Bartenders Salary
Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · 756K employed in the U.S.
Median annual
$34,340
Median hourly
$17
Average annual
$40,790
Typical range
$20,110–$73,770
Pay distribution
10th to 90th percentile, with the median marked.
What this role pays
The median annual salary for Bartenders is $34,340 as of May 2025, based on the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey. That works out to about $17 an hour at a full-time schedule.
Mix and serve drinks to patrons, directly or through waitstaff..
Most earn between $20,110 and $73,770 a year. There are roughly 756K people employed as bartenders in the United States. Use the state and metro pages below to see how pay changes by location, and the calculator to convert any hourly or annual figure.
Salary calculator
Convert your pay and see where it lands for Bartenders.
- Hourly
- $16.51
- Daily
- $132
- Weekly
- $660
- Bi-weekly
- $1,321
- Monthly
- $2,862
- Annual
- $34,340
$34,340 a year is around the 50th percentile for Bartenderss. The median is $34,340.
Highest-paying states
Median annual wage by state.
- 1Hawaii$76,490
- 2VI$61,380
- 3New York$61,210
- 4Washington$55,830
- 5District of Columbia$53,920
- 6Maine$48,920
- 7Virginia$47,070
- 8Vermont$45,450
- 9Arizona$45,070
- 10New Jersey$44,020
- 11Oregon$38,900
- 12Connecticut$38,780
Top-paying metro areas
Median annual wage by metro area.
- 1Kahului-Wailuku, HI$86,280
- 2Urban Honolulu, HI$75,340
- 3New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ$61,220
- 4Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA$58,180
- 5Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA$56,640
- 6Bellingham, WA$56,110
- 7Kennewick-Richland, WA$55,820
- 8Portland-South Portland, ME$54,170
- 9Walla Walla, WA$54,030
- 10Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA$53,810
- 11Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA$50,210
- 12Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA$50,180
Related job titles
Employers advertise Bartenders roles under these titles.
Related occupations
What a Bartenders does
- Collect money for drinks served.
- Clean bars, work areas, and tables.
- Attempt to limit problems and liability related to customers' excessive drinking by taking steps such as persuading customers to stop drinking, or ordering taxis or other transportation for intoxicated patrons.
- Slice and pit fruit for garnishing drinks.
- Arrange bottles and glasses to make attractive displays.
- Clean glasses, utensils, and bar equipment.
- Check identification of customers to verify age requirements for purchase of alcohol.
- Take beverage orders from serving staff or directly from patrons.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a Bartenders make?
- The median annual wage for Bartenders is $34,340 ($17 per hour). Pay ranges from about $20,110 at the 10th percentile to $73,770 at the 90th percentile.
- What is the average salary for a Bartenders?
- The average (mean) annual salary is $40,790, which is higher than the median because a small number of high earners pull the average up.
- Which state pays Bartenderss the most?
- Hawaii has the highest median annual wage for this occupation at $76,490.
- Is Bartenders a growing occupation?
- BLS employment data for May 2025 counts about 756K people in this occupation. Projected growth is published separately in the BLS Employment Projections program.
- What does a Bartenders do?
- Collect money for drinks served.; Clean bars, work areas, and tables.; Attempt to limit problems and liability related to customers' excessive drinking by taking steps such as persuading customers to stop drinking, or ordering taxis or other transportation for intoxicated patrons..