How much do 5 below pay? Most store roles land in the low-to-mid teens per hour, with leads and managers paid more by level and location.
If you’re eyeing a job at Five Below, you want a plain answer: what will the paycheck look like. Pay shifts by role, store, and state wage laws, so one number won’t fit each city. Still, you can get a range by pairing role norms with what hiring sites and postings show.
This guide lays out typical hourly ranges for common store roles, what moves pay up or down, and how to check an offer in your area before you accept it.
Pay Snapshot By Role At Five Below Stores
The ranges below set expectations. They come from large pools of employee-reported data and job-posting estimates. Use them as a start, then verify with your local listing and your state minimum wage.
| Role | Typical Hourly Range | What That Role Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Seasonal Associate | $13–$16 | Short-term hiring spikes, quick onboarding, flexible shifts |
| Sales Associate | $13–$16 | Register, recovery, stocking, customer help on the floor |
| Retail Sales Associate | $13–$16 | Similar duties; title can vary by posting |
| Shift Lead | $14–$18 | Opens/closes, cash handling, coaching, break relief |
| Assistant Manager | $16–$20 | Shift leadership, shrink controls, training, task planning |
| Assistant Store Manager | $19–$24 | Daily ops ownership, scheduling input, follow-up on results |
| Store Manager | $25–$33 | Store results, staffing, inventory, compliance, full accountability |
| Freight / Stock Associate | $11–$15 | Truck unload, backroom flow, heavy stocking, early shifts |
Entry roles often sit in the same band, then leadership duties add the bigger bumps. If you want a faster pay lift inside one store, a lead title can matter more than swapping between entry titles.
How Much Do 5 Below Pay? What The Numbers Mean
Online “averages” blend cities, store volume, and hiring seasons. They can also blend part-time and full-time. That’s why a range helps more than a single figure.
Across large employee-reported datasets, store hourly pay often sits around the low teens. One major pay dataset lists an overall hourly average near $13.50, with a wider spread by job title. Job-posting estimates show a similar pattern: store roles in the teens, then higher rates as you move into management.
Use those figures as your baseline, then layer in the two forces that move offers most: local minimum wage and the store’s staffing need.
What Moves Your Hourly Rate Up Or Down
State And City Minimum Wage
Stores must meet wage floors where you live. Federal law sets a baseline for covered workers, and many states and cities set higher rates. If your state minimum wage is above the federal number, that higher figure is the floor for hourly pay in that area. Check the baseline and the rule that the higher rate applies on the U.S. Department of Labor minimum wage page.
Role Scope And Responsibility
Most entry titles share core tasks: ring, stock, face product, and keep aisles shop-ready. Leads and managers pick up duties that can’t be skipped, like safe counts, opening and closing checklists, and directing the task list when the floor gets busy.
Store Volume And Staffing Pressure
Busy stores burn through hours faster. When a location is short staffed, pay can creep up to fill nights, weekends, and holiday weeks. Seasonal hiring can land on the higher side of the usual band in those moments.
Experience That Transfers Cleanly
Hiring managers tend to start you higher when your past work lowers their risk. Cash handling, high-volume register time, truck days, and clean recovery habits all transfer well. Spell out what you did and what you handled per shift.
How To Verify Pay For Your Exact Store
Online numbers give context. Your offer depends on your store. Use this method to pin it down.
Match The Title To The Work
Some listings use “sales associate” and “retail sales associate” as near twins. Scan duties. If it mentions opening, closing, opening access, deposits, or leading tasks, it’s closer to a lead role even if the title says associate.
Compare Two Sources
Pick two big sources and compare. One job-posting estimate source and one employee-report source is enough to spot the band. If your offer sits under both, ask what’s driving it. If it sits over both, ask what extra duties come with it.
Use A Local Market Benchmark
To judge if an offer fits your area, compare it to local retail pay. The Bureau of Labor Statistics tracks wages for retail sales roles and lists a national median hourly wage for retail salespersons. The BLS Retail Sales Workers wage data gives a clean benchmark, then you can adjust for your city’s wage level.
Raises And Promotions: Where Pay Jumps Happen
Retail pay growth is usually stepwise. You may see small increases while you stay in the same role, then a larger jump when you move into a lead or manager lane. Ask when pay reviews happen in that store and what earns a bump.
If you want to move up, volunteer for the work that signals trust: closing checklists, cash handling, truck organization, training new hires, and owning a section of the floor. Those are the stories managers use when they request higher pay.
Part-Time, Full-Time, And Hours In Plain Terms
Five Below stores hire a mix of part-time and full-time staff. Two people can earn the same hourly rate and still take home different weekly pay because schedules differ by store needs and season.
Ask three questions before you agree to a rate:
- How many hours per week does this role get after training?
- How far ahead are schedules posted?
- Do hours dip after peak weeks, like after holidays?
If you need steady income, ask if the store has a core set of shifts that stay stable. If you’re balancing school or another job, ask what days they struggle to staff, since those shifts can be easier to lock in.
Benefits, Perks, And Total Compensation
Hourly pay is what you see first, yet benefits and discounts can change the value of a job. Eligibility can vary by role and hours worked, so ask what applies to your situation.
Common retail benefits can include employee discounts, paid time off for eligible staff, and health plan options for eligible full-time roles. Some stores use training pay for a short window, then move you to the standard rate once you finish the first set of shifts.
If the offer feels tight, ask if there is a path to a lead title, since that can raise pay and often comes with more reliable hours. Ask what skills they want to see in the first 60–90 days, and write it down. It gives you a clear target to work toward and a clean way to ask for a bump once you hit it.
Pay Details To Ask About Before You Say Yes
Overtime Rules
If you’re nonexempt, overtime is tied to hours worked in a workweek under federal rules. Ask how overtime is handled during holiday peaks, since some stores limit it and some approve it only for certain roles.
Hours Per Week And Schedule Stability
Hourly rate is only half the story. A lower rate with steady hours can beat a higher rate with thin scheduling. Ask what a typical week looks like for your role and how many hours new hires tend to get after the first two weeks.
Offer Scenarios And What To Say
Offer At The Local Minimum
That can happen in entry roles. If you have direct retail experience, ask if they can start you one step higher based on cash handling, truck work, or prior lead duties.
Range Posted, Offer At The Bottom
Ask what earns the top of the range. You’re mapping the path. Ask for one concrete target, like covering closes, running truck days, or training new hires.
Higher Offer, Bigger Role
If pay is on the high end, match it to duties. Ask if you’ll handle opening access, close the store, handle deposits, or be the primary closer on certain nights.
Factors That Change What You Take Home
Use the checklist below when you compare offers or plan your next step inside the store.
| Factor | What To Watch | Likely Pay Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Minimum wage in your city | Local rate vs federal baseline | Sets the floor for entry pay |
| Store volume | Long lines, frequent truck, busy weekends | More room to start above the floor |
| Shift type | Closing, weekend blocks, unload shifts | Can mean more hours or higher starting rates |
| Lead duties | Opening/closing, cash handling | Often bumps pay into the upper teens |
| Manager track | Scheduling, coaching, shrink controls | Moves pay into higher bands |
| Tenure | Time in role plus solid attendance | Small step-ups over review cycles |
| Hiring season | Holiday ramp vs slow months | Seasonal spikes can raise starting offers |
Bring a pen, take notes, and confirm details in writing.
Quick Checklist Before You Accept
- Confirm the exact hourly rate and expected weekly hours after training.
- Confirm if the role includes opening access, closing, deposits, or cash office duties.
- Ask when pay reviews happen and what earns an increase.
- Check your city and state minimum wage so you know the legal floor.
- Compare the offer to one employee-report source and one job-posting estimate source.
If you came here asking how much do 5 below pay?, you can now pin it down: start with the role ranges, verify your local wage floor, then match the offer to the duties and hours. That’s the clean way to know if the number in front of you fits your market and your goals.