How Much Does Kroger Pay?

Kroger pays its employees on the low end of the scale compared to a few other big-name retailers.

An important question you may want to know the answer to before applying online would be, “How much does Kroger pay its employees? 

This article is all about providing specific information on that, as well as:

  • Minimum hourly pay for entry-level workers
  • Part-time pay
  • What hours you will work and what is considered full-time versus part-time
  • How to call out sick
  • The jobs available at Kroger
  • What shift hours you will be expected to work
  • If and when Kroger gives employees a raise in pay
  • Kroger’s employee dress code
  • Their break policy

What is the Kroger Minimum Wage?

How much does Kroger pay its employees?
Kroger has improved its pay over the last two years but needs to continue that upward trend in order to retain more workers.

Kroger does not have a standard minimum pay rate. It varies from state to state, and it pays its entry-level workers slightly higher than the minimum wage for each individual state. 

For example, in Florida, an entry-level employee would make approximately $9.00 an hour, which is a little higher than the state’s minimum wage of $8.56 per hour. By comparison, the same worker in Colorado or Arizona would make approximately $12.50 an hour to start because the minimum wage in both of those states is $12.00 an hour.

If you have experience in any particular field, your starting pay is negotiable. As an example, while a cashier in Florida with no experience might receive $9 an hour to start, a person with two years of being a cashier may start out at approximately $10.75 an hour.

Kroger part-time pay

The starting pay for a part-time worker here is roughly the same as a full-time worker. It all depends on what your state’s minimum wage is, then calculate approximately $.50 to $1.50 above that number, depending on the amount of experience you have in any particular open position.

As a part-time worker wanting to go full-time, it’s in your best interest to try to be as available as possible so you can fill in for another employee when they miss work. Be as flexible as possible and volunteer to work any and all shifts as they become available.

How many hours is part-time at Kroger?

You are generally supposed to be scheduled for a minimum of 12 hours of work a week. Also, you can expect to work a maximum of 36 to 37 hours a week. However, this varies with each state and district due to different union contracts.

If you are not given enough hours, consult with your local union to see what your options are in order to resolve the situation. Keep in mind some part-time workers can receive over 40 hours of work in a week when they are filling in for other employees who miss work.

Call out sick policy

A common-sense guideline to call out sick at Kroger is to phone your supervisor or someone in management at least 2 hours prior to the start of your scheduled shift. It’s important to write down who you spoke with and at what time you called so you can have better proof that you followed procedures.

Kroger Salaries in Retail Stores

Kroger pay for its employees is dependent on the contracts unions work out with employers in their respective states. The following is a guide that merely reflects the average salaries of its workers. 

It’s impossible to put everyone in a box and say a certain employee is going to make an “X” amount of dollars as a starting hourly wage. This is due to the fact that Kroger does not have any type of standard pay associated with any position.

How much does Kroger pay baggers?

This retail chain pays its baggers slightly above the state’s minimum wage as a starting salary. So, a typical entry-level bagger is going to make about $10.50 an hour. This would amount to approximately $21,840 a year in pay.

Kroger retail clerk pay

A retail clerk makes approximately $10.75 an hour. so, a full-time worker at this position makes approximately $22,360 a year. 

There are many similar positions associated with this job, such as; grocery clerk, produce clerk, deli clerk, meat clerk, bakery clerk, and e-commerce clerk. 

All of these clerk positions have a similar pay structure. 

Cashier pay

The average pay for a Kroger cashier is approximately $12 an hour. This equals about $24,960 a year.

To make this type of salary, you’ll have to have at least two years of experience as a cashier. If you started out as an entry-level worker at Kroger, it would take you approximately 3 to 4 years of cashier experience to make this type of pay.

Kroger pharmacy tech pay

The average hourly wage for a pharmacy tech at Kroger is approximately $13.50 an hour. This is a little bit on the low end if you compare it with other pharmacy technicians in the retail industry. 

Based on the $13.50 per hour figure, the average salary here is approximately $28,080 a year.

Kroger assistant manager salary

Getting hired at this position gives you a chance to earn approximately $55,000 a year.

On the top end of the scale after many years of experience, you can expect to earn somewhere in the neighborhood of $70,000 to $75,000 a year.

Kroger department manager salary

In this position, you’ll be managing a specific department. The average salary for these positions is approximately $21 per hour or $43,680 per year.

Kroger Store Manager salary

A manager in this position can earn anywhere between $51,000 and $123,000 per year. The typical manager who runs a store earns approximately $79,000 a year.

Remember, how much you earn at this position depends on your level of experience and qualifications.

There are a handful of managers in this company who started out working an entry-level job at Kroger and progressed up the ladder of success!

Kroger Distribution Center Pay

Although Kroger has a variety of jobs available at their distribution centers, the average hourly salary for warehouse workers is approximately $14.75 an hour.

This should give you a good starting point if you’re interested in a distribution center position as an hourly worker.

For salaried positions, you can bet they are very consistent with the store salary positions described above.

Kroger pay raise schedule

While some employees who offered reviews on Indeed.com indicated they received a raise after every 6 months of full-time employment, others said they only received one pay raise a year on the anniversary of their hire date.

Additionally, these employees stated they received a raise in increments of anywhere between $.10 cents to $.50 cents.

Once again, this all depends on what your local union contract has agreed upon. It also has a lot to do with the type of position you hold, such as if you are a certain hourly worker or a salaried employee.

What are shift hours like?

Each store has its own different policies but as an example, these may be the shift hours you would have to abide by:

  • 8:00 AM -1:00 PM
  • 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
  • 11:00 AM – 7:00 PM
  • 3:00 PM – 10:00 PM
  • 5:00 PM-10:00 PM
  • 3:00 PM – 11:00 PM
  • 8:00 – 4:00 PM
  • 10:00 – 6:00 PM
  • 12:00 PM – 5:00 PM
  • 12:00 midnight – 8:00 AM
  • 2:00 AM – 10:00 AM

Employee Dress Code

Some Kroger locations issue you uniforms which consist of a blue shirt, black or khaki pants, an apron, and black non-skid shoes for certain departments in order to provide added safety.

However, this is not always the case and Kroger has become somewhat less strict in certain areas. Many employees report they have had to buy their own uniforms and that the only thing provided by the store was the apron.

Generally, tattoos are acceptable as long as they are not offensive, such as something indecent or insulting to others.

Multiple ear piercings are also allowed unless they call undue attention to an employee. In summary, Kroger has loosened up a bit over the last few years and allows its employees to express themselves as individuals in a respectable manner.

Does Kroger pay weekly or biweekly?

Kroger pays you on a biweekly basis either by a direct deposit or a check. The pay period for Kroger begins on a Saturday and ends 14 days later, on the second Sunday after that. Then, on the following Friday is when you get paid.

If you start working at Kroger and you don’t see your paycheck reflected in direct deposit, it’s because it still has not taken effect in the system. In these cases, consult with your human resources department and see if they have a paper check waiting for you.

In rare instances, you may be working there for 5 weeks thinking you haven’t been paid when all along, a paper check was waiting for you in human resources. It may have also been mailed to your home or even the wrong address! Regardless, communicate with your payroll department.

Kroger Break Policy

If you work from 4 to 6 hours during your shift, you are entitled to take one paid 15-minute break during your shift. If you work 7 hours or more on your shift, you will be allowed two of the same breaks. These breaks can be taken one hour after your shift begins.

You can also get an unpaid 30-minute to 1-hour meal break if you work at least a 5-hour shift on any date, depending on what employees agree upon with management. Each store has its own policy.

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