Bartender salary in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL
Bartenders in the Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL metro area earn a median of $35,570 a year ($17.10 an hour), based on BLS data for 1,100 workers.
Pay ranges from $27,040 for the lowest-paid 10% to $65,450 for the top 10%. That is 4% higher than the national median of $34,340. Pay here is 1% higher than the Florida statewide median of $35,150. There are 8.8 bartenders per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 1.8× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $42,000, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for bartenders in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $27,040 | $13.00 |
| 25th percentile | $29,070 | $13.98 |
| Median | $35,570 | $17.10 |
| 75th percentile | $47,270 | $22.73 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $65,450 | $31.47 |
| Average (mean) | $42,000 | $20.19 |
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 | $2,964.17 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,482.08 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,368.08 |
| Weekly | $684.04 |
| Hourly | $17.10 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $37,460 | 8,810 |
| Naples-Marco Island, FL | $36,310 | 1,550 |
| Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $35,940 | 1,870 |
| Punta Gorda, FL | $35,690 | 480 |
| Jacksonville, FL | $35,450 | 3,570 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $35,210 | 1,880 |
| Gainesville, FL | $35,050 | 690 |
| Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $35,040 | 420 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $34,700 | 14,510 |
| Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $34,670 | 1,560 |
| North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $34,500 | 2,130 |
| Wildwood-The Villages, FL | $34,350 | 210 |
| Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $33,920 | 890 |
| Port St. Lucie, FL | $33,720 | 1,050 |
| Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $33,650 | 7,920 |
| Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $31,650 | 700 |
| Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $31,170 | 1,320 |
| Tallahassee, FL | $30,270 | 820 |
| Homosassa Springs, FL | $29,720 | 250 |
| Sebring, FL | $29,680 | 130 |
| Ocala, FL | $29,620 | 620 |
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 Florida statewide figures.
Related jobs in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Waiters and Waitresses | $37,370 | $17.96 |
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $29,220 | $14.05 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $34,060 | $16.37 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $36,600 | $17.60 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $47,340 | $22.76 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $36,680 | $17.64 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $31,350 | $15.07 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $29,890 | $14.37 |
| Dishwasher | $30,470 | $14.65 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $56,830 | $27.32 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $29,940 | $14.40 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $37,190 | $17.88 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL
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 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL?
The median salary for bartenders in the Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL metro area is $35,570 a year, or $17.10 an hour. Pay ranges from $27,040 for the lowest-paid 10% to $65,450 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid bartenders make in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL?
The top 10% of bartenders in the Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL metro area earn at least $65,450 a year. The top 25% earn $47,270 or more.
What is the starting pay for bartenders in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $27,040 a year, and a quarter of bartenders earn $29,070 or less.
How many bartenders work in Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL?
About 1,100 bartenders are employed in the Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL metro area, not counting the self-employed.