Walmart and Sam’s Club associates received a pay increase on Tuesday.

More 6,700 in the Milwaukee metro area and more than 25,700 in the state of Wisconsin will receive a pay raise in their March 10 paycheck.

The increases are part of the company’s two-year, $2.7 billion investment in higher pay, better training, clearer career paths and additional educational opportunities for its workers.

Walmart associates are eligible for quarterly cash bonuses based on the performance of their store. For the full fiscal year, Walmart associates across the country earned more than $550 million in bonuses, including more than $13.6 million in Wisconsin. In addition to the higher wages, the March 10 paycheck for eligible Wisconsin associates will include a share of the more than $4.6 million bonus earned in the fourth quarter of the year alone.

"I absolutely love my job. Ever since I moved to Milwaukee and was warmly welcomed to Walmart in 2001, the company has been incredibly supportive of my career advancement,” said Cynthia Cranford, personnel coordinator at a Milwaukee Walmart Supercenter. “The new initiatives and wage increase will provide more incentives and opportunities for me and my fellow associates to achieve long term success with the company.”