Costco Wholesale hires most new employees for part-time, entry-level warehouse positions, and the fastest way to apply is through the company’s official careers site, which now runs on the iCIMS hiring platform. Positions such as front-end assistant, food service, member service, and merchandise stocking make up the majority of open roles at any given time.
Pay, hours, and specific job openings vary by warehouse location, but the application process itself is the same nationwide. This guide walks through how to apply, how to log in to check your application, what jobs are typically available, and what Costco pays its hourly workers.
Costco Careers Login (iCIMS)
The Costco careers login page lets applicants track the status of a submitted application, update contact information, or check for interview requests. Since the platform switch, this login lives at careers-costco.icims.com rather than the older Cadient portal.
If you created your profile before the switch to iCIMS, your old login credentials won’t carry over, and you’ll need to register a new account on the current site. Existing iCIMS accounts let you log in with the email address and password you set when you first applied. If you forget your password, the login page has a reset option that sends a recovery link to your email.
Keep in mind that a completed application doesn’t guarantee a login shows constant updates — hiring managers at individual warehouses review candidates on their own timeline, so status changes may take days or weeks to appear.
Types of Costco Jobs: Part-Time, Warehouse, and Corporate
Most Costco hiring happens at the warehouse level, and most of those roles start out part-time. Common entry-level warehouse positions include front-end assistant (cashier and membership desk), food court and bakery staff, merchandise stocker, and tire center technician. These jobs typically offer flexible part-time schedules to start, with many employees moving into full-time hours as positions open up.
Beyond the warehouse floor, Costco also hires for:
- Warehouse management — supervisors and assistant managers who oversee departments or entire locations.
- Corporate roles — accounting, finance, marketing, human resources, and buying positions based mainly at the Issaquah, Washington headquarters or regional offices.
- Information technology — software development, IT support, and data roles supporting Costco’s e-commerce and warehouse systems.
- Distribution and logistics — jobs at regional distribution centers and depots that supply individual warehouses.
Because Costco promotes heavily from within, many managers and department leads started in part-time, entry-level warehouse jobs. If long-term advancement matters to you, applying for a warehouse position is often the practical starting point even if your long-term goal is a corporate or leadership role.
How to Apply for a Job at Costco
You apply for Costco jobs online at careers.costco.com, where you can search open positions by state, city, or zip code and submit an application directly to a specific warehouse or department. Costco moved its hiring system from an older platform called Cadient to iCIMS, so if you applied before late August 2025 and never heard back, you’ll need to submit a new application through the current site.
To apply, you first create a candidate profile with your name, contact information, and basic work history. From there, you can browse open positions and apply to as many as you’re qualified for and interested in. Once submitted, your application stays active for 90 days. If you don’t hear back within that window and you’re still interested, you can reapply.
Costco doesn’t require a resume for most hourly warehouse jobs, though having one ready can help if a hiring manager wants more detail. Corporate, IT, and management-track positions typically do require a resume and sometimes a cover letter.
Costco Pay Scale: What Hourly Workers Earn
Costco’s hourly pay is built around a tenure-based wage scale rather than negotiated rates for each hire, meaning pay generally increases with hours worked rather than through individual raise requests. Following a company-wide pay increase announced in early 2025 and a separate agreement covering Costco’s unionized Teamsters locations, the company’s starting wage rose to $20 an hour for new hourly employees, with additional $1-per-hour increases scheduled for the top of the wage scale in both 2026 and 2027.
| Role | Typical Hourly Range |
|---|---|
| Front-End Assistant / Cashier | $20–$26 |
| Stocker / Merchandise Handler | $20–$25 |
| Food Court / Bakery / Deli | $20–$24 |
| Tire Center / Optical Technician | $20–$28 |
| Forklift Operator (certified) | $21–$28 |
| Department Supervisor | $25–$35 |
These figures are general national ranges and will vary by warehouse, state minimum wage laws, and how long an employee has worked at the company. States with higher cost of living or higher state minimum wages, such as California and Washington, tend to push starting pay above the company-wide floor. Costco also pays time-and-a-half for hours worked on Sundays at many locations, and long-tenured employees can reach the top of the wage scale, which sits well above the entry-level rate. Because pay structures change with new labor agreements, the exact current rate for a specific role and location is best confirmed during the application or interview process.
Finding Costco Careers Near You
Costco careers listings are organized by individual warehouse location rather than one national job board, so the openings you see depend on where you search. On the careers site, you can set your preferred warehouse or enter a zip code to see current openings nearby. Because staffing needs shift throughout the year — especially around the holidays — the specific jobs available in your area can change from week to week, even if the general categories (front end, food service, stocking) stay fairly consistent.
If you don’t see an opening in your exact category right now, checking back periodically or setting your preferred location in your candidate profile can help you catch new postings as they’re added.
How to Fill Out the Costco Job Application
Filling out the Costco application involves a few consistent steps, regardless of which position or location you choose.
- Create your profile. Enter your name, email, phone number, and a password. This becomes your login for future visits.
- Search and select a job. Use the location filter to find openings near your address, since Costco hires warehouse by warehouse rather than through a single centralized pool.
- Complete your work history. List recent jobs, even if they’re unrelated to retail, along with dates and basic duties.
- Answer screening questions. Most listings include short questions about availability, prior experience, and whether you can perform physical tasks like lifting or standing for extended periods.
- Submit and confirm. After submitting, you’ll receive a confirmation, and the position will appear in your candidate profile so you can track it.
Costco selects candidates mainly based on transferable skills, availability, and member service ability rather than requiring extensive retail experience. Some positions may involve a short skills demonstration or a job-related assessment before an offer is made.
Costco Careers for Veterans
Costco offers a dedicated path for military veterans interested in part-time, entry-level warehouse roles. After applying online to a specific location, veterans can also reach out directly to a regional recruiting representative assigned to their state, and Costco has stated it prioritizes veteran applicants for an interview slot early in the hiring process. Contact information for regional veteran recruiting representatives is listed on the official Costco careers resources page and is organized by state.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a Costco application resume required?
No resume is required for most hourly warehouse positions, though one can help you stand out. Corporate and specialized roles usually do expect a resume.
How long does a Costco application stay active?
Submitted applications remain active for 90 days. After that window, you can reapply if you’re still interested and haven’t heard back.
Does Costco hire part-time employees?
Yes. Most new hires start in part-time warehouse roles such as cashier, stocker, or food service, with opportunities to move to full-time hours over time.
What is Costco’s starting pay in 2026?
Costco’s company-wide starting wage is $20 an hour following its 2025 pay agreement, with further increases scheduled through 2027. Actual starting pay can be higher in states with elevated minimum wages.
Can I check my Costco application status online?
Yes. Log in to your candidate profile on the Costco careers site (iCIMS) to see the status of applications you’ve submitted.
What happened to the old Costco job application website?
Costco moved its hiring system from Cadient to iCIMS. Applicants who used the old system and didn’t hear back needed to create a new profile on the current careers site.
Do Costco warehouse jobs require experience?
Most entry-level warehouse positions don’t require prior retail experience. Costco emphasizes transferable skills, availability, and member service ability during hiring.
The Bottom Line
Applying for a job at Costco starts with the company’s official careers site, where most openings are part-time, entry-level warehouse roles like cashier, stocker, and food service. The hiring platform recently changed to iCIMS, so applicants using an old login will need a new profile. Pay starts around $20 an hour company-wide as of the current wage agreement, though exact pay, available roles, and hours vary by warehouse and state. Checking the careers site directly for your local warehouse is the most reliable way to see current openings and confirm up-to-date pay information.