict what the next round might look like, and it would be unwise for anyone else to guess.
Another detail is that both hearing aid and optical positions require state licensing tests, and both pay a premium once a worker is licensed. The creator notes that their own state offers one premium, while other states pay more because the cost of living is higher. That is a useful reminder that pay for the same job title can differ a great deal depending on where you live.
A Career Built From Many Departments
One of the most interesting parts of the post is the list of jobs the employee has held along the way. They have worked Morning Merch, the bakery, covered gas station breaks, run a register as a cashier, pushed carts, worked the membership desk, served as a supervisor in training and now work in the hearing aid center. That variety likely explains how the creator could move from role to role over a couple of years.
Anyone who has worked in retail knows how different each department feels. Pushing carts is physical and fast. A bakery shift starts early. Cashiering demands patience and speed at once. Training in a licensed field takes study and a passing grade on a state exam. Moving through all of these gives a worker a broad view of how a big warehouse store actually runs.
Lessons For Anyone Tracking Their Own Pay
You do not have to work at a warehouse club to take something useful from this story. Here are some general ideas that apply to nearly any hourly job.
First, keep your own record of wages. Write down the date of every raise, every role change and every special rate, just as the creator did. A simple note on your phone or a page in a notebook is enough. When review season comes, having dates and dollar amounts makes a conversation with a manager far more concrete.
Second, read the offer carefully and ask what might change before your first day. The creator was told one number and received a higher one, but the opposite can happen elsewhere. Get the hourly rate, the schedule, the premium rates for weekends and holidays, and any training pay in writing whenever you can.
Third, look for licensed or certified work. In this story, the biggest jump came after a state licensing test. Many industries have a similar pattern, where a certificate, a license or a specialized training course leads to a noticeably higher wage. Check what your local community college, state board or employer offers, and find out whether the employer will pay for the study materials or the exam fee.
Fourth, understand premium pay. Time and a half on Sundays is common in some workplaces and absent in others. If your schedule is flexible, those hours can add up quickly. If you have young children, though, weekend work may cost you in childcare, so run the numbers before saying yes.
Fifth, use internal moves. The employee in this story switched departments several times, and each move came with a different pay structure. Moving inside a company often feels less risky than starting somewhere new, and the company already knows your work record. Ask managers what openings exist and what training they require.
Why Stories Like This Matter For Families
For many households, a second paycheck or a raise can mean the difference between tight months and comfortable ones. Hearing the specific numbers from a worker, rather than a vague claim, helps others judge whether a job is worth applying for. It also helps people approach a negotiation with realistic expectations.
It is also worth remembering that a single story is only a snapshot. Wages change, handbooks are renegotiated, and local markets shift. If a job posting catches your eye, confirm current pay with the employer directly, and compare it with other options in your area before you decide.
Still, the post by @cozypinguino offers a clear picture of how one career path unfolded, from a promised $17.50 to $37.90 on weekdays and $56.85 on Sundays. It shows how a raise, a role change and a license can stack together over time, and it encourages other workers to keep track of their own progress.
