Supermarkets and Other Grocery (except Convenience) Stores — Average Employee Salary
The average employee in the supermarkets and other grocery (except convenience) stores industry earns $32,103 per year ($15.43/hour), according to Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW data.
What Do Supermarkets and Other Grocery Workers Earn?
At $32,103/year (equivalent to $15.43/hour for a full-time worker), supermarkets and other grocery (except convenience) stores wages are below the national average of ~$65,000.
Lower wages in this industry are common in service-oriented or retail-adjacent sectors where entry barriers are lower. This can be an advantage for business owners managing payroll costs, but may contribute to higher turnover.
The typical supermarkets and other grocery (except convenience) stores business employs 45 people. These are larger operations where staffing represents a major cost center and management complexity.
Wages as a Percentage of Revenue
For the average supermarkets and other grocery (except convenience) stores business generating $16.2M/year with 45 employees at $32,103 each, total payroll represents roughly 8.9% of revenue. Labor costs are relatively low compared to revenue — other costs (materials, equipment, overhead) dominate.
What This Means for Business Owners
If you're starting or running a supermarkets and other grocery (except convenience) storesbusiness, here's what the wage data means for your bottom line:
- Per-employee cost: Budget approximately $41,734/year per employee (salary + ~30% for benefits, taxes, and insurance).
- Typical team size: 45 employees = ~$1,444,635/year in base payroll.
- Hourly equivalent: $15.43/hour base — factor this into pricing and project estimates.
- Revenue needed: With average revenue of $16.2M/business, you need strong utilization rates to maintain healthy margins after payroll.
See how these wages compare to total revenue and profit margins.
View full Supermarkets and Other Grocery (except Convenience) Stores revenue benchmarks →Frequently Asked Questions
- How much do supermarkets and other grocery (except convenience) stores employees make?
- The average supermarkets and other grocery (except convenience) stores employee earns $32,103 per year, which is equivalent to $15.43/hour for a full-time worker (2,080 hours/year). This is below the national average of approximately $65,000.
- How many people work in the supermarkets and other grocery (except convenience) stores industry?
- The supermarkets and other grocery (except convenience) stores industry employs 2,600,578 workers across 58,356 establishments in the United States. The average business in this industry has approximately 45 employees.
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW 2023).