Bartender salary in Wilmington, NC
Bartenders in the Wilmington, NC metro area earn a median of $37,890 a year ($18.22 an hour), based on BLS data for 1,460 workers.
Pay ranges from $15,990 for the lowest-paid 10% to $76,630 for the top 10%. That is 10% higher than the national median of $34,340. Pay here is 4% higher than the North Carolina statewide median of $36,470. There are 7.6 bartenders per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 1.6× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $43,400, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for bartenders in Wilmington, NC
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $15,990 | $7.69 |
| 25th percentile | $22,000 | $10.58 |
| Median | $37,890 | $18.22 |
| 75th percentile | $59,330 | $28.52 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $76,630 | $36.84 |
| Average (mean) | $43,400 | $20.86 |
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 | $3,157.50 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,578.75 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,457.31 |
| Weekly | $728.65 |
| Hourly | $18.22 |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $46,700 | 2,860 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $37,700 | 280 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $37,390 | 5,660 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $37,110 | 1,180 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $36,120 | 3,070 |
| Asheville, NC | $35,380 | 1,240 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $34,920 | 1,020 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $34,880 | 500 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $34,550 | 1,310 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $33,800 | 140 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $31,860 | 530 |
| Burlington, NC | $31,170 | 260 |
| Jacksonville, NC | $31,000 | 240 |
| Greenville, NC | $30,190 | 300 |
| Goldsboro, NC | $27,740 | 130 |
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 North Carolina statewide figures.
Related jobs in Wilmington, NC
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $27,460 | $13.20 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $30,610 | $14.72 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $34,810 | $16.74 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $27,500 | $13.22 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $34,940 | $16.80 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $44,360 | $21.33 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $31,830 | $15.30 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $28,250 | $13.58 |
| Dishwasher | $29,870 | $14.36 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $27,320 | $13.14 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $36,050 | $17.33 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other | $30,350 | $14.59 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $58,120 | $27.94 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $29,620 | $14.24 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Wilmington, NC
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 Wilmington, NC?
The median salary for bartenders in the Wilmington, NC metro area is $37,890 a year, or $18.22 an hour. Pay ranges from $15,990 for the lowest-paid 10% to $76,630 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid bartenders make in Wilmington, NC?
The top 10% of bartenders in the Wilmington, NC metro area earn at least $76,630 a year. The top 25% earn $59,330 or more.
What is the starting pay for bartenders in Wilmington, NC?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $15,990 a year, and a quarter of bartenders earn $22,000 or less.
How many bartenders work in Wilmington, NC?
About 1,460 bartenders are employed in the Wilmington, NC metro area, not counting the self-employed.