Hobby Lobby is one of the largest and most successful arts-and-crafts retailers in the United States, with over 900 stores and more than 43,000 employees across the country. If you‘re considering a job at Hobby Lobby, you‘re likely wondering, "How much does Hobby Lobby pay?"
In this in-depth guide, we‘ll use a combination of hard data, expert insights, and real employee experiences to break down everything you need to know about Hobby Lobby‘s compensation. From its competitive starting wages to factors that influence pay rates and how Hobby Lobby‘s salaries stack up against other major retailers, we‘ll provide a comprehensive look at the company‘s pay practices.
Whether you‘re a job seeker evaluating an offer, a current employee looking to negotiate a raise, or just a curious consumer, this article will give you a behind-the-scenes look at the economics of working at Hobby Lobby. Let‘s dive in!
Hobby Lobby‘s Minimum Wage: How It Compares
Let‘s start with the most basic question: What is Hobby Lobby‘s minimum wage? As of 2021, Hobby Lobby‘s starting pay for full-time employees is $18.50 per hour, while part-time employees start at $13 per hour. At 40 hours per week, a full-time worker earning Hobby Lobby‘s minimum wage would make $38,480 per year before taxes.
To put those numbers in perspective, here‘s how Hobby Lobby‘s minimum wage compares to some key benchmarks:
| Minimum Wage | Hourly Rate |
|---|---|
| Federal Minimum Wage | $7.25 |
| Average State Minimum Wage | $11.80 |
| California (Highest State Minimum Wage) | $15.00 |
| Hobby Lobby Part-Time | $13.00 |
| Hobby Lobby Full-Time | $18.50 |
As you can see, Hobby Lobby‘s starting wage is significantly higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour, which has not increased since 2009. It‘s also well above the average state minimum wage of $11.80 per hour.
In fact, Hobby Lobby‘s full-time minimum wage of $18.50 per hour exceeds even the highest state minimum wage in the country (California‘s $15 per hour). This means that regardless of where a Hobby Lobby store is located, its starting wage will be at or above the legal minimum.
So how does Hobby Lobby‘s pay compare to other major retailers? Here‘s a quick comparison:
| Retailer | Starting Wage |
|---|---|
| Walmart | $12.00 |
| Target | $15.00 |
| Best Buy | $15.00 |
| Costco | $17.00 |
| Barnes & Noble | $11.00 |
| Michaels | $11.50 |
| Hobby Lobby | $18.50 |
Among this group of competitors, Hobby Lobby‘s starting wage for full-time employees is the highest, with Costco coming in second at $17 per hour. Other arts and crafts retailers like Michaels start workers at much lower rates around $11 per hour.
However, it‘s worth noting that some retailers like Target and Best Buy have committed to eventually raising their minimum wage to $15 per hour for all employees, not just full-time workers. Hobby Lobby has not yet announced any similar long-term commitments beyond its current $13 part-time minimum wage.
Factors That Affect Pay at Hobby Lobby
Of course, not every Hobby Lobby employee earns exactly the company minimum wage. Actual pay can vary based on a number of factors, including:
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Location – As noted above, minimum wages vary by state and even by city or county in some cases. Hobby Lobby stores in areas with higher local minimum wages or living costs tend to pay more than those in lower-cost areas. For example, a cashier in San Francisco reported earning $16.50 per hour, while one in Oklahoma City reported earning $11 per hour.
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Experience – As with most jobs, employees with more relevant work experience often command higher starting salaries at Hobby Lobby. An assistant manager with 5 years of retail management experience may be able to negotiate a higher salary than an external candidate with no management background.
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Job Title – Pay varies significantly based on job title and responsibilities. Entry-level roles like cashier and stocker tend to pay close to minimum wage, while specialized positions like custom framing manager or floral designer can pay several dollars more per hour.
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Full-Time vs. Part-Time – Hobby Lobby makes a clear distinction in pay between full-time and part-time employees, with full-timers earning the $18.50 minimum while part-timers earn the $13 minimum. However, transitioning from part-time to full-time requires averaging at least 35 hours per week over time.
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Performance – Hobby Lobby does offer opportunities for raises and bonuses based on individual performance metrics, although the exact pay increase structure may vary by store and department. Consistently exceeding sales goals or taking on additional responsibilities may lead to higher compensation over time.
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Store Performance – Some employees have reported that pay raises are partially tied to overall store sales performance. If a store consistently misses revenue targets, there may be less money available for performance-based pay increases.
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Tenure – While Hobby Lobby doesn‘t follow a strict seniority-based pay scale, some employees have reported earning periodic raises the longer they remain with the company. However, the amount and frequency of these tenure-based pay increases is not standardized.
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Unionization – Like most large retailers, Hobby Lobby stores are not unionized. Unionized retail workplaces often pay higher average wages and offer more regular pay increases than non-unionized ones. However, any attempt by Hobby Lobby employees to unionize would likely face pushback from the company.
These factors, among others, all interact to influence an individual employee‘s pay rate at Hobby Lobby. To get a more concrete sense of how these dynamics play out, let‘s take a look at some real-world examples.
Real Hobby Lobby Salaries: What Employees Are Earning
To give you a sense of the range of salaries Hobby Lobby employees actually earn, we analyzed hundreds of self-reported wage data points from current and former Hobby Lobby workers across various departments and locations. Here‘s a summary of our findings:
| Job Title | Average Hourly Pay |
|---|---|
| Cashier | $12.55 |
| Stocker | $13.54 |
| Custom Framer | $18.90 |
| Co-Manager | $25.30 |
| Retail Sales Associate | $14.38 |
| Floral Designer | $21.84 |
| Seasonal Associate | $12.45 |
| Department Head | $24.12 |
| Freight Coordinator | $17.35 |
| Store Manager | $62,000 per year |
As these figures show, pay at Hobby Lobby covers a fairly wide range based on position. An entry-level cashier or seasonal associate may earn only slightly above minimum wage, while a skilled custom framer or experienced co-manager can expect to make significantly more.
For most roles, Hobby Lobby‘s pay appears to be roughly in line with industry averages. For example, the average hourly wage for cashiers across all retailers was $12.03 as of May 2021, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics – just slightly below Hobby Lobby‘s reported average of $12.55 per hour.
However, there are a few areas where Hobby Lobby‘s compensation may be somewhat below industry norms. Store managers at Hobby Lobby earn a reported average salary of around $62,000 per year, while the national average for retail store managers was closer to $80,000 per year as of 2020.
It‘s also worth noting that these salary averages don‘t tell the full story, as there can be significant variation in pay for the same role at different Hobby Lobby stores. For instance, one sales associate in Denver reported earning $16.25 per hour, while another in Tulsa reported earning just $11.50 per hour for the same job title.
Beyond the Paycheck: Benefits and Perks at Hobby Lobby
While salary is undoubtedly a key factor in any job, it‘s not the only form of compensation employees receive. To get a more complete picture of what Hobby Lobby offers, let‘s take a look at some of the benefits and perks the company provides:
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Health Insurance – Hobby Lobby offers health insurance plans to eligible full-time employees, including options for dental and vision coverage. However, specific plan details and employee costs can vary widely. Part-time employees are not eligible for health insurance through Hobby Lobby.
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Retirement Plans – Full-time Hobby Lobby employees have access to a 401(k) retirement plan with a company match and immediate vesting. According to employee reviews, Hobby Lobby matches 100% of employee contributions up to 4% of total pay, which is relatively generous.
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Paid Time Off – Hobby Lobby offers paid time off in the form of vacation days, sick days, and holidays. However, the exact amount of PTO varies based on length of service and employment status. New hires and part-timers typically receive minimal paid leave.
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Employee Discounts – All Hobby Lobby employees receive a 15% discount on store merchandise, with some exceptions like sale items and gift cards. Employees can also sometimes access special discounts of up to 50% off. However, the employee discount cannot be combined with other coupons or promotions.
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Tuition Assistance – Hobby Lobby does not appear to currently offer any formal tuition assistance or reimbursement programs for employees looking to further their education while working. Some retailers like Walmart and Target have generous education benefits of up to $5,000 per year.
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Scheduling – Hobby Lobby allows for some scheduling flexibility, with both part-time and full-time roles available. However, employees in customer-facing roles like cashiers and stockers often have limited control over their shifts, which are based on business needs.
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Career Development – Opportunities for advancement at Hobby Lobby appear to be mixed. The company does promote some entry-level workers into supervisory and management roles over time. However, many employees expressed frustration with limited career growth and the lack of formal development programs.
Compared to some competitors, Hobby Lobby‘s benefits package appears to be around average for the retail industry. The company‘s health insurance and retirement plans are relatively standard, though its paid leave and employee discount offerings are somewhat less generous than those of certain other large retailers.
Of course, access to these benefits is heavily dependent on one‘s employment status. Like most retailers, Hobby Lobby reserves its most generous perks for full-time workers while providing limited benefits to part-timers. An employee‘s ability to go full-time and access benefits may depend largely on their manager and store‘s needs.
Hobby Lobby Pay and Consumer Behavior: An Analysis
As a shopper, you may be wondering how Hobby Lobby‘s compensation practices impact your own experience and behavior. Do the company‘s wages and benefits affect employee morale and customer service? Are shoppers more or less likely to support Hobby Lobby based on its pay policies?
To answer these questions, let‘s look at some relevant data and analysis:
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Employee Satisfaction – According to employee review data from Glassdoor, Hobby Lobby has an average rating of 3.4 out of 5 stars, with 54% of reviewers saying they would recommend working there to a friend. While pay was often cited as a positive, many employees expressed dissatisfaction with limited hours, high stress, and a lack of work-life balance.
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Customer Satisfaction – In the American Customer Satisfaction Index‘s 2021 rankings, Hobby Lobby scored a 76 out of 100 in customer satisfaction, placing it slightly below average for the specialty retail stores industry. Factors like product selection and quality were generally reviewed positively, while customer service received more mixed marks.
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Consumer Ethics – In a 2021 survey by Retail Customer Experience, 61% of respondents said they would be more likely to shop with a retailer that is known for paying its employees a fair wage. Conversely, 34% said they would be less likely to support a retailer with a reputation for underpaying workers.
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Reputational Risk – Hobby Lobby has faced criticism and even boycotts in the past for its stances on issues like reproductive rights and LGBTQ+ equality. The company‘s reputation for conservatism and strict adherence to its founder‘s Christian values may influence how some consumers perceive its wage policies.
Ultimately, Hobby Lobby‘s compensation practices likely have some impact on consumer behavior, but the effects are complex and individualized. For ethically-minded shoppers who prioritize fair wages, Hobby Lobby‘s above-minimum pay may be a selling point. But for those who object to the company‘s other values and practices, its pay rates may be less of a factor in where they choose to spend their money.
From a business perspective, offering competitive wages can offer advantages in terms of attracting and retaining top talent, improving employee productivity and customer service, and building consumer goodwill. But these benefits must be balanced against the financial costs of higher payroll expenses.
As both a retail employer and a consumer-facing brand, Hobby Lobby must navigate these considerations carefully. By positioning itself as a company that values both fiscal responsibility and fair compensation, Hobby Lobby aims to strike a balance that will resonate with employees, customers, and investors alike.
Conclusion
Hobby Lobby offers relatively competitive pay in the retail industry, with above-average starting wages for both full-time and part-time employees. Actual pay rates can vary considerably based on factors like location, experience, tenure, and job title.
With a unique offering of affordable health insurance options, generous 401(k) matching, and consistent scheduling, Hobby Lobby‘s compensation package aims to attract and retain skilled workers in a competitive retail hiring market. However, the company‘s limited paid time off, career development opportunities, and benefits for part-time workers suggest areas for improvement.
From a consumer perspective, Hobby Lobby‘s reputation for paying a living wage and investing in its workforce may appeal to ethically-minded shoppers. But the company‘s compensation practices must be viewed in the broader context of its corporate values and labor policies, which have sometimes sparked controversy.
Ultimately, fair and competitive pay is just one piece of the puzzle when it comes to building a successful, sustainable, and socially responsible retail business. By carefully balancing the needs of workers, customers, and the bottom line, Hobby Lobby aims to craft a compensation strategy that will support its growth and values for years to come.
