Walmart is giving its top market managers a significant pay bump as part of a broader effort to reward and retain talent within the company. Some of these key managers, who oversee multiple stores, will now earn as much as $620,000 annually, including bonuses and stock awards.
This pay raise marks a major increase for these managers, with salaries jumping from around $320,000 to $420,000 at the low end, and from $570,000 to $620,000 at the high end. The base salary for these roles is also getting a nearly 25% boost, rising to $160,000, with the rest of the pay coming from bonuses and stock grants.
Walmart’s market managers play a crucial role in overseeing roughly 4,600 stores across the U.S. They are responsible for managing inventory, supervising staff, and responding to customer feedback, often traveling between locations to ensure everything runs smoothly.

This move is part of Walmart’s ongoing investment in its workforce, which includes a focus on both hourly employees and salaried roles. Last year, the retail giant raised pay for store managers, starting salaries now averaging $128,000, and also revamped the bonus program to give more weight to store profits rather than just sales.
Walmart has been making these changes to stay competitive in a tight labor market, where finding and retaining workers has become a challenge for many retailers. The company has also raised hourly wages by around 30% in recent years, with the average pay now close to $18 an hour, and some locations offering starting pay between $14 and $19 depending on the market.

Despite these challenges, Walmart’s business is thriving. Sales at its U.S. stores grew by 5% in the last quarter, and profits jumped by 8%. The company has attracted higher-income customers by investing in its grocery business, offering competitive prices, and enhancing its clothing, electronics, and home goods offerings. Walmart is also strengthening its online presence to better compete with Amazon, seeing a 22% growth in online sales last quarter.
Walmart’s continued success is evident, and it looks like they’re committed to rewarding those who help make that possible.
Link: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/01/23/business/walmart-manager-pay-raise/index.html