What are Walmart's average wages and how do they compare to SNAP eligibility thresholds?
Executive summary
Walmart’s reported average hourly pay for U.S. associates is in the mid-to-high teens — the company has said its average is over $17.50 per hour and independent reporting has put store-level ranges roughly $14–$19 depending on location [1] [2]. SNAP (food-stamp) eligibility is tied to gross household income at about 130% of the federal poverty line — the Union of Concerned Scientists cites $18,954 for a single person and $39,000 for a family of four as examples of that threshold [3].
1. What Walmart says its wages are — and what outside reports show
Walmart has publicly stated significant wage increases over the last several years, with company communications claiming an average hourly wage above $17.50 for U.S. associates as of early 2025 [1], while investigative and labor-focused outlets report that hourly rates still vary by store and role, commonly falling in a roughly $14–$19 band after recent raises [2]. Older or critical analyses note lower historical averages — for example, prior reporting cited an average of $11.83 per hour for all associates in an earlier period, a figure Walmart disputed as outdated and unrepresentative [4]. Those differences reflect changing corporate pay policy, store-by-store variation, and the mix of part‑time and full‑time staff [2] [4].
2. How SNAP eligibility is calculated (the legal baseline)
Eligibility for SNAP is primarily determined by gross household income limits measured against the federal poverty line; most households must have gross monthly income at or below roughly 130% of poverty after certain deductions to qualify [5]. Policy explanations and advocacy groups use concrete examples: 130% of poverty translates to about $18,954 annually for an individual and about $39,000 for a family of four under the commonly cited figures [3] [5]. The program’s benefit size also depends on net income after allowable expenses, so a household’s headline wage is only part of the calculation [5].
3. Putting Walmart wages and SNAP thresholds side-by-side — simple math
A single worker earning $17.50 per hour at 40 hours a week grosses about $36,400 a year — comfortably above the $18,954 individual threshold and above the 130% threshold for a two‑person or small household in many cases [1] [3]. But that arithmetic shifts quickly: at 25 scheduled hours weekly the same $17.50 rate yields about $22,750 annually, which remains above the single‑person threshold but could leave a household with children under the 130% limit depending on household size and deductions [1] [3]. Moreover, because SNAP rules look at household, not individual, income and apply deductions, a full‑time wage at or above the company average can still leave families eligible or marginal depending on dependents and other income [5].
4. Why so many Walmart employees still appear in SNAP rolls
Multiple federal studies and audits have shown major employers — Walmart and large foodservice chains among them — appear frequently when states list common employers of SNAP or Medicaid recipients, indicating a substantial number of working people rely on benefits despite holding jobs [6] [7] [8]. Analysts underscore that the mix of part‑time schedules, regional wage variation, household size, and benefit rules means headline hourly averages don’t map one‑to‑one to household food security; the GAO and other reports found many SNAP recipients work full time, illustrating that hours and family composition matter as much as hourly pay [6] [8] [1].
5. What this comparison does — and does not — prove
Comparing Walmart’s average or typical hourly pay to SNAP income cutoffs shows both that many individual workers at advertised wage levels would exceed the single‑person poverty‑based threshold if working full time, and that thousands of Walmart-employed households still fall within SNAP eligibility because of part‑time hours, multiple dependents, or regional pay disparities [1] [3] [6]. Reporting and advocacy groups emphasize systemic factors — sectoral wage stagnation, retail scheduling practices, and market concentration — as drivers of dual realities: rising corporate averages alongside persistent reliance on public assistance among employees [2] [3] [9]. Sources differ in framing and intent: corporate statements highlight pay progress, watchdogs and researchers highlight the number of working recipients and public cost implications [4] [6].