Thinking about a career with a major retailer like Ross Stores, Inc.? Whether you're aiming for a first job in one of their "Dress for Less" locations or a strategic corporate role, understanding your potential earnings is a crucial first step. A career at Ross can range from an entry-level hourly position paying around $15 per hour to a senior corporate role with a salary well over $150,000 annually.
This guide will break down the salary landscape at Ross, exploring the typical compensation for various roles and the key factors that will influence your paycheck.
What Does a Ross Employee Do?
Before diving into the numbers, it's important to understand that "Ross employee" is not a single job title. As a Fortune 500 company and the largest off-price apparel and home fashion chain in the U.S., Ross offers a vast array of career paths. These generally fall into two main categories:
1. Retail Store & Field Operations: This is the most visible part of the company. Roles here range from part-time Retail Associates who handle customer service, stock, and point-of-sale transactions, to Assistant Store Managers and Store Managers who oversee all store operations, staffing, and financial performance. Above them are District and Regional Managers who supervise multiple locations.
2. Corporate, Buying & Distribution: Behind the scenes, a massive infrastructure supports the stores. This includes corporate headquarters (located in Dublin, California) and various buying offices and distribution centers. Roles here include Merchandise Buyers, Planners, Financial Analysts, IT Specialists, Human Resources professionals, and Supply Chain and Logistics coordinators.
Your salary will depend entirely on which of these paths you pursue.
Average Ross Employee Salary
Compensation at Ross varies significantly by role, responsibility, and location. Let's examine some of the most common positions, using recent data from leading salary aggregators.
- Retail Associate: This is the primary entry-level position in the stores. According to data from Glassdoor and Payscale, a Ross Retail Associate can expect to earn an average hourly wage between $13 and $17 per hour. This often aligns with or slightly exceeds the local minimum wage.
- Assistant Store Manager: Stepping into management brings an increase in pay and responsibility. Salary.com reports that the average salary for an Assistant Store Manager at Ross falls between $48,000 and $65,000 per year, depending on experience and store volume.
- Store Manager: With full responsibility for a store's success, Store Managers see a significant salary jump. Data from Glassdoor indicates that a Ross Store Manager's salary typically ranges from $60,000 to $85,000 annually, with potential bonuses based on performance.
- Warehouse Associate: Working in one of Ross's massive distribution centers is a physically demanding but critical role. Payscale data shows an average hourly wage for a Warehouse Associate is between $16 and $22 per hour.
- Merchandise Planner / Buyer: These highly competitive corporate roles are responsible for selecting the products that end up in stores. These are salaried positions requiring specialized skills. Entry-level analyst or assistant buyer roles may start around $65,000 to $80,000, while experienced Buyers and Planners can earn well over $100,000 to $150,000+ per year, according to Glassdoor salary reports for the retail industry.
Key Factors That Influence Salary
Your specific salary within these ranges is not arbitrary. It's determined by a combination of powerful factors.
### Level of Education
For in-store hourly positions, a high school diploma or equivalent is typically sufficient. However, for management and corporate roles, education plays a vital role. A bachelor's degree in Business, Management, Finance, or Marketing can be a prerequisite for entering management training programs or securing an analyst position at the corporate office. Advanced degrees like an MBA can further accelerate career growth and open doors to senior leadership roles with higher earning potential.
### Years of Experience
Experience is arguably the most significant factor in determining salary at every level.
- In-Store: An experienced retail associate with a proven track record is more likely to be promoted to a lead or supervisory role. A Store Manager with a decade of experience running high-volume stores will command a higher salary than someone newly promoted to the position.
- Corporate: In the buying and planning offices, experience is everything. An Assistant Buyer learns the ropes, while a Senior Buyer with established vendor relationships and a history of profitable buys is an invaluable asset and is compensated accordingly.
### Geographic Location
Where you work matters. Ross adjusts its pay scales to reflect the local cost of living. An employee at the corporate headquarters in Dublin, California—a high-cost area—will have a higher base salary than an employee in a similar role in a lower-cost state like Texas or Ohio. Store associate wages are also benchmarked against the prevailing local market and minimum wage laws.
### Department or Business Unit
Salaries are structured differently across the company's divisions. A role in the IT department focused on cybersecurity will have a different (and likely higher) pay scale than a role in store operations with similar years of experience. Highly technical or revenue-generating departments like Merchandising, Finance, and Supply Chain Analytics often offer some of the highest salaries within the corporate structure due to the specialized skills required.
### Area of Specialization
Within a department, specialization can further boost your earnings. For example, a generalist HR role is compensated differently than a specialist in Talent Acquisition or Compensation & Benefits. In the stores, a manager with a strong specialization in Loss Prevention may earn a premium for their ability to protect the company's assets and improve profitability.
Job Outlook
While the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) does not track data for Ross specifically, we can look at the outlook for key retail professions to understand the broader trends.
- For Retail Salespersons, the BLS projects a slight decline in employment of 2% from 2022 to 2032. However, the sheer size of the retail industry means there will still be hundreds of thousands of job openings each year due to workers retiring or transferring to different occupations.
- For First-Line Supervisors of Retail Sales Workers (like Assistant Managers and Store Managers), the outlook is more stable, with growth projected to be about as fast as the average for all occupations.
- For corporate roles like Buyers and Purchasing Agents, the BLS projects a 2% growth, which is considered about average.
The off-price retail sector, in which Ross is a leader, has historically shown resilience during economic downturns, suggesting a stable employment base for those who build a career within the company.
Conclusion
A career at Ross offers a wide spectrum of opportunities with correspondingly diverse salary potential.
Key Takeaways:
- Wide Salary Range: Compensation can span from local minimum wage for part-time associates to well into the six figures for experienced corporate professionals.
- Role is Everything: Your specific job title—be it Retail Associate, Store Manager, or Merchandise Buyer—is the single biggest determinant of your pay.
- Growth is Possible: Ross provides a clear path for advancement, from an entry-level store position to multi-unit management or from a corporate analyst to a senior leader.
- Your Value is Key: Your earnings will ultimately reflect the value you bring through your experience, education, location, and specialization.
For anyone considering a job with Ross, the opportunities are plentiful. By understanding the salary structure and the factors that drive it, you can strategically plan your career path and maximize your earning potential within one of America's leading retail giants.