New York (CNN Business) Walmart wants the world to know you can make a really nice living working in its stores.

The company has about 4,700 store managers in the United States and they earn an average of $175,000 a year, Walmart said in social governance report Wednesday.

Walmart WMT , the United States' largest private employer, has been criticized for its $11 minimum wage — including by its rival Amazon . But Walmart said it has raised its starting wages in the United States by more than 50% over the past three years. Including benefits and bonuses , the average wage for a full-time, hourly worker at Walmart is $14.26 an hour. Walmart's department managers can also earn up to $24.70 per hour.

Walmart employs more than 1.5 million workers in the United States. Women make up 55% of its workforce, while people of color make up 44%, the company said.

Retail jobs provide "a gateway to upward mobility for millions of people," said Walmart.

The average wage for a full-time, hourly worker at Walmart is $14.26 an hour, the company said.

Read More