According to the NACS State of the Industry Report® of 2024 Data, approximately 2.7 million people work in convenience stores across the United States. The average store employee turnover rate for the industry typically tops 100%, although there have been improvements in recent years, particularly among the top performing c-store companies.
These top decile companies, those in the top 10% when ranked by store operating profit, saw remarkably low turnover rates relative to the industry. In the first half of 2025, employee turnover was 60.8% and manager turnover was 17.1%, per NACS data.
While many factors contribute to lower turnover rates, top decile companies typically invest more in wages and benefits expenses: almost $5 more per labor hour ($23.10) than those in the bottom decile ($18.22). They also generate $8 more in gross profit per labor hour compared to bottom decile companies.
Although turnover is a perennial issue, NACS has tools to help c-store operators make strategic decisions that can impact turnover.
The NACS State of the Industry® Talent Insights Dashboard, for example, is an interactive digital tool with employer-reported benchmarking and analysis on compensation, turnover, benefits and recruitment.
The Talent Insights Dashboard can help your HR team plan a data-backed HR strategy for 2026 and beyond. Retailers can participate in the annual Talent Insights survey and receive complimentary access to the aggregate data.
At the NACS Human Resources Forum in Louisville, Kentucky March 16-18, the NACS research team will be presenting Talent Insights Dashboard metrics. Register today and save your seat among other HR leaders in the convenience industry.