As of Aug 30, 2026, Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST) reports 355,000 employees, an increase of 14,000 people (+4.1%) from the 341,000 reported a year earlier.
Employees · 2026
355,000
reported
1-year change
+4.1%
+14,000 since 2025
5-year change
+23.3%
+67,000 since 2021
Source: Costco Wholesale Corporation SEC filings
Since 2012, Costco Wholesale Corporation's workforce has grown from 96,000 to 355,000 employees — a 3.7× increase, compounding at 9.8% per year. Its largest expansion came in 2021, when headcount rose by 132,000 (+84.6%). The company has not reported a year-over-year headcount reduction in the period shown.
| Fiscal year | Period end | Employees | Change | YoY | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 355,000 | +14,000 | +4.1% | Filing | |
| 2025 | 341,000 | +8,000 | +2.4% | Filing | |
| 2024 | 333,000 | +17,000 | +5.4% | Filing | |
| 2023 | 316,000 | +12,000 | +3.9% | Filing | |
| 2022 | 304,000 | +16,000 | +5.6% | Filing | |
| 2021 | 288,000 | +132,000 | +84.6% | Filing | |
| 2020 | 156,000 | +7,000 | +4.7% | Filing | |
| 2019 | 149,000 | +6,000 | +4.2% | Filing | |
| 2018 | 143,000 | +10,000 | +7.5% | Filing | |
| 2017 | 133,000 | +7,000 | +5.6% | Filing | |
| 2016 | 126,000 | +9,000 | +7.7% | Filing | |
| 2015 | 117,000 | +5,000 | +4.5% | Filing | |
| 2014 | 112,000 | +9,000 | +8.7% | Filing | |
| 2013 | 103,000 | +7,000 | +7.3% | Filing | |
| 2012 | 96,000 | +4,000 | +4.3% | Filing |
Costco Wholesale Corporation has 355,000 employees as of Aug 30, 2026, according to its SEC filings.
Costco Wholesale Corporation added 14,000 employees in the year ending Aug 30, 2026 (+4.1%), going from 341,000 to 355,000.
Over the last five reported years, Costco Wholesale Corporation's employee count went from 288,000 (2021) to 355,000 (2026), a change of +23.3%.
Employee counts are as reported by Costco Wholesale Corporation in reports filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), primarily the human capital disclosures in its annual Form 10-K.
Employee counts are as reported by Costco Wholesale Corporation in filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission — primarily the human capital disclosures required in annual reports (Form 10-K). Figures are shown at each fiscal period end and may include part-time employees where the company reports them together.
Last updated from a filing dated . This page refreshes automatically when new filings post.