Bartender salary in Texas
Bartenders in Texas earn a median of $22,690 a year ($10.91 an hour), based on BLS data for 59,000 workers.
Pay ranges from $16,200 for the lowest-paid 10% to $65,300 for the top 10%. That is 34% lower than the national median of $34,340. Texas ranks 47th of 51 states for bartenders pay. There are 4.2 bartenders per 1,000 jobs here — close to the national average. The average (mean) salary is $32,640, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for bartenders in Texas
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $16,200 | $7.79 |
| 25th percentile | $17,680 | $8.50 |
| Median | $22,690 | $10.91 |
| 75th percentile | $40,620 | $19.53 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $65,300 | $31.39 |
| Average (mean) | $32,640 | $15.69 |
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 | $1,890.83 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $945.42 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $872.69 |
| Weekly | $436.35 |
| Hourly | $10.91 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Bartender salary in cities in Texas
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $24,170 | 18,300 |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $23,670 | 7,130 |
| Texarkana, TX-AR | $22,880 | 160 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $22,770 | 13,160 |
| Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $22,600 | 550 |
| Midland, TX | $21,980 | 430 |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $21,980 | 5,610 |
| Abilene, TX | $21,890 | 310 |
| Wichita Falls, TX | $21,460 | 240 |
| Waco, TX | $21,420 | 500 |
| Laredo, TX | $21,380 | 320 |
| Killeen-Temple, TX | $21,280 | 450 |
| Tyler, TX | $21,170 | 380 |
| Longview, TX | $21,140 | 280 |
| Amarillo, TX | $21,050 | 540 |
| Lubbock, TX | $20,990 | 790 |
| Corpus Christi, TX | $20,970 | 1,100 |
| Victoria, TX | $20,600 | 160 |
| College Station-Bryan, TX | $20,460 | 840 |
| San Angelo, TX | $20,440 | 260 |
| Sherman-Denison, TX | $20,420 | 190 |
| Odessa, TX | $20,370 | 380 |
| El Paso, TX | $19,680 | 1,520 |
| McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $18,940 | 810 |
| Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $18,340 | 630 |
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 |
Related jobs in Texas
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $27,740 | $13.34 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $23,240 | $11.18 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $29,300 | $14.09 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $36,480 | $17.54 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $34,760 | $16.71 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $30,650 | $14.74 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $21,550 | $10.36 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $28,280 | $13.60 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $27,080 | $13.02 |
| Dishwasher | $29,610 | $14.23 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $35,360 | $17.00 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $56,080 | $26.96 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $25,320 | $12.18 |
| Cooks, All Other | $32,150 | $15.46 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Texas
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 Texas?
The median salary for bartenders in Texas is $22,690 a year, or $10.91 an hour. Pay ranges from $16,200 for the lowest-paid 10% to $65,300 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid bartenders make in Texas?
The top 10% of bartenders in Texas earn at least $65,300 a year. The top 25% earn $40,620 or more.
What is the starting pay for bartenders in Texas?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $16,200 a year, and a quarter of bartenders earn $17,680 or less.
How many bartenders work in Texas?
About 59,000 bartenders are employed in Texas, not counting the self-employed.