Bartender salary in the U.S.
Bartenders in the U.S. earn a median of $34,340 a year ($16.51 an hour), based on BLS data for 756,390 workers.
Pay ranges from $20,110 for the lowest-paid 10% to $73,770 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $40,790, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for bartenders in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $20,110 | $9.67 |
| 25th percentile | $27,400 | $13.17 |
| Median | $34,340 | $16.51 |
| 75th percentile | $47,570 | $22.87 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $73,770 | $35.47 |
| Average (mean) | $40,790 | $19.61 |
Half of bartenders earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $2,861.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,430.83 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,320.77 |
| Weekly | $660.38 |
| Hourly | $16.51 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Bartender salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $76,490 | 3,540 |
| Virgin Islands | $61,380 | 490 |
| New York | $61,210 | 43,130 |
| Washington | $55,830 | 16,800 |
| District of Columbia | $53,920 | 5,760 |
| Maine | $48,920 | 3,230 |
| Virginia | $47,070 | 13,370 |
| Vermont | $45,450 | 2,080 |
| Arizona | $45,070 | 14,840 |
| New Jersey | $44,020 | 16,260 |
| Oregon | $38,900 | 11,950 |
| Connecticut | $38,780 | 7,680 |
| Colorado | $38,170 | 17,000 |
| Maryland | $37,580 | 13,020 |
| Massachusetts | $37,440 | 19,850 |
| New Mexico | $36,980 | 3,790 |
| Delaware | $36,840 | 2,820 |
| Michigan | $36,780 | 21,100 |
| North Carolina | $36,470 | 20,070 |
| Rhode Island | $36,410 | 3,170 |
| California | $36,220 | 71,470 |
| Florida | $35,150 | 55,170 |
| Utah | $32,150 | 3,350 |
| Illinois | $31,200 | 43,010 |
| Ohio | $30,880 | 27,420 |
| Alaska | $30,460 | 2,280 |
| Nebraska | $30,180 | 7,320 |
| Missouri | $30,090 | 14,410 |
| West Virginia | $29,630 | 3,340 |
| South Dakota | $29,400 | 3,930 |
| North Dakota | $29,040 | 3,960 |
| New Hampshire | $28,800 | 3,840 |
| Kentucky | $28,780 | 6,870 |
| Pennsylvania | $28,420 | 37,490 |
| Mississippi | $28,320 | 2,770 |
| Alabama | $27,980 | 6,560 |
| Kansas | $27,940 | 5,430 |
| Tennessee | $27,480 | 10,330 |
| Nevada | $27,460 | 16,830 |
| Idaho | $27,240 | 3,430 |
| Minnesota | $26,900 | 24,420 |
| Montana | $26,010 | 5,370 |
| Arkansas | $25,090 | 3,020 |
| Oklahoma | $24,790 | 5,860 |
| Wisconsin | $23,460 | 29,520 |
| Georgia | $22,830 | 14,600 |
| Indiana | $22,770 | 12,880 |
| Texas | $22,690 | 59,000 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,630 | 3,480 |
| Wyoming | $22,030 | 2,660 |
| Iowa | $21,720 | 9,560 |
| Louisiana | $20,850 | 10,140 |
| Guam | $20,700 | 280 |
| South Carolina | $19,370 | 10,680 |
Best-paying metro areas for bartenders
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $86,280 | 800 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $75,340 | 2,130 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $61,220 | 38,510 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $58,180 | 9,640 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $56,640 | 270 |
| Bellingham, WA | $56,110 | 600 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $55,820 | 600 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $54,170 | 1,780 |
| Walla Walla, WA | $54,030 | 120 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $53,810 | 560 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $50,210 | 1,100 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $50,180 | 530 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $49,930 | 210 |
| Yakima, WA | $49,700 | 350 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $49,070 | 780 |
Metro areas with the most bartenders
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 38,510 | $61,220 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 28,750 | $31,200 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 25,260 | $35,510 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 18,300 | $24,170 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 15,370 | $27,600 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 14,840 | $37,760 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 14,560 | $48,030 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 14,510 | $34,700 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 14,210 | $36,040 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 13,730 | $33,750 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 13,160 | $22,770 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 10,580 | $46,940 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 10,260 | $39,670 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 9,640 | $58,180 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 9,430 | $37,180 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $35,230 | $16.94 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $35,360 | $17.00 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $37,390 | $17.98 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $44,080 | $21.19 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $35,320 | $16.98 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $30,890 | $14.85 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $33,980 | $16.34 |
| Dishwasher | $34,810 | $16.73 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $37,450 | $18.01 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $62,470 | $30.03 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $35,880 | $17.25 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other | $35,840 | $17.23 |
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 35-3011. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a bartender make in the U.S.?
The median salary for bartenders in the U.S. is $34,340 a year, or $16.51 an hour. Pay ranges from $20,110 for the lowest-paid 10% to $73,770 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid bartenders make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of bartenders in the U.S. earn at least $73,770 a year. The top 25% earn $47,570 or more.
What is the starting pay for bartenders in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $20,110 a year, and a quarter of bartenders earn $27,400 or less.
How many bartenders work in the U.S.?
About 756,390 bartenders are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.