Charter’s Starting Minimum Wage Reaches $20 Per Hour Company-Wide

Charter Communications
(Image credit: Charter Communications)

Charter Communications said Wednesday that it is now offering a minimum starting wage of $20 an hour including target commissions to all of its employees across its entire 41 state footprint, fulfilling a pledge it made nearly two years ago.

Charter said in April 2020 that it would permanently raise its minimum starting wage to $20 an hour by 2022, nearly triple the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour at the time. The company raised its minimum starting wage by  $1.50 an hour in 2020 to $16.50 per hour and by another $1.50 an hour in 2021 to $18 per hour

“Our $20-an-hour starting wage is an important investment in our highly skilled employees, who deliver connectivity and entertainment to more than 32 million customers,” Charter chairman and CEO Tom Rutledge said in a press release. “Providing strong, competitive wages from day one, comprehensive benefits and dozens of progression paths make Charter a place to build a fulfilling technology career, not just come to work.”

To highlight the breadth of available careers at Charter, the company’s Careers site is featuring 20 current openings with starting wages of $20 an hour. Overall, Charter said it is looking to fill 2,500 positions across its 41-state service area. 

In 2021, Charter said it promoted more than 13,000 employees, and nearly 2,200 employees returned to the cable company’s employ after accepting positions elsewhere. Candidates can learn more about open positions, more than 50 different available career paths and apply online at the company’s Careers site.

Charter has about 93,000 total employees across the country. In addition to a $20 minimum starting wage, Charter offers comprehensive health benefits, and for nine consecutive years has absorbed the full annual cost increase of medical, dental and vision coverage. The company said it also offers employees a retirement plan, with a 401(k) that matches the first 6% of employee contributions, plus a Retirement Accumulation Plan with an additional 3% company contribution, for which most employees are eligible.

Charter employees can also receive up to $5,250 per year in education assistance, as well as complimentary and discounted pricing on Spectrum Internet, TV and Mobile

Mike Farrell

Mike Farrell is senior content producer, finance for Multichannel News/B+C, covering finance, operations and M&A at cable operators and networks across the industry. He joined Multichannel News in September 1998 and has written about major deals and top players in the business ever since. He also writes the On The Money blog, offering deeper dives into a wide variety of topics including, retransmission consent, regional sports networks,and streaming video. In 2015 he won the Jesse H. Neal Award for Best Profile, an in-depth look at the Syfy Network’s Sharknado franchise and its impact on the industry.