Amazon Matches Costco's Hourly Wage with $20 Minimum Pay

Amazon has raised its minimum wage for full-time operations workers in the US to $20 per hour, up from $19 previously.

The move applies only to directly employed Amazon workers and does not affect subcontractors, who are often used by the company for last-mile delivery and warehouse jobs.

Average total compensation for these workers now exceeds $32 per hour when benefits such as healthcare coverage and a free Amazon Prime membership are included.

Amazon's hourly wages now match those of Costco, which raised its entry-level pay to $20 last year. They also surpass those of Walmart and Target, which start their employees at $14 and $15 per hour respectively.