Costco Employee Count
FY1994 – FY2025
Costco (COST) employed 341,000 people in FY2025 — about $807.1K in revenue per employee and $23.8K in net income per employee.
Costco Employees by Year
Total employees per fiscal year — labels show year-over-year change
Over 10 years (FY2016–FY2025), Costco's workforce grew 5.1% a year while revenue grew 9.8% a year — outpacing headcount, so output per employee rose, a sign of improving operating efficiency.
Understanding Employee Metrics
Employee count is the total headcount Costco reports in its annual filing, typically as of the fiscal year-end; where a company reports them, the figure includes part-time and seasonal staff, which can make retail and consumer headcounts swing with the calendar. Revenue per employee (revenue ÷ headcount) and net income per employee gauge workforce productivity — the higher and the more steadily they rise, the more output each employee generates. Comparing headcount growth with revenue growth shows operating leverage: revenue outpacing hiring means rising productivity, while headcount outpacing revenue can signal margin pressure. Productivity varies enormously by business model, so it is most meaningful compared with sector peers rather than across industries.
Costco Workforce Productivity
| Fiscal Year | Employees | YoY | Revenue / Employee | Net Income / Employee |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025 | 341,000 | +2.4% | $807.1K | $23.8K |
| FY2024 | 333,000 | +5.4% | $764.1K | $22.1K |
| FY2023 | 316,000 | +3.9% | $766.7K | $19.9K |
| FY2022 | 304,000 | +5.6% | $746.6K | $19.2K |
| FY2021 | 288,000 | +5.5% | $680.3K | $17.4K |
| FY2020 | 273,000 | +7.5% | $610.8K | $14.7K |
| FY2019 | 254,000 | +3.7% | $601.2K | $14.4K |
| FY2018 | 245,000 | +6.1% | $577.9K | $12.8K |
| FY2017 | 231,000 | +6.0% | $558.5K | $11.6K |
| FY2016 | 218,000 | +6.3% | $544.6K | $10.8K |
| FY2015 | 205,000 | +5.1% | $566.8K | $11.6K |
| FY2014 | 195,000 | +6.0% | $577.6K | $10.6K |
| FY2013 | 184,000 | +5.7% | $571.5K | $11.1K |
| FY2012 | 174,000 | +89.1% | $569.8K | $9.8K |
| FY2011 | 92,000 | +12.2% | $966.5K | $15.9K |
| FY2010 | 82,000 | +3.8% | $950.6K | $15.9K |
| FY2009 | 79,000 | +5.3% | $904.1K | $13.7K |
| FY2008 | 75,000 | +7.1% | $966.4K | $17.1K |
| FY2007 | 70,000 | -44.9% | $920.0K | $15.5K |
| FY2006 | 127,000 | +7.6% | $473.6K | $8.7K |
| FY2005 | 118,000 | +4.4% | $448.6K | $9.0K |
| FY2004 | 113,000 | +9.7% | $425.7K | $7.8K |
| FY2003 | 103,000 | +12.0% | $413.1K | $7.0K |
| FY2002 | 92,000 | +7.0% | $421.3K | $7.6K |
| FY2001 | 86,000 | +10.3% | $404.6K | $7.0K |
| FY2000 | 78,000 | +11.4% | $412.4K | $8.1K |
| FY1999 | 70,000 | +11.1% | $392.2K | $5.7K |
| FY1998 | 63,000 | +10.5% | $385.2K | $7.3K |
| FY1997 | 57,000 | +7.5% | $383.8K | $5.5K |
| FY1996 | 53,000 | +1.9% | $369.2K | $4.7K |
| FY1995 | 52,000 | +10.6% | $344.3K | $2.6K |
| FY1994 | 47,000 | — | $350.7K | -$2.4K |
Per-employee figures use annual revenue and net income divided by fiscal year-end headcount. Dashes mark years without a matching income statement.
How Costco Compares — Revenue per Employee
Costco versus related companies, each at its latest reported fiscal year. Higher revenue per employee means more output per person — most meaningful within the same sector.
Revenue per employee = latest annual revenue ÷ fiscal year-end headcount. Costco is highlighted.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many employees does Costco have?
Is Costco hiring or cutting staff?
What is Costco's revenue per employee?
Unlock Full Analysis
Get the complete 10-year financial history with interactive charts and growth analysis.
Related Stocks
Amazon (AMZN)
Broadline Retail
Net income surged 31.1% to $77.67B in FY2025.
Walmart (WMT)
Consumer Staples Merchandise Retail
Returned $15.60B to shareholders via dividends and buybacks.
Coca-Cola Company (KO)
Soft Drinks & Non-alcoholic Beverages
Net profit margin of 27.3% — highly profitable.
Dollar General (DG)
Consumer Staples Merchandise Retail
Dollar Tree (DLTR)
Consumer Staples Merchandise Retail
Philip Morris International (PM)
Tobacco