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It might be cool to work at an Apple store, but it's not necessarily lucrative. That's the takeaway from this weekend's New York Times story about Apple employees. Among the statistics: Many Apple store employees earn around $25,000 per year, even though they're each pulling in an average of $473,000 per year in sales. Apple is currently the brand that makes more money per square foot than any other company in America, with Tiffany at a distant second, but Tiffany employees are better paid. You'll make more working at Apple than at the Gap, but less than at Lululemon—though you will get good benefits.
Apple gets away with low wages because it offers employees something else: the chance to be part of a brand with a cult following. But it sounds like things are starting to change, at least for certain workers. After the Times started asking about employee wages, Apple told some staffers to expect a serious raise.
· Apple’s Retail Army, Long on Loyalty but Short on Pay [NYT]
· All Apple posts [Racked NY]