Bartender salary in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
Bartenders in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn a median of $31,200 a year ($15.00 an hour), based on BLS data for 28,750 workers.
Pay ranges from $31,200 for the lowest-paid 10% to $48,530 for the top 10%. That is 9% lower than the national median of $34,340. Pay here is about the same as the Illinois statewide median of $31,200. There are 6.4 bartenders per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 1.3× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $35,740, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for bartenders in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| 25th percentile | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| Median | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| 75th percentile | $33,500 | $16.10 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $48,530 | $23.33 |
| Average (mean) | $35,740 | $17.18 |
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 | $2,600 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,300 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,200 |
| Weekly | $600 |
| Hourly | $15.00 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Bartender salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $34,240 | 5,870 |
| Bloomington, IL | $31,200 | 580 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | $31,200 | 1,070 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $31,200 | 1,470 |
| Decatur, IL | $31,200 | 320 |
| Kankakee, IL | $31,200 | 290 |
| Peoria, IL | $31,200 | 1,330 |
| Rockford, IL | $31,200 | 1,220 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $31,200 | 8,340 |
| Springfield, IL | $31,200 | 870 |
| Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $29,120 | 2,830 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $28,600 | 280 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $26,350 | 180 |
| Columbus, IN | $23,700 | 150 |
| Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $23,120 | 210 |
| Kokomo, IN | $23,060 | 180 |
| Fort Wayne, IN | $23,010 | 850 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $23,000 | 580 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $22,880 | 4,480 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $22,680 | 460 |
| Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $22,430 | 250 |
| Bloomington, IN | $22,370 | 440 |
| Evansville, IN | $22,360 | 590 |
| Muncie, IN | $21,780 | 200 |
| Terre Haute, IN | $21,090 | 410 |
Highest-paying states for bartenders
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $76,490 |
| New York | $61,210 |
| Washington | $55,830 |
| District of Columbia | $53,920 |
| Maine | $48,920 |
| Virginia | $47,070 |
| Vermont | $45,450 |
| Arizona | $45,070 |
| New Jersey | $44,020 |
| Oregon | $38,900 |
See Bartender pay in every state or the Illinois statewide figures.
Related jobs in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $34,630 | $16.65 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $35,670 | $17.15 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $38,930 | $18.72 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $42,650 | $20.50 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $35,410 | $17.02 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $31,200 | $15.00 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $38,290 | $18.41 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $31,720 | $15.25 |
| Dishwasher | $36,850 | $17.71 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $35,360 | $17.00 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $60,770 | $29.22 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other | $39,930 | $19.20 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $37,440 | $18.00 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN
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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The median salary for bartenders in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area is $31,200 a year, or $15.00 an hour. Pay ranges from $31,200 for the lowest-paid 10% to $48,530 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid bartenders make in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
The top 10% of bartenders in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area earn at least $48,530 a year. The top 25% earn $33,500 or more.
What is the starting pay for bartenders in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $31,200 a year, and a quarter of bartenders earn $31,200 or less.
How many bartenders work in Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN?
About 28,750 bartenders are employed in the Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area, not counting the self-employed.