Costco, a retailer widely known for rarely offering deals on membership pricing, is stepping outside of its usual playbook. The company has initiated a limited-time promotion aimed at college students, marking a notable—though measured—adjustment to its traditionally consistent approach.
According to TheStreet, this new offer stands out in contrast to Costco’s long-standing policy of maintaining fixed membership fees across the board. The promotion mirrors strategies more commonly used by competitors such as Sam’s Club but does not suggest a broader shift in Costco’s pricing model. For now, the offer remains narrowly targeted and limited in scope.
Membership Fees Are the Backbone of Costco’s Success
Costco Announces Major Change Every Member Will AppreciateThe company has long made it clear: membership fees are the backbone of Costco‘s success. As of the third quarter of 2025, Costco had 79.6 million paying members, a number that reflects both scale and loyalty. The model is simple but powerful—shoppers pay an annual fee for access, and in return, they get access to deeply discounted goods.
That model has worked remarkably well for Costco. Unlike Sam’s Club, which frequently discounts its memberships to lure new customers, Costco’s philosophy is to charge full price and help members earn it back through low prices and strong value. It’s an approach that prioritizes long-term trust over short-term acquisition.
As the company explains it, “low prices are what keep members from renewing year to year,” not promotional gimmicks or flash sales.
How Costco’s Fees Compare to Sam’s Club and BJ’s
To understand the significance of this student discount, it helps to see where Costco stands on pricing compared to competitors:
- Costco:
- Gold Star membership: $65/year
- Executive membership: $130/year
- Sam’s Club:
- Basic membership: $50/year
- Plus membership: $110/year
- BJ’s Wholesale:
- Wholesale membership: $60/year
- Club+ membership: $120/year
Despite having higher prices on paper, Costco has built a reputation for offering better product quality and more consistent savings, which many longtime members argue makes the difference worthwhile.
New Promotion Offers Rare Student Discount
Now, for a limited time, college students can get a rare membership discount through UNiDAYS, a student verification platform. The promotion includes:
- $20 Costco Shop Card with a Gold Star membership
→ effectively lowering the cost from $65 to $45 - $40 Shop Card with an Executive membership
→ bringing the cost down from $130 to $90
These Shop Cards can be used to purchase nearly anything in-store—from groceries and electronics to gasoline—making them a practical benefit for budget-conscious students.
Given that many students are dealing with rising food prices and limited income, this offer could help attract a younger demographic Costco doesn’t usually target aggressively.
A Subtle Shift in Strategy?
This isn’t Costco’s first attempt at connecting with younger or underserved shoppers, but it’s one of the few times it has done so by relaxing its firm stance on fees. The shift raises the question: is Costco softening its stance in response to competitor pressure?
Sam’s Club, for instance, has frequently offered deep discounts or even $10 memberships during promotional events. Costco has, until now, resisted following suit. But with this latest student deal, it appears the company is open to targeted promotions—without undermining its core pricing model.
That said, Costco remains steadfast in its quality standards. A recent example is telling: the company made the decision to cancel the rollout of its Kirkland-branded mayonnaise, even after investing in development. After multiple rounds of trial and error, the product was pulled because it didn’t offer enough value to justify shelf space.
This decision reflects a broader philosophy. Costco isn’t about chasing trends for the sake of it. Instead, it aims to impress through consistency and surprise.
As CEO Ron Vachris explained in an interview with the Wall Street Journal in April 2025:
That’s the kind of environment we want to create, as people walk in and see something that is like, ‘wow, they’ve done it again.’
What This Means for Shoppers
While this may not signal a long-term change in how Costco handles its membership strategy, it does indicate a willingness to experiment in targeted ways. For students weighing the cost of joining against their limited monthly budgets, this could be a meaningful incentive.
Costco may not become a discount-driven brand anytime soon, but its move to offer value through calculated generosity—especially to younger, price-sensitive shoppers—could build habits that last well beyond college.
And for a company whose business depends on long-term loyalty, those habits could prove more valuable than any membership fee.
