What the Sunday premium does to a single week| Base rate | Regular shift | Sunday shift | Difference |
|---|
| $17 an hour | $136 | $216 | $80 |
| $19 an hour | $152 | $232 | $80 |
| $21 an hour | $168 | $248 | $80 |
All figures are gross pay for an eight-hour shift, with the Sunday shift including the $10 premium.
What benefits do Trader Joe's crew members get?
Crew members get a 20 percent store discount, health coverage at 30 hours a week, and a retirement contribution the company funds without a match. The Trader Joe's What We Offer page lists the discount for all crew members and medical, dental and vision plans for eligible crew.
Eligibility runs on hours averaged over designated measurement periods, so a part-time crew member working two shifts a week can qualify if the average reaches 30 hours a week.
The retirement plan works the same way, with the company contributing up to 10 percent of annual earnings for eligible crew once they pass roughly 700 hours a year.
Because the test looks at averages rather than a fixed contract, one extra shift a month can move a crew member from ineligible to eligible inside a measurement period. Ask the store manager when the next measurement date falls.
- Up to 20 percent discount on products in stores
- Medical, dental and vision plans for eligible crew at 30 average hours
- Company 401(k) contribution of up to 10 percent of earnings
- Paid time off, paid holidays and sick time
- Flexible scheduling, with shifts picked up inside the store
How does Trader Joe's crew pay compare with other grocers?
Trader Joe's sits in the middle of the grocery pack on base pay, and on top of it on Sunday work. Comparing published starting bands, Trader Joe's starts around $16 to $20 an hour.
Whole Foods and Aldi sit at $15 to $18, and Costco starts closer to $18.50 to $20 with time and a half on Sundays.
The difference is the premium. Target and Aldi pay no Sunday premium, while Trader Joe's adds $10 an hour. For a crew member who can work Sundays, that can mean more per hour than a cashier earning the same base rate elsewhere.
Benchmarks from BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics for May 2025 put retail salespersons at a $17.02 median hourly wage, cashiers at $15.81 and fast food workers at $15.00, which is why the Trader Joe's band sits slightly above the retail average.
Crew starting pay across grocery and food chains| Employer | Starting band | Sunday pay | Store discount |
|---|
| Trader Joe's | $16 to $20 an hour | $10 premium | 20 percent |
| Whole Foods Market | $15 to $18 an hour | None | 20 percent |
| Aldi | $15 to $18 an hour | None | None |
| Costco Wholesale | $18.50 to $20 an hour | Time and a half | Membership only |
| Target | $15 to $17.50 an hour | None | 10 percent |
How much do Trader Joe's crew members make per week and per year?
At the $18 an hour median, a full-time 40 hour week pays $720 gross, or $37,440 across 52 weeks. Most crew schedules are built in four-hour blocks, so many workers land between 20 and 35 hours a week by choice rather than by contract.
A 24 hour week at the median pays $432, and 30 hours pays $540. Add four Sunday shifts a month and a crew member adds roughly $320 to the monthly total without adding a weekday shift.
Rates and schedules are set store by store, so the posting for your local store is the number that counts. A crew member working 40 hours at the top of the posted band earns more than the median figure above.
Compare that with a weekday schedule elsewhere. A cashier job at $17 an hour for 32 hours a week earns $27,840 a year, below what a Trader Joe's crew member earns on 30 hours plus four Sunday shifts.
Gross pay for a Trader Joe's crew member at $18 an hour| Schedule | Weekly gross | Annual gross |
|---|
| 24 hours a week | $432 | $22,464 |
| 30 hours a week | $540 | $28,080 |
| 40 hours a week | $720 | $37,440 |
| 40 hours plus 8 Sunday hours | $800 | $41,600 |
What is the difference between a crew member and a mate?
The mate role, which is the assistant store manager job, pays $24 to $30 an hour and is filled from inside the store. An employer-provided Mate posting in Newark, Delaware, lists that band, which is roughly $5 an hour above the top of the crew range.
Crew members are promoted into mates, which normally means moving to a full-time schedule. The store manager sits above the mate, and the chain is known for filling those roles internally, so a crew member who masters a section and leads a shift has a clear next step.
Reviews happen twice a year, and crews who take on more responsibility move up the band faster than those who stay on one task. That is the practical difference between a $17 crew job and a $25 mate job at the same store.
The step is usually visible on the schedule rather than the headline rate. A mate covers open and close, which means more hours at the higher rate, and a crew member who moves up often sees annual pay jump by more than the hourly gap suggests.
What does it take to get hired at Trader Joe's?
No prior grocery experience is required, because the chain trains crew on the job and schedules people for availability rather than for a fixed shift. Most stores are open from early morning to evening, seven days a week, which is why Sunday shifts are always on offer.
Applications go through the company's own careers site, and each posting carries that store's pay band, so the range on the listing is the range you are considered for. Part-time availability is common, and the chain is known for flexible shifts picked up inside the store.
Apply with the days and times you actually want. Crew members who can cover weekends and holidays are the ones most likely to get the Sunday premium hours, and those hours are worth more than a standard raise.
How can a Trader Joe's crew member earn more over time?
Three levers matter: learn sections, pick up Sunday hours, and move up the band. Each is available inside the store, and none of them requires a new application.
- Master more sections, since reviews reward versatility
- Pick up Sunday shifts, which add $10 an hour to every hour worked
- Move toward a mate role at $24 to $30 an hour
- Stay above 700 hours a year to keep the company retirement contribution
Keep a record of your hours, because benefit eligibility and the company 401(k) contribution both depend on the average you post over the measurement period. A crew member at 30 hours a week is closer to the full package than one at 20, even when the hourly rate is identical.
Pay bands, premiums and benefit eligibility change with each hiring cycle and vary by store. Check the posting for your local store and the Trader Joe's What We Offer page before you apply.
Next steps
Compare the posted band for your nearest store rather than a national average, and work out which shifts carry a premium before you accept.
Photo: ElasticComputeFarm, Pixabay Content License, via Pixabay (https://pixabay.com/photos/supermarket-stalls-coolers-market-949913/)
Fazlur Rahman
