Hot Topic Overview

Industry
Retail
Revenue
Headquarters
Industry, CA
Employees
9,660
Founded In
Organization Type
Private
Hot Topic, Inc. is an American retail chain specializing in counterculture-related clothing and accessories, as well as licensed music.
Founded in 1988, Hot Topic is an established company that loves to hire graduates from Middle Tennessee State University, with 14.4% of its employees having attended Middle Tennessee State University. Hot Topic has established itself as a great place to work in California, and it is number 1 on Zippia's list of Best Companies to Work for in Industry, CA. The average employee at Hot Topic makes $28,147 per year. In comparison, some of its highest paying competitors, like Entertainment Earth, Vitamin Shoppe, and francesca's, pay $32,835, $32,302, and $31,553, respectively.
Based in Industry, CA, Hot Topic is a key player in the retail industry with 9,660 employees and an annual revenue of $761.0M.

4.8/5

Employee Reviews

Based On 5 Ratings

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Job Openings
317 Positions
Average Salary
$28,147 yearly

Hot Topic Reviews

Employee Reviews

4.6/5
Work At Hot Topic? Share Your Experience

Employee Reviews

5.0
Oct 2022
Pros

The workers and customers are super nice

Cons

I would like to be able to advance

Benefits

40% off all items

4.0
Apr 2021
Pros

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

Cons

I can't advanced from my current position.

Benefits

Health benefits and discounts.

5.0
Nov 2020
Pros

Building relationships with customers and turning them into regulars!

Cons

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

Benefits

The discount!

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Overall Rating*
Salary and Benefits
Management
Work Environment
Diversity and Inclusion
Career Opportunities

The Team At Hot Topic

Key People

Kyle Ace

Orval Madden

Hot Topic Rankings

Hot Topic is ranked #43 on the Best Retail Companies to Work For in California list. Zippia's Best Places to Work lists provide unbiased, data-based evaluations of companies. Rankings are based on government and proprietary data on salaries, company financial health, and employee diversity.

Read more about how we rank companies.

Hot Topic Salaries

9.4
Salary Score
The national average salary for a Hot Topic employee in the United States is $28,147 per year. Employees in the top 10 percent can make over $39,000 per year, while employees at the bottom 10 percent earn less than $20,000 per year.
Average Hot Topic Salary
$13.53
hourly
$28,147 yearly
Updated March 16, 2023
Average Employee Earnings
Torrid
$29,814
Hot Topic
$28,147

Highest Paying Jobs At Hot Topic

Hot Topic Diversity

9.2
Diversity Score
We calculated the diversity score of companies by measuring multiple factors, including the ethnic background, gender identity, and language skills of their workforce.

Hot Topic Gender Distribution

Male
Male
42%
Female
Female
58%

Research Summary. Using a database of 30 million profiles, Zippia estimates demographics and statistics for Hot Topic. Our estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. After extensive research and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:

  • Hot Topic has 9,660 employees.

  • 58% of Hot Topic employees are women, while 42% are men.

  • The most common ethnicity at Hot Topic is White (61%).

  • 20% of Hot Topic employees are Hispanic or Latino.

  • 10% of Hot Topic employees are Black or African American.

  • The average employee at Hot Topic makes $28,147 per year.

  • Hot Topic employees are most likely to be members of the democratic party.

  • On average, employees at Hot Topic stay with the company for 2.5 years.

Biggest Hot Topic Locations

RankCityJob CountAvg. Salary
1Houston, TX20$27,682
2New York, NY15$33,413
3Los Angeles, CA15$30,619
4San Antonio, TX15$27,730
5San Jose, CA11$30,264
6Austin, TX9$27,644
7Jacksonville, FL9$26,754
8Dallas, TX8$27,523
9San Diego, CA4$30,693
10Phoenix, AZ3$27,082

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Hot Topic Employee Political Affiliation

Hot Topic employees are most likely to be members of the Democratic Party. The largest donation made to a political party by a Hot Topic employee was by Steve Do. Steve Do donated $5,365 to the Democratic Party.

Hot Topic

Parties

Democratic Party

100.0 %
-
Employee Political Donations
NameJob TitlePartyDonation
Steve DoAccounting ManagerDemocratic Party$5,365
Robert FrisinaManager, Program ManagementDemocratic Party$3,263
Lisa HarperChief Executive OfficerDemocratic Party$2,500
Moses Roberts JrAssociateDemocratic Party$840
Edward GusmanOperations Vice PresidentDemocratic Party$750
Laura HafnerSales AssociateDemocratic Party$520
Cheryl BrownWarehouse WorkerDemocratic Party$421
Parvinder SinghVice PresidentDemocratic Party$250
Mary RosenbergerMarketing ExecutiveDemocratic Party$225
Andrea LewisSales/MarketingDemocratic Party$220
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Hot Topic Employment Videos

Hot Topic Financial Performance

9.1
Performance Score
We calculated the performance score of companies by measuring multiple factors, including revenue, longevity, and stock market performance.

How Would You Rate The Company Culture Of Hot Topic?

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Highest Paying Hot Topic Competitors

Competitors of Hot Topic include Entertainment Earth, Vitamin Shoppe, and francesca's. Employees at Entertainment Earth earn more than most of the competition, with an average yearly salary of $32,835. Employees at Vitamin Shoppe earn an average of $32,302 per year, and the employees at francesca's earn an average salary of $31,553 per year.

Frequently Asked Questions about Hot Topic

When was Hot Topic founded?

Hot Topic was founded in 1988.

How many Employees does Hot Topic have?

Hot Topic has 9,660 employees.

How much money does Hot Topic make?

Hot Topic generates $761.0M in revenue.

What industry is Hot Topic in?

Hot Topic is in the retail industry.

What type of company is Hot Topic?

Hot Topic is a private company.

Who are Hot Topic's competitors?

Hot Topic competitors include Torrid, SHOE SHOW, MovieStop, Vitamin Shoppe, Plato's Closet, francesca's, Lane Bryant, Five Below, Tuesday Morning, Entertainment Earth, AmAppInc, Aldo, Jo-Ann Stores, Claire's, Sunglass Hut, Payless ShoeSource, Charlotte Russe, GameStop, Fossil, Factory Connection.

Who works at Hot Topic?

Kyle Ace (CEO)

Orval Madden (Founders)

Where is Hot Topic's headquarters?

Hot Topic's headquarters is in Industry, CA.

Are You An Executive, HR Leader, Or Brand Manager At Hot Topic?

Claiming and updating your company profile on Zippia is free and easy.

Hot Topic FAQs

Does Hot Topic Drug Test?

No, Hot Topic does not drug test before or during employment with any regularity.

It is unknown if Hot Topic will drug test an employee if they appear to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol while working; it is likely, however, given that similar establishments will drug test in that situation. If this happens and the employee's test is positive, Hot Topic may take disciplinary action, including termination.

Does Hot Topic Hire Felons?

Yes, Hot Topic does hire felons. However, whether or not it hires a felon can depend on several different factors. In some cases, it will come down to the management of a particular Hot Topic store.

How Do You Answer, "Why Are You Interested In Working For Hot Topic"?

To answer, "Why are you interested in working for Hot Topic?" communicate your interest in pop culture, in the forms of music, movies, television, books, and comics. Here are some other answers you can give:

How Do You Write A Cover Letter For A Job At Hot Topic?

To write a cover letter for a job at Hot Topic, you will want to touch on your passion and knowledge of the products it sells.

Writing a cover letter for a retail job at Hot Topic isn't always necessary. Previous applicants stated that providing a resume was sufficient in most cases.

How Old Do You Have To Be To Work At Hot Topic?

You have to be 16 years old to work at Hot Topic. Hot Topic's products are geared towards young people, which is one reason it is willing to hire non-adults.

The company also presents itself as a great part-time job opportunity for high school or college students, if they can manage the schedule without it affecting their education.

What Benefits Does Hot Topic Offer?

Hot Topic offers its employees standard benefits. The availability of benefits depends on what role you hold, and whether it is part-time or full-time.

All employees, full-time and part-time, receive:

What Is The Dress Code At Hot Topic?

The dress code at Hot Topic is very casual. Employees are encouraged to "be themselves" at Hot Topic. Ripped jeans are allowed, as well as t-shirts, sneakers, and most other casual clothing. The only restriction is to not wear anything too revealing, as sometimes children will be present in the store.

What Is The Hiring Process At Hot Topic?

The hiring process at Hot Topic is casual. First, you apply online. The company has gone completely paperless, and no longer accepts in-store applications. After the online application, the successful candidates will be called for an initial interview.

Search For Jobs

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.

Hot Topic may also be known as or be related to Hot Topic, Hot Topic Inc, Hot Topic Inc. and Hot Topic, Inc.