Bartender salary in Waco, TX
Bartenders in the Waco, TX metro area earn a median of $21,420 a year ($10.30 an hour), based on BLS data for 500 workers.
Pay ranges from $16,200 for the lowest-paid 10% to $62,890 for the top 10%. That is 38% lower than the national median of $34,340. Pay here is 6% lower than the Texas statewide median of $22,690. There are 3.8 bartenders per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.79). The average (mean) salary is $30,360, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for bartenders in Waco, TX
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $16,200 | $7.79 |
| 25th percentile | $16,950 | $8.15 |
| Median | $21,420 | $10.30 |
| 75th percentile | $36,810 | $17.70 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $62,890 | $30.24 |
| Average (mean) | $30,360 | $14.59 |
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 | $1,785 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $892.50 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $823.85 |
| Weekly | $411.92 |
| Hourly | $10.30 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| 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 |
See Bartender pay in every state or the Texas statewide figures.
Related jobs in Waco, TX
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $27,750 | $13.34 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $23,010 | $11.06 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $29,220 | $14.05 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $35,240 | $16.94 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $31,500 | $15.14 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $28,690 | $13.79 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $27,470 | $13.21 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $22,570 | $10.85 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $27,070 | $13.02 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $34,410 | $16.54 |
| Dishwasher | $29,520 | $14.19 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $42,660 | $20.51 |
| Cooks, All Other | $27,710 | $13.32 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Waco, TX
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 Waco, TX?
The median salary for bartenders in the Waco, TX metro area is $21,420 a year, or $10.30 an hour. Pay ranges from $16,200 for the lowest-paid 10% to $62,890 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid bartenders make in Waco, TX?
The top 10% of bartenders in the Waco, TX metro area earn at least $62,890 a year. The top 25% earn $36,810 or more.
What is the starting pay for bartenders in Waco, TX?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $16,200 a year, and a quarter of bartenders earn $16,950 or less.
How many bartenders work in Waco, TX?
About 500 bartenders are employed in the Waco, TX metro area, not counting the self-employed.