Amazon Raises U.S. Starting Pay To $20 And Adds Grocery Discounts
Amazon announced on September 16, 2026 it will raise starting pay for full-time U.S. operations workers to $20 an hour, up from $19, and add grocery discounts for employees.[1]
The company said the raise will lift average pay for its workers to $24 an hour.[1] Starting Oct. 1, all U.S. employees get 10% off eligible fresh groceries online and 20% off in-store at Whole Foods.[1] Amazon will offer employee access to First Tech Federal Credit Union memberships beginning in late 2026, and those memberships can be extended to spouses and children even after employment ends.[1] The company employs about 1.5 million workers in total.
Before the change, Amazon's starting U.S. operations pay was $19 an hour.[1] The company said the steps are part of expanded employee benefits for its operations workforce.[1]
Show source details & analysis (1 source)
📌 Key Facts
- On September 16, 2026, Amazon announced it will raise its minimum starting pay for full-time U.S. operations workers to $20 an hour, up from $19.
- Amazon says the raise will lift average pay for its workers to $24 an hour.
- Starting October 1, 2026, all U.S. employees get 10% off eligible fresh groceries online and 20% off in-store at Whole Foods.
- Amazon will offer employee access to First Tech Federal Credit Union memberships beginning in late 2026, extendable to spouses and children even after employment ends.
- The company employs about 1.5 million workers in total, according to FactSet.
📰 Source Timeline (1)
Follow how coverage of this story developed over time