Average Hot Topic Salary - Zippia

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Hot Topic salary estimate

$13.53hourly

$28,147 yearlyEntry-level salary$20,000 yearly salaryUpdated December 15, 2025

Hot Topic Salaries Overview

At Hot Topic, employees can expect an average salary of $28,147 per year, which varies based on roles and locations. Popular positions include retail associates and management roles, each with distinct pay scales. For example, retail staff earn approximately $13.53 per hour, while management positions can command significantly higher compensation.

Understanding regional pay differences is essential. For instance, salaries in urban locations tend to be higher due to the cost of living. Hot Topic values its employees by offering competitive compensation and opportunities for growth within the company.

Highest Paying Roles

Some of the top-paying jobs at Hot Topic include managerial and specialized roles. These positions not only offer higher salaries but also come with additional benefits, making them attractive options for job seekers.

Conclusion

For those considering a career at Hot Topic, evaluating salary structures can provide valuable insights into potential earnings and career advancement. Explore available positions today to find a role that resonates with your skills and financial aspirations.

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Highest paying job at Hot Topic

Store Manager - $37,709

See other titlesHighest paying department at Hot Topic

Retail - $32,182

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Highest paying job at Hot Topic

Store Manager - $37,709

See other titlesHighest paying department at Hot Topic

Retail - $32,182

See other departments

What am I worth?

Get your estimate

Highest paying jobs at Hot Topic

The highest paying jobs at Hot Topic are store manager, assistant manager, warehouse worker, and sales representative. Store manager jobs at Hot Topic earn an average yearly salary of $37,709, Hot Topic assistant manager jobs average $33,072, and Hot Topic warehouse worker jobs average $32,799.

The lowest paying Hot Topic roles include cashier and sales associate. Hot Topic cashier average salary is $24,467 per year. So while the average Hot Topic salary is $28,147 there is a big variation in pay depending on the role.

Marketing Coordinator

Highest paying jobs at Hot Topic

Rank	Job title	Average Hot Topic salary	Hourly rate
1	Store Manager	$37,709	$18.13
2	Assistant Manager	$33,072	$15.90
3	Warehouse Worker	$32,799	$15.77
4	Sales Representative	$32,392	$15.57
5	Team Leader	$31,064	$14.93
6	Warehouse Associate	$29,851	$14.35
7	Customer Service Representative	$29,478	$14.17
8	Key Holder	$28,772	$13.83
9	Picker And Packer	$28,175	$13.55
10	Sales Associate	$24,742	$11.90
11	Cashier	$24,468	$11.76

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How much does Hot Topic pay by location?

The average Hot Topic salary varies by location. Hot Topic salaries are the highest in Waterbury, CT, at $30,653 per year. Hot Topic pays the second highest average salary in Industry, CA, at $30,619 per year. It's important to factor in the cost of living when negotiating a salary or choosing a place to work.

Highest paying Hot Topic locations

Rank	Location	Average Hot Topic salary	Hourly rate
1	Waterbury, CT	$30,653	$14.74
2	Industry, CA	$30,619	$14.72
3	Dallas, TX	$27,523	$13.23
4	La Vergne, TN	$27,361	$13.15
5	Centerville, OH	$26,078	$12.54
6	Las Vegas, NV	$25,750	$12.38

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Hot Topic salaries by department

Salaries at Hot Topic vary depending on the department you work in. Hot Topic salaries in the retail department are the highest with an average salary of $32,182. Employees in the warehouse department at Hot Topic receive relatively high salaries as well, with an average salary of $28,777 per year. Departments that don't pay as well at Hot Topic include the sales and the customer service organizational functions, with employees earning average salaries of $24,785 and $27,483, respectively.

Average Hot Topic salary by department

Rank	Department	Average Hot Topic salary	Hourly rate
1	Retail	$32,182	$15.47
2	Warehouse	$28,777	$13.84
3	Customer Service	$27,483	$13.21
4	Sales	$24,786	$11.92

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How much does Hot Topic pay by department?

Best paying Hot Topic sales salaries

Rank	Position	Average Hot Topic salary	Hourly rate
1	Sales Representative	$32,392	$15.57
2	Sales Associate	$24,742	$11.90

Best paying Hot Topic retail salaries

Rank	Position	Average Hot Topic salary	Hourly rate
1	Store Manager	$37,709	$18.13
2	Assistant Manager	$33,072	$15.90
3	Assistant Buyer	$32,434	$15.59
4	Retail Sales Lead	$31,403	$15.10
5	Team Leader	$31,064	$14.93
6	Key Holder	$28,772	$13.83
7	Keyholding Sales Associate	$26,927	$12.95
8	Associate Retailer	$26,650	$12.81
9	Retail Clerk	$26,576	$12.78
10	Cashier	$24,468	$11.76

Best paying Hot Topic warehouse salaries

Rank	Position	Average Hot Topic salary	Hourly rate
1	Inventory Analyst	$43,618	$20.97
2	Warehouse Worker	$32,799	$15.77
3	Forklift Operator	$30,662	$14.74
4	Loader/Unloader	$30,390	$14.61
5	Material Handler	$30,296	$14.57
6	Package Handler	$30,082	$14.46
7	Fulfillment Coordinator	$30,021	$14.43
8	Warehouse Associate	$29,851	$14.35
9	Shipping And Receiving Coordinator	$29,159	$14.02
10	Order Selector	$28,727	$13.81
11	Receiving Clerk	$28,439	$13.67
12	Picker And Packer	$28,175	$13.55
13	Shift Leader	$28,114	$13.52
14	Stocker	$27,999	$13.46
15	Guest Services Team Leader	$27,902	$13.41
16	Order Picker	$27,604	$13.27
17	Scanner	$27,420	$13.18
18	Packer/Shipper	$27,289	$13.12
19	Inventory Control Specialist	$27,191	$13.07
20	Consolidator	$27,006	$12.98

Hot Topic competitors’ average salaries

Average salaries at Hot Topic competitors, like Entertainment Earth, Vitamin Shoppe, and francesca's, vary. Entertainment Earth employees earn the highest salaries, with an average yearly salary of $32,835. The average salary at Vitamin Shoppe is $32,302 per year, and the average salary at francesca's is $31,553 per year.

Company

Highest paying Hot Topic competitors

Rank	Company name	Zippia score	Average salary
1	Entertainment Earth	3.7	$32,835
2	Vitamin Shoppe	4.3	$32,302
3	francesca's	4.0	$31,553
4	GameStop	4.7	$31,519
5	Claire's	4.6	$31,462
6	Payless ShoeSource	4.8	$30,883
7	Aldo	4.1	$30,765
8	Factory Connection	4.2	$30,691
9	Sunglass Hut	3.8	$30,550
10	Five Below	4.5	$30,439
11	SHOE SHOW	4.1	$30,040
12	AmAppInc	4.3	$30,040
13	Tuesday Morning	4.2	$29,849
14	Torrid	4.1	$29,814
15	Jo-Ann Stores	4.2	$29,514
16	MovieStop	3.8	$29,459
17	Fossil	4.5	$29,208
18	Charlotte Russe	4.1	$28,795
19	Lane Bryant	3.4	$28,562
20	Plato's Closet	3.1	$27,655

Recently added Hot Topic salaries

Job	Location	Date added	Salary
Seasonal Sales Associate	Denver, CO	06/28/2025	$39,340
Seasonal Sales Associate	Southaven, MS	06/28/2025	$20,870
Seasonal Sales Associate	Saint Paul, MN	06/28/2025	$23,270
Seasonal Sales Associate	Aurora, IL	06/28/2025	$31,305
Seasonal Sales Associate	Kahului, HI	06/28/2025	$29,218

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What employees say about salary at Hot Topic

Employee reviewsAllShare5.0A zippia user wrote a review on Oct 2024Pros of working at Hot Topic

Learning social skills with both coworkers and customers, learning to improve my team and improve myself for the team

Cons of working at Hot Topic

Slow hours when there's not much to do

Hot Topic benefits

Health benefits and product discounts

What do you like best about Hot Topic's CEO and the leadership team?

Leadership works well with the team to provide the best training that fits best with individuals

How would you improve Hot Topic's culture?

Working better at finding better marketing, the store might be popular and not need much to advertise itself but they could definitely have more to make more appeal to new products coming out.

How did you prepare for the Hot Topic interview?

I prepared by having a confidence build and showing my enthusiasm to work there with liking towards the store

How does your compensation at Hot Topic compare to the industry average?

I do my best to push for sales while continuing to have customer satisfactory which has lead me to progress into the position faster than most

What's the diversity at Hot Topic like?

Working there has increased my knowledge on what is popular and applying that into my work to understand people who come in and be able to understand what they're looking for and provide recommendations

What brings you the most joy at Hot Topic?

Talking to customers and getting to communicate likes to learn new things

Is this useful?4.0A zippia user wrote a review on Apr 2021Pros of working at Hot Topic

I can make my own schedule and they are really flexible.

Cons of working at Hot Topic

I can't advanced from my current position.

Hot Topic benefits

Health benefits and discounts.

Is this useful?5.0A zippia user wrote a review on Nov 2020Pros of working at Hot Topic

Building relationships with customers and turning them into regulars!

Cons of working at Hot Topic

I don't get paid enough to attend school and pay bills.

Hot Topic benefits

The discount!

Is this useful?5.0A zippia user wrote a review on May 2020Pros of working at Hot Topic

I had the opportunity to nerd out with customers and have a good time

Cons of working at Hot Topic

Some days can get irritating and stores can get stuffy

Hot Topic benefits

Having fun with customers and being myself. And discounts for free stuff

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Hot Topic highest paying jobs

• Store Manager
• Assistant Manager
• Warehouse Worker
• Sales Representative
• Team Leader
• Warehouse Associate
• Customer Service Representative
• Key Holder
• Picker And Packer
• Sales Associate
• Cashier

• Companies
• California
• Industry, CA
• Hot Topic
• Hot Topic Salaries

Updated December 15, 2025

Zippia gives an in-depth look into the details of Hot Topic, including salaries, political affiliations, employee data, and more, in order to inform job seekers about Hot Topic. The employee data is based on information from people who have self-reported their past or current employments at Hot Topic. The data on this page is also based on data sources collected from public and open data sources on the Internet and other locations, as well as proprietary data we licensed from other companies. Sources of data may include, but are not limited to, the BLS, company filings, estimates based on those filings, H1B filings, and other public and private datasets. While we have made attempts to ensure that the information displayed are correct, Zippia is not responsible for any errors or omissions or for the results obtained from the use of this information. None of the information on this page has been provided or approved by Hot Topic. The data presented on this page does not represent the view of Hot Topic and its employees or that of Zippia.