Here's How Much Aldi Workers Really Make

In just over a decade, Aldi has become a major chain in the American grocery store landscape. The stores have a much smaller footprint and carry fewer items than larger chains like Publix and Kroger, but what they lack in size, they make up for in price. The no-frills shopping experience and lower-priced goods have helped Aldi attract a loyal following of shoppers. 

With smaller stores and less merchandise to load and stock, Aldi needs fewer employees per store. This is one of the ways Aldi keeps its prices so low, but what about the employee wages? Here's what you should know about the pay at Aldi before you fill out a job application. 

According to Glassdoor, the average annual salary of a grocery store cashier in the United States is $22,711. This can vary, of course, depending on the region, but based on that number, if an employee works 40 hours a week, 50 weeks out of the year — assuming they take two weeks worth of unpaid vacation — that's an hourly wage of $11.35. That's more than four bucks over the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, but how does Aldi compare?

According to one Aldi employee on Reddit, Aldi pays a few bucks more than the required state minimum wage. "For example: State minimum is $10 per hour," they wrote. "Aldi would pay $12.50. If state increases 25 cents next year, aldi will raise 25 cents."

A higher average pay seems to be reflected by the data on Indeed as well. As of October 2019, the average cashier salary at Aldi was $13.08 per hour. That's considerably higher than the average cashier salaries at Publix ($10.29 per hour) and Kroger ($9.29 per hour), but lower than the Whole Foods average cashier pay of $14.70 an hour. 

The pay at Aldi certainly isn't terrible, but it's important to keep in mind what comes with the job. Aldi employees rarely have one job title,  and it's far from the easiest job in the world. Many Aldi employees say they work long hours, lift heavy boxes, and are timed on their efficiency. The chain does have a reputation for promoting its employees, though, and those who climb the ranks can earn as much as $80,000 a year as a district manager (via Aldi). 

If you have the energy (and back) for the job, Aldi will certainly pay a little more than other grocery chains.