Walmart & Target Starting Wages (2026)
Starting hourly pay by position and state at two of the largest US retailers. These are entry/base rates — the low end of each posted range.
Walmart starting wages by position
Statewide starting rates (low end of the company role range).
| Position | Starting | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Team Associate | $14.00/hr | Statewide (CA, TX, FL, NY, AZ, NV) |
| Micro Sales Associate | $14.50/hr | TX |
| Fashion Team Associate | $14.50/hr | TX |
| Distribution / Fulfillment | $17.85/hr | Statewide |
| Team Lead | $19.00/hr | Statewide |
| Pharmacy Technician | $22.00/hr | Nationwide average |
| Pharmacy Operations Team | $28.00/hr | Nationwide average |
Walmart posts these as company role ranges; the figures above are the starting (minimum) rate. Top-of-range for team associate reaches about $37/hr and distribution up to $40.40/hr.
Target starting wages by location
Target starting pay is location-specific — here are posted starting rates by city.
| Position | Location | Starting |
|---|---|---|
| Guest Advocate / GM / Inbound | South Lake Tahoe, CA | $20.00/hr |
| Guest Advocate / Cashier | Los Angeles, CA | $19.50/hr |
| Guest Advocate / GM / Inbound | Los Angeles, CA | $19.25/hr |
| Guest Advocate / Cashier | New York City, NY | $19.25/hr |
| Guest Advocate / Fulfillment | Costa Mesa, CA | $18.50/hr |
| Guest Advocate / Cashier | Folsom, CA | $18.25/hr |
| Guest Advocate / Inbound | Long Island City, NY | $18.75/hr |
| Guest Advocate / Fulfillment | Rolling Hills Estates, CA | $18.75/hr |
| Guest Advocate / Cashier | Santa Barbara, CA | $18.75/hr |
| Guest Advocate / Cashier | Westbury, NY | $18.00/hr |
| Guest Advocate / Cashier | Amherst, NY | $17.25/hr |
| Guest Advocate / Cashier | Liberty Hill, TX | $16.50/hr |
| Guest Advocate / Fulfillment | Austin, TX | $16.50/hr |
| Guest Advocate / Cashier | Dallas, TX | $16.00/hr |
| Guest Advocate / Cashier | Fort Lauderdale, FL | $16.00/hr |
| Guest Advocate / Cashier | Coral Springs, FL | $16.00/hr |
| Guest Advocate / Cashier | Winter Garden, FL | $15.75/hr |
| Guest Advocate / Cashier | Grapevine, TX | $15.50/hr |
| Hourly Team Member | Nationwide | $15.00/hr |
Target's nationwide hourly team member range is $15-$24/hr; the figures above are posted starting rates by market.
Walmart vs. Target: starting pay at a glance
For general entry roles, Target's location-based starting pay ($15.50-$20/hr) often edges out Walmart's base team associate rate (~$14/hr). But Walmart's specialized starting roles — team lead ($19), pharmacy tech ($22), pharmacy ops ($28) — start higher than Target's entry positions.
What retail starting pay looks like after taxes
Take-home on common retail starting rates (single filer, 40 hrs/week), California vs. a no-tax state like Texas:
| Starting rate | Annual gross | CA take-home | TX take-home |
|---|---|---|---|
| $14/hr (Walmart associate) | $29,120 | ~$24,700 | ~$25,400 |
| $15/hr (Target min) | $31,200 | ~$26,300 | ~$27,100 |
| $17.85/hr (WM distribution) | $37,128 | ~$30,700 | ~$31,800 |
| $19/hr (WM team lead) | $39,520 | ~$32,500 | ~$33,700 |
| $22/hr (WM pharmacy tech) | $45,760 | ~$37,200 | ~$38,800 |
Estimates include federal tax, Social Security, and Medicare; CA adds state tax and SDI. Excludes benefits and retirement.
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