Does Amazon Give Pay Raises in 2026? How Reviews Work

Yes, Amazon gives pay raises, but there is no single raise schedule for every employee. In the United States, Amazon says hourly fulfilment and transportation employees have an annual step plan, and its September 2025 investment increased average base pay to more than $23 per hour. Corporate, technical, salaried, seasonal and third-party roles follow different compensation processes.

Your actual raise depends on role, location, tenure, performance, pay band, employment type and current business decisions. A company-wide average is not a promise to an individual employee.

Table Of Contents

How raises work for hourly Amazon employees

Amazon's 2025 U.S. operations announcement says it has an annual step plan under which pay increases each year an employee is with the company. Amazon also said it adjusted that plan so annual increases would be larger than before.

The announcement covered U.S. fulfilment and transportation employees, not every Amazon worker globally. Amazon said some of its most-tenured employees would receive an increase between $1.10 and $1.90 per hour, while full-time employees would see an average annual increase of about $1,600. Those figures describe that specific 2025 action, not a permanent formula for future raises.

What is the current average pay?

Amazon's September 2025 pay announcement says average pay for U.S. fulfilment and transportation employees increased to more than $23 per hour. It put average total compensation above $30 per hour when including the value of elected benefits.

Base wage and total compensation are different. Health coverage, retirement contributions, paid leave, education benefits and other programs can have value, but they are not cash in the hourly rate and eligibility varies by hours, location, tenure and worker type.

Does everyone get the same raise?

No. Step-plan increases can vary by site and tenure, while market adjustments may target particular locations or roles. An employee already at a step-plan maximum may have a different outcome from a new hire. Shift differentials and temporary premiums can also change total hourly earnings without changing base pay permanently.

Use the pay statement, employee portal and site HR communication for the effective rate and date. Coworker reports from another building or state may not apply.

How do salaried and corporate raises work?

Salaried compensation is typically reviewed through role- and performance-based processes rather than the frontline hourly step plan. A package may include base salary, sign-on cash and restricted stock units, with the mix changing over time.

A performance review does not automatically guarantee a base-salary increase. Position in the pay range, promotion status, business budget, local market and the value and vesting schedule of equity can all matter. Employees should read the current compensation statement rather than comparing base salary alone.

Do seasonal workers get raises?

Seasonal and temporary workers may receive site-specific wage changes or premiums, but they should not assume the same tenure step, benefits or conversion opportunities as regular employees. The written job offer and current employee policy control.

A temporary peak-season premium can expire. Check whether a posted amount is base pay, shift differential, sign-on incentive or limited-duration premium before treating it as a permanent raise.

Does a promotion include a raise?

A move to a higher-level role commonly comes with a compensation review, but the amount and mix depend on the new role and pay band. Do not rely on the job title alone. Request the written offer or compensation-change notice and check:

new base rate or salary;
effective date and pay period;
shift differential or overtime eligibility;
bonus or sign-on repayment conditions;
equity grant and vesting schedule; and
whether location or employment status changes.

What if your pay did not change?

Read the official site or role announcement and confirm that your worker group is included.
Check the stated effective date; payroll can reflect a change after the announcement.
Compare base pay separately from differentials, overtime and one-time bonuses.
Review the employee portal and current compensation notice.
Ask your manager or HR/PXT for the policy that applies to your site, level and tenure.
If a written rate is missing from payroll, keep the offer, notice and pay statements and use the documented payroll-escalation route.

Ask a specific question—such as “What step and effective date apply to my role?”—rather than relying on a broad rumour that “everyone got a raise.”

Can you negotiate an Amazon raise?

Negotiability differs by role. Standard hourly step plans may leave little room for individual negotiation, while a salaried transfer or external offer can involve a compensation discussion within a pay range.

Build the case around documented scope, results, skills, market data and the responsibilities of the target role. Avoid threatening or misstating another offer. If the organization cannot change base pay, ask whether promotion timing, level, location, shift, equity or a development plan is relevant.

Pay raise vs. benefits change

Amazon's 2025 investment combined wages with lower health-plan costs beginning in 2026. A cheaper employee premium can improve take-home economics, but it is not the same as a higher base wage. Likewise, free Prime, Career Choice, retirement match and paid leave can be valuable only when the employee is eligible and uses them.

Compare the complete package, but keep the categories separate so that an advertised total-compensation average is not mistaken for hourly cash pay.

Are Amazon Flex and DSP drivers included?

Amazon Flex delivery partners are independent contractors and accept app offers; they are not employees covered by Amazon's employee step plan. Delivery Service Partner drivers are generally employed by local delivery companies, so their wage reviews come from that employer even when they deliver Amazon packages.

This distinction is crucial when reading a headline about “Amazon drivers.” Confirm the legal employer shown on the offer letter and pay statement.

Bottom line

Amazon does give raises. Its U.S. hourly fulfilment and transportation workforce has an annual step plan, and the company announced another large wage-and-benefit investment in September 2025. But there is no universal amount or date covering every Amazon employee.

Verify your worker group, site, tenure step, effective date and base rate through the current employee portal, written notice or HR/PXT. Separate base pay from shift premiums, bonuses, equity and benefits, and do not treat national averages or another site's experience as an individual guarantee.