35 Series · SOC 35-3011
Bartenders Salary
National pay, percentile range, growth outlook, and state-by-state detail from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey (May 2025).
- $34,340
- Median / year
- +2.4%
- 2024→2025
- $73,770
- Top 10% earn
- +5.9%
- Growth '24–'34
- 756,390
- Estimated US jobs
Bartenders earn a median of $34,340 per year.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS survey, the median annual wage is $34,340, based on the most recent survey of employers. Reported pay ranges from $20,110 (10th percentile) to $73,770 (90th percentile) nationally, across roughly 756,390 estimated jobs in covered establishments. The highest published state median in this ranking is Hawaii ($76,490).
The pay verdict
Bartenders earn a median of $34,340, putting them among the lower-paid US occupations and higher than 1% of the 825 occupations with a published BLS median. Within Food Preparation and Serving Related, it ranks #13 of 17 by median pay. Employment is projected to grow 5.9% by 2034.
- $34,340
- Median annual wage
- Top 99%
- of 825 US occupations with published wages
- #13 of 17
- in Food Preparation and Serving Related
- 3.7×
- 90th-to-10th pay spread
Highest-paying state: Hawaii at $76,490. Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
Observed pay change
What changed, BLS OEWS 2019–2025
- The published national median for Bartenders moved from $23,680 in May 2019 to $34,340 in May 2025 (+45.0%).
- Across the 749 occupations priced in both releases under SOC-2018, the median occupation changed +24.5%.
- Bartenders sits +20.6 pp ahead of that median, nominal dollars, no price deflator applied.
Bartenders (SOC 35-3011) has a national median of $34,340 per year in the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025 release. The published 10th-to-90th-percentile boundaries run from $20,110 to $73,770, and the published mean is $40,790. Those summary statistics describe the estimated distribution; their difference alone does not identify its cause. OEWS estimates 756,390 jobs in covered establishments nationally. WageDex has published rows for 54 state or territory areas and 526 metropolitan or nonmetropolitan wage areas. The published national median moved from $33,530 in the May 2024 OEWS release to $34,340 in May 2025, a rise of $810 (+2.4%). This is a change between two BLS survey estimates, not an inflation-adjusted same-worker pay raise.
BLS Employment Projections forecast a +5.9% change in employment from 2024 to 2034, which we classify as faster than average relative to the all-occupations baseline of 3.1%. About 129,600 openings are projected per year from growth, occupational transfers, and labor-force exits. BLS assigns No formal educational credential as typical education needed for entry, and BLS classifies its typical on-the-job preparation as short-term on-the-job training. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific fatality and injury rate for this role in the current release. The safety panel below shows its broad Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations SOC-group context and is not an occupation-level measurement or ranking.
Geographic variation matters as much as the headline median. Hawaii pays the highest state median at $76,490, which is +123% above the national figure. The highest published metropolitan-area median in this ranking is Kahului-Wailuku, HI at $86,280. The observed difference does not identify its cause. Pair the national median with the state and metropolitan-area rows below while keeping the geography and statistic consistent. OEWS includes tips, commissions, incentive pay, and production bonuses, but not employer benefits, overtime premiums, stock compensation, or nonproduction bonuses. See our methodology for the sourcing and calculation details.
Median Salary
$34,340
per year
Median Hourly
$16.51/hr
per hour
Mean Salary
$40,790
average
Employment
756,390
jobs nationwide
How does this pay compare nationally?
Where Bartenders pay sits nationally
Median annual wage vs. 825 detailed BLS occupations with a published median
$34,340 Bottom 1% higher than 1% of 825 US occupations
Each bar is a $20K-wide band; taller bars hold more US occupations. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count, share, and where it sits relative to this entry.
Read the chart as text · as of May 2025
| Band | Count | Share |
|---|---|---|
| $0–$20,000 | 0 US occupations | 0% |
| $20,000–$40,000 (this entry) | 98 US occupations | 12% |
| $40,000–$60,000 | 298 US occupations | 36% |
| $60,000–$80,000 | 209 US occupations | 25% |
| $80,000–$100,000 | 82 US occupations | 10% |
| $100,000–$120,000 | 58 US occupations | 7% |
| $120,000–$140,000 | 32 US occupations | 4% |
| $140,000–$160,000 | 14 US occupations | 2% |
| $160,000–$180,000 | 9 US occupations | 1% |
| $180,000 and above | 25 US occupations | 3% |
$34,340 · 1st percentile of 825 US occupations
Source U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS · May 2025
Does this job pay well and grow?
Each dot is a 35-series occupation, placed by projected 2024–2034 growth and median pay. The highlighted dot is Bartenders; the upper-right quadrant is the sweet spot (high pay + fast growth).
Read the chart as text
- Fast Food and Counte…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.1%, Median annual wage $31200
- Waiters and Waitresses: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -0.7%, Median annual wage $35230
- Cooks, Restaurant: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 14.9%, Median annual wage $37390
- First-Line Superviso…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6%, Median annual wage $44080
- Food Preparation Wor…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -3.4%, Median annual wage $35320
- Bartenders: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.9%, Median annual wage $34340
- Cooks, Fast Food: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -13.5%, Median annual wage $30890
- Dining Room and Cafe…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.3%, Median annual wage $33980
- Dishwashers: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 0.2%, Median annual wage $34810
- Cooks, Institution a…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 2%, Median annual wage $37450
- Hosts and Hostesses,…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -1.5%, Median annual wage $31200
- Food Servers, Nonres…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 3%, Median annual wage $35360
- Chefs and Head Cooks: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 7.1%, Median annual wage $62470
- Cooks, Short Order: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) -5.6%, Median annual wage $35880
- Food Preparation and…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 6.4%, Median annual wage $35840
- Cooks, All Other: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.5%, Median annual wage $37690
- Cooks, Private House…: Projected growth 2024–2034 (%) 5.1%, Median annual wage $47940
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS (wages, May 2025) and Employment Projections (2024–2034).
Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Projected Growth
+5.9%
Faster than average
Annual Openings
129,600
per year (projected)
Employment Change
+44,800
756,700 (2024) → 801,500 (2034)
Typical Education
No formal educational credential
On-the-Job Training
Short-term on-the-job training
Source: BLS Employment Projections, 2024–2034
Workplace Safety
All safety ratings →Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations context
Broad SOC context, not an occupation grade
Fatality Rate
0.6/100K
Injury Rate
2.4/100
Danger Index
9.9/100
Source: BLS Census of Fatal Occupational Injuries (CFOI) & Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses (SOII), 2023
Career Intelligence
Skills, knowledge, and tasks most important for Bartenders roles, ranked by importance. Source: O*NET.
Top Skills
Knowledge Areas
Key Tasks
- ▸ Clean glasses, utensils, and bar equipment.
- ▸ Collect money for drinks served.
- ▸ Balance cash receipts.
- ▸ Check identification of customers to verify age requirements for purchase of alcohol.
- ▸ 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.
- ▸ Take beverage orders from serving staff or directly from patrons.
- ▸ Serve wine, and bottled or draft beer.
- ▸ Plan, organize, and control the operations of a cocktail lounge or bar.
- ▸ Stock bar with beer, wine, liquor, and related supplies such as ice, glassware, napkins, or straws.
Source: O*NET Online, National Center for O*NET Development. Data represents typical importance ratings for this occupation.
Salary Range
Annual Salary Distribution
Hourly Rate Distribution
Bartenders pay history, 2015–2025
Published national median across 11 BLS OEWS releases. Nominal dollars, not inflation-adjusted.
Read the chart as text
| Period | National median |
|---|---|
| 2015 | $19,530 |
| 2016 | $20,800 |
| 2017 | $21,690 |
| 2018 | $22,550 |
| 2019 | $23,680 |
| 2020 | $24,960 |
| 2021 | $26,350 |
| 2022 | $29,380 |
| 2023 | $31,510 |
| 2024 | $33,530 |
| 2025 | $34,340 |
2015 median
$19,530
2025 median
$34,340
2019–2025 change (same SOC)
+$10,660 (+45%)
Avg/year (same SOC)
+6.4%
| Release | Median | Change | Estimated jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| May 2015 | $19,530 | First banked release | 589,150 |
| May 2016 | $20,800 | +6.5% | 603,320 |
| May 2017 | $21,690 | +4.3% | 613,350 |
| May 2018 | $22,550 | +4.0% | 631,480 |
| May 2019 | $23,680 | Classification break | 646,850 |
| May 2020 | $24,960 | +5.4% | 486,720 |
| May 2021 | $26,350 | +5.6% | 485,330 |
| May 2022 | $29,380 | +11.5% | 613,070 |
| May 2023 | $31,510 | +7.2% | 711,140 |
| May 2024 | $33,530 | +6.4% | 745,610 |
| May 2025 | $34,340 | +2.4% | 756,390 |
Across the 11 releases WageDex holds for this occupation, the published national median went from $19,530 in May 2015 to $34,340 in May 2025. Within the SOC-2018 classification (2019–2025), the like-for-like change averages +6.4% per year in nominal terms. Within the same SOC classification, estimated employment went from 646,850 in May 2019 to 756,390 in May 2025.
Each figure is a separate BLS survey estimate, so a change between releases reflects the estimated occupation-wide median in each year. It is not the raise any individual worker received, and it is not adjusted for inflation. Years where BLS did not publish an annual median for this occupation are omitted rather than filled in. This span also crosses a classification change: releases before May 2019 use the 2010 Standard Occupational Classification and later releases use the 2018 SOC, so figures either side of that boundary are not strictly like-for-like. Headline change rates on this page use only the same-classification subset.
Salary by State
Highest Paying States
Lowest Paying States
View all 54 states →
| # | State | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $76,490 | +123% above national |
| 2 | Virgin Islands | $61,380 | +79% above national |
| 3 | New York | $61,210 | +78% above national |
| 4 | Washington | $55,830 | +63% above national |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $53,920 | +57% above national |
| 6 | Maine | $48,920 | +42% above national |
| 7 | Virginia | $47,070 | +37% above national |
| 8 | Vermont | $45,450 | +32% above national |
| 9 | Arizona | $45,070 | +31% above national |
| 10 | New Jersey | $44,020 | +28% above national |
| 11 | Oregon | $38,900 | +13% above national |
| 12 | Connecticut | $38,780 | +13% above national |
| 13 | Colorado | $38,170 | +11% above national |
| 14 | Maryland | $37,580 | +9% above national |
| 15 | Massachusetts | $37,440 | +9% above national |
| 16 | New Mexico | $36,980 | +8% above national |
| 17 | Delaware | $36,840 | +7% above national |
| 18 | Michigan | $36,780 | +7% above national |
| 19 | North Carolina | $36,470 | +6% above national |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $36,410 | +6% above national |
| 21 | California | $36,220 | +5% above national |
| 22 | Florida | $35,150 | +2% above national |
| 23 | Utah | $32,150 | 6% below national |
| 24 | Illinois | $31,200 | 9% below national |
| 25 | Ohio | $30,880 | 10% below national |
| 26 | Alaska | $30,460 | 11% below national |
| 27 | Nebraska | $30,180 | 12% below national |
| 28 | Missouri | $30,090 | 12% below national |
| 29 | West Virginia | $29,630 | 14% below national |
| 30 | South Dakota | $29,400 | 14% below national |
| 31 | North Dakota | $29,040 | 15% below national |
| 32 | New Hampshire | $28,800 | 16% below national |
| 33 | Kentucky | $28,780 | 16% below national |
| 34 | Pennsylvania | $28,420 | 17% below national |
| 35 | Mississippi | $28,320 | 18% below national |
| 36 | Alabama | $27,980 | 19% below national |
| 37 | Kansas | $27,940 | 19% below national |
| 38 | Tennessee | $27,480 | 20% below national |
| 39 | Nevada | $27,460 | 20% below national |
| 40 | Idaho | $27,240 | 21% below national |
| 41 | Minnesota | $26,900 | 22% below national |
| 42 | Montana | $26,010 | 24% below national |
| 43 | Arkansas | $25,090 | 27% below national |
| 44 | Oklahoma | $24,790 | 28% below national |
| 45 | Wisconsin | $23,460 | 32% below national |
| 46 | Georgia | $22,830 | 34% below national |
| 47 | Indiana | $22,770 | 34% below national |
| 48 | Texas | $22,690 | 34% below national |
| 49 | Puerto Rico | $22,630 | 34% below national |
| 50 | Wyoming | $22,030 | 36% below national |
| 51 | Iowa | $21,720 | 37% below national |
| 52 | Louisiana | $20,850 | 39% below national |
| 53 | Guam | $20,700 | 40% below national |
| 54 | South Carolina | $19,370 | 44% below national |
Salary by Metro Area
Highest Paying Metros
View all 391 metro areas →
| # | Metro Area | Median Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $86,280 | +151% above national |
| 2 | Urban Honolulu, HI | $75,340 | +119% above national |
| 3 | New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $61,220 | +78% above national |
| 4 | Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $58,180 | +69% above national |
| 5 | Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $56,640 | +65% above national |
| 6 | Bellingham, WA | $56,110 | +63% above national |
| 7 | Kennewick-Richland, WA | $55,820 | +63% above national |
| 8 | Portland-South Portland, ME | $54,170 | +58% above national |
| 9 | Walla Walla, WA | $54,030 | +57% above national |
| 10 | Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $53,810 | +57% above national |
| 11 | Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $50,210 | +46% above national |
| 12 | Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $50,180 | +46% above national |
| 13 | Longview-Kelso, WA | $49,930 | +45% above national |
| 14 | Yakima, WA | $49,700 | +45% above national |
| 15 | Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $49,070 | +43% above national |
| 16 | Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | $48,220 | +40% above national |
| 17 | Charlottesville, VA | $48,210 | +40% above national |
| 18 | Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $48,030 | +40% above national |
| 19 | Binghamton, NY | $47,950 | +40% above national |
| 20 | Kingston, NY | $47,760 | +39% above national |
| 21 | Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | $47,370 | +38% above national |
| 22 | Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $46,940 | +37% above national |
| 23 | Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $46,920 | +37% above national |
| 24 | Syracuse, NY | $46,710 | +36% above national |
| 25 | Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $46,700 | +36% above national |
| 26 | Roanoke, VA | $46,530 | +35% above national |
| 27 | Glens Falls, NY | $46,470 | +35% above national |
| 28 | Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $46,320 | +35% above national |
| 29 | Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | $46,290 | +35% above national |
| 30 | Richmond, VA | $46,070 | +34% above national |
| 31 | Rochester, NY | $45,920 | +34% above national |
| 32 | Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $45,590 | +33% above national |
| 33 | Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | $45,150 | +31% above national |
| 34 | Lewiston-Auburn, ME | $45,040 | +31% above national |
| 35 | Harrisonburg, VA | $44,940 | +31% above national |
| 36 | Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $44,620 | +30% above national |
| 37 | Lynchburg, VA | $44,350 | +29% above national |
| 38 | Santa Fe, NM | $44,250 | +29% above national |
| 39 | Ithaca, NY | $44,040 | +28% above national |
| 40 | Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT | $43,950 | +28% above national |
| 41 | Bangor, ME | $43,880 | +28% above national |
| 42 | Barnstable Town, MA | $43,530 | +27% above national |
| 43 | Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $43,070 | +25% above national |
| 44 | Bend, OR | $42,670 | +24% above national |
| 45 | Boulder, CO | $42,520 | +24% above national |
| 46 | Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ | $42,340 | +23% above national |
| 47 | San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $42,270 | +23% above national |
| 48 | Yuma, AZ | $42,210 | +23% above national |
| 49 | Corvallis, OR | $41,840 | +22% above national |
| 50 | Winchester, VA-WV | $41,640 | +21% above national |
| 51 | Elmira, NY | $41,110 | +20% above national |
| 52 | Lansing-East Lansing, MI | $40,230 | +17% above national |
| 53 | Medford, OR | $40,190 | +17% above national |
| 54 | Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT | $39,730 | +16% above national |
| 55 | San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $39,670 | +16% above national |
| 56 | Eugene-Springfield, OR | $39,580 | +15% above national |
| 57 | Battle Creek, MI | $39,430 | +15% above national |
| 58 | Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | $39,300 | +14% above national |
| 59 | Niles, MI | $38,970 | +13% above national |
| 60 | Utica-Rome, NY | $38,860 | +13% above national |
| 61 | Trenton-Princeton, NJ | $38,800 | +13% above national |
| 62 | Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI | $38,430 | +12% above national |
| 63 | Salem, OR | $38,410 | +12% above national |
| 64 | Ann Arbor, MI | $38,300 | +12% above national |
| 65 | New Haven, CT | $38,260 | +11% above national |
| 66 | Midland, MI | $38,170 | +11% above national |
| 67 | Wilmington, NC | $37,890 | +10% above national |
| 68 | Monroe, MI | $37,800 | +10% above national |
| 69 | Napa, CA | $37,790 | +10% above national |
| 70 | Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $37,760 | +10% above national |
| 71 | Colorado Springs, CO | $37,700 | +10% above national |
| 72 | Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $37,700 | +10% above national |
| 73 | St. George, UT | $37,690 | +10% above national |
| 74 | Greeley, CO | $37,680 | +10% above national |
| 75 | Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $37,680 | +10% above national |
| 76 | Kalamazoo-Portage, MI | $37,660 | +10% above national |
| 77 | Pueblo, CO | $37,630 | +10% above national |
| 78 | Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $37,460 | +9% above national |
| 79 | Albuquerque, NM | $37,400 | +9% above national |
| 80 | Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $37,390 | +9% above national |
| 81 | Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD | $37,360 | +9% above national |
| 82 | Ogden, UT | $37,330 | +9% above national |
| 83 | Traverse City, MI | $37,300 | +9% above national |
| 84 | Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT | $37,290 | +9% above national |
| 85 | Waterbury-Shelton, CT | $37,290 | +9% above national |
| 86 | Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | $37,180 | +8% above national |
| 87 | Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $37,110 | +8% above national |
| 88 | Columbus, OH | $37,000 | +8% above national |
| 89 | Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI | $36,960 | +8% above national |
| 90 | Lexington Park, MD | $36,950 | +8% above national |
| 91 | Grants Pass, OR | $36,920 | +8% above national |
| 92 | Vallejo, CA | $36,870 | +7% above national |
| 93 | Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $36,780 | +7% above national |
| 94 | Saginaw, MI | $36,550 | +6% above national |
| 95 | Tucson, AZ | $36,450 | +6% above national |
| 96 | Salinas, CA | $36,350 | +6% above national |
| 97 | Naples-Marco Island, FL | $36,310 | +6% above national |
| 98 | Flagstaff, AZ | $36,270 | +6% above national |
| 99 | San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $36,260 | +6% above national |
| 100 | Grand Junction, CO | $36,180 | +5% above national |
| 101 | Watertown-Fort Drum, NY | $36,170 | +5% above national |
| 102 | Flint, MI | $36,130 | +5% above national |
| 103 | Raleigh-Cary, NC | $36,120 | +5% above national |
| 104 | Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $36,100 | +5% above national |
| 105 | Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $36,040 | +5% above national |
| 106 | Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ | $35,960 | +5% above national |
| 107 | Worcester, MA | $35,950 | +5% above national |
| 108 | Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL | $35,940 | +5% above national |
| 109 | Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $35,810 | +4% above national |
| 110 | Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ | $35,790 | +4% above national |
| 111 | Jackson, MI | $35,740 | +4% above national |
| 112 | Punta Gorda, FL | $35,690 | +4% above national |
| 113 | Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | $35,680 | +4% above national |
| 114 | San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $35,630 | +4% above national |
| 115 | Springfield, MA | $35,610 | +4% above national |
| 116 | Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $35,590 | +4% above national |
| 117 | Vineland, NJ | $35,590 | +4% above national |
| 118 | Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL | $35,570 | +4% above national |
| 119 | Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $35,510 | +3% above national |
| 120 | Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $35,510 | +3% above national |
| 121 | Jacksonville, FL | $35,450 | +3% above national |
| 122 | Pittsfield, MA | $35,390 | +3% above national |
| 123 | Asheville, NC | $35,380 | +3% above national |
| 124 | Amherst Town-Northampton, MA | $35,300 | +3% above national |
| 125 | Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $35,240 | +3% above national |
| 126 | Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | $35,210 | +3% above national |
| 127 | Dover, DE | $35,210 | +3% above national |
| 128 | Modesto, CA | $35,100 | +2% above national |
| 129 | Gainesville, FL | $35,050 | +2% above national |
| 130 | Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL | $35,040 | +2% above national |
| 131 | Winston-Salem, NC | $34,920 | +2% above national |
| 132 | Salisbury, MD | $34,890 | +2% above national |
| 133 | Fayetteville, NC | $34,880 | +2% above national |
| 134 | Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $34,840 | +1% above national |
| 135 | Albany, OR | $34,790 | +1% above national |
| 136 | Stockton-Lodi, CA | $34,770 | +1% above national |
| 137 | Bay City, MI | $34,720 | +1% above national |
| 138 | Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | $34,700 | +1% above national |
| 139 | Merced, CA | $34,680 | +1% above national |
| 140 | Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL | $34,670 | +1% above national |
| 141 | Omaha, NE-IA | $34,630 | +1% above national |
| 142 | El Centro, CA | $34,620 | +1% above national |
| 143 | Greensboro-High Point, NC | $34,550 | +1% above national |
| 144 | North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL | $34,500 | same as national |
| 145 | Las Cruces, NM | $34,470 | same as national |
| 146 | Wildwood-The Villages, FL | $34,350 | same as national |
| 147 | Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $34,320 | same as national |
| 148 | Chico, CA | $34,320 | same as national |
| 149 | Fresno, CA | $34,320 | same as national |
| 150 | Redding, CA | $34,320 | same as national |
| 151 | Visalia, CA | $34,320 | same as national |
| 152 | Yuba City, CA | $34,320 | same as national |
| 153 | Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN | $34,240 | same as national |
| 154 | Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL | $33,920 | 1% below national |
| 155 | Rocky Mount, NC | $33,800 | 2% below national |
| 156 | Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | $33,750 | 2% below national |
| 157 | Port St. Lucie, FL | $33,720 | 2% below national |
| 158 | Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL | $33,650 | 2% below national |
| 159 | Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $33,620 | 2% below national |
| 160 | Cleveland, OH | $33,470 | 3% below national |
| 161 | Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $32,220 | 6% below national |
| 162 | Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $31,860 | 7% below national |
| 163 | Fairbanks-College, AK | $31,840 | 7% below national |
| 164 | Hinesville, GA | $31,760 | 8% below national |
| 165 | Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL | $31,650 | 8% below national |
| 166 | Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $31,240 | 9% below national |
| 167 | Anchorage, AK | $31,200 | 9% below national |
| 168 | Bloomington, IL | $31,200 | 9% below national |
| 169 | Champaign-Urbana, IL | $31,200 | 9% below national |
| 170 | Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $31,200 | 9% below national |
| 171 | Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $31,200 | 9% below national |
| 172 | Decatur, IL | $31,200 | 9% below national |
| 173 | Kankakee, IL | $31,200 | 9% below national |
| 174 | Peoria, IL | $31,200 | 9% below national |
| 175 | Rockford, IL | $31,200 | 9% below national |
| 176 | St. Louis, MO-IL | $31,200 | 9% below national |
| 177 | Springfield, IL | $31,200 | 9% below national |
| 178 | Burlington, NC | $31,170 | 9% below national |
| 179 | Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL | $31,170 | 9% below national |
| 180 | Akron, OH | $31,120 | 9% below national |
| 181 | Farmington, NM | $31,030 | 10% below national |
| 182 | Jacksonville, NC | $31,000 | 10% below national |
| 183 | Charleston, WV | $30,900 | 10% below national |
| 184 | Toledo, OH | $30,820 | 10% below national |
| 185 | Lincoln, NE | $30,660 | 11% below national |
| 186 | Lexington-Fayette, KY | $30,640 | 11% below national |
| 187 | Decatur, AL | $30,540 | 11% below national |
| 188 | Canton-Massillon, OH | $30,450 | 11% below national |
| 189 | Morgantown, WV | $30,310 | 12% below national |
| 190 | Kansas City, MO-KS | $30,300 | 12% below national |
| 191 | Lima, OH | $30,270 | 12% below national |
| 192 | Tallahassee, FL | $30,270 | 12% below national |
| 193 | Greenville, NC | $30,190 | 12% below national |
| 194 | Sioux Falls, SD-MN | $30,180 | 12% below national |
| 195 | Sandusky, OH | $30,130 | 12% below national |
| 196 | Birmingham, AL | $30,010 | 13% below national |
| 197 | Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $30,010 | 13% below national |
| 198 | Lawrence, KS | $29,980 | 13% below national |
| 199 | Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH | $29,830 | 13% below national |
| 200 | Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | $29,790 | 13% below national |
| 201 | Pittsburgh, PA | $29,750 | 13% below national |
| 202 | Homosassa Springs, FL | $29,720 | 13% below national |
| 203 | Sebring, FL | $29,680 | 14% below national |
| 204 | Ocala, FL | $29,620 | 14% below national |
| 205 | Youngstown-Warren, OH | $29,520 | 14% below national |
| 206 | Rapid City, SD | $29,500 | 14% below national |
| 207 | Bismarck, ND | $29,350 | 15% below national |
| 208 | Lewiston, ID-WA | $29,290 | 15% below national |
| 209 | Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $29,280 | 15% below national |
| 210 | Jackson, MS | $29,230 | 15% below national |
| 211 | Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN | $29,120 | 15% below national |
| 212 | Springfield, MO | $29,120 | 15% below national |
| 213 | Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $29,100 | 15% below national |
| 214 | Beckley, WV | $29,060 | 15% below national |
| 215 | Manchester-Nashua, NH | $29,050 | 15% below national |
| 216 | St. Joseph, MO-KS | $29,000 | 16% below national |
| 217 | Grand Island, NE | $28,910 | 16% below national |
| 218 | Knoxville, TN | $28,860 | 16% below national |
| 219 | Boise City, ID | $28,840 | 16% below national |
| 220 | York-Hanover, PA | $28,810 | 16% below national |
| 221 | Grand Forks, ND-MN | $28,770 | 16% below national |
| 222 | Memphis, TN-MS-AR | $28,710 | 16% below national |
| 223 | Mansfield, OH | $28,640 | 17% below national |
| 224 | Jefferson City, MO | $28,630 | 17% below national |
| 225 | Minot, ND | $28,610 | 17% below national |
| 226 | Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $28,600 | 17% below national |
| 227 | Columbia, MO | $28,600 | 17% below national |
| 228 | Joplin, MO-KS | $28,600 | 17% below national |
| 229 | Wichita, KS | $28,540 | 17% below national |
| 230 | Wheeling, WV-OH | $28,530 | 17% below national |
| 231 | Coeur d'Alene, ID | $28,440 | 17% below national |
| 232 | Springfield, OH | $28,440 | 17% below national |
| 233 | Fargo, ND-MN | $28,390 | 17% below national |
| 234 | Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL | $28,360 | 17% below national |
| 235 | Lancaster, PA | $28,280 | 18% below national |
| 236 | Reading, PA | $28,260 | 18% below national |
| 237 | Huntsville, AL | $28,210 | 18% below national |
| 238 | Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN | $28,190 | 18% below national |
| 239 | State College, PA | $28,100 | 18% below national |
| 240 | Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $28,010 | 18% below national |
| 241 | Logan, UT-ID | $27,980 | 19% below national |
| 242 | Mobile, AL | $27,980 | 19% below national |
| 243 | Topeka, KS | $27,860 | 19% below national |
| 244 | Goldsboro, NC | $27,740 | 19% below national |
| 245 | Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL | $27,730 | 19% below national |
| 246 | Enid, OK | $27,700 | 19% below national |
| 247 | Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $27,600 | 20% below national |
| 248 | Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $27,520 | 20% below national |
| 249 | Tulsa, OK | $27,450 | 20% below national |
| 250 | Dothan, AL | $27,420 | 20% below national |
| 251 | Manhattan, KS | $27,160 | 21% below national |
| 252 | Bozeman, MT | $27,040 | 21% below national |
| 253 | Rochester, MN | $27,000 | 21% below national |
| 254 | Montgomery, AL | $26,830 | 22% below national |
| 255 | Tuscaloosa, AL | $26,830 | 22% below national |
| 256 | Owensboro, KY | $26,810 | 22% below national |
| 257 | Bowling Green, KY | $26,800 | 22% below national |
| 258 | Gulfport-Biloxi, MS | $26,660 | 22% below national |
| 259 | Elizabethtown, KY | $26,620 | 22% below national |
| 260 | Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR | $26,570 | 23% below national |
| 261 | Twin Falls, ID | $26,530 | 23% below national |
| 262 | Gettysburg, PA | $26,400 | 23% below national |
| 263 | Chambersburg, PA | $26,390 | 23% below national |
| 264 | Hattiesburg, MS | $26,360 | 23% below national |
| 265 | Paducah, KY-IL | $26,350 | 23% below national |
| 266 | Carson City, NV | $26,250 | 24% below national |
| 267 | Auburn-Opelika, AL | $26,210 | 24% below national |
| 268 | Helena, MT | $26,210 | 24% below national |
| 269 | Lebanon, PA | $26,090 | 24% below national |
| 270 | Missoula, MT | $25,990 | 24% below national |
| 271 | Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $25,970 | 24% below national |
| 272 | St. Cloud, MN | $25,970 | 24% below national |
| 273 | Valdosta, GA | $25,920 | 25% below national |
| 274 | Williamsport, PA | $25,910 | 25% below national |
| 275 | Reno, NV | $25,770 | 25% below national |
| 276 | Anniston-Oxford, AL | $25,760 | 25% below national |
| 277 | Sheboygan, WI | $25,720 | 25% below national |
| 278 | Cleveland, TN | $25,710 | 25% below national |
| 279 | Chattanooga, TN-GA | $25,650 | 25% below national |
| 280 | Great Falls, MT | $25,310 | 26% below national |
| 281 | Oklahoma City, OK | $24,790 | 28% below national |
| 282 | Mankato, MN | $24,710 | 28% below national |
| 283 | Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR | $24,540 | 29% below national |
| 284 | Rome, GA | $24,490 | 29% below national |
| 285 | Jonesboro, AR | $24,460 | 29% below national |
| 286 | Macon-Bibb County, GA | $24,330 | 29% below national |
| 287 | Clarksville, TN-KY | $24,230 | 29% below national |
| 288 | Gainesville, GA | $24,180 | 30% below national |
| 289 | Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | $24,170 | 30% below national |
| 290 | Fort Smith, AR-OK | $23,830 | 31% below national |
| 291 | Sioux City, IA-NE-SD | $23,750 | 31% below national |
| 292 | Morristown, TN | $23,730 | 31% below national |
| 293 | Columbus, IN | $23,700 | 31% below national |
| 294 | Gadsden, AL | $23,700 | 31% below national |
| 295 | Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX | $23,670 | 31% below national |
| 296 | Idaho Falls, ID | $23,660 | 31% below national |
| 297 | Billings, MT | $23,550 | 31% below national |
| 298 | Duluth, MN-WI | $23,540 | 31% below national |
| 299 | Green Bay, WI | $23,380 | 32% below national |
| 300 | Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | $23,350 | 32% below national |
| 301 | Hot Springs, AR | $23,350 | 32% below national |
| 302 | Appleton, WI | $23,330 | 32% below national |
| 303 | Fond du Lac, WI | $23,330 | 32% below national |
| 304 | Madison, WI | $23,210 | 32% below national |
| 305 | Kenosha, WI | $23,140 | 33% below national |
| 306 | La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $23,130 | 33% below national |
| 307 | Elkhart-Goshen, IN | $23,120 | 33% below national |
| 308 | Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $23,120 | 33% below national |
| 309 | Kokomo, IN | $23,060 | 33% below national |
| 310 | Fort Wayne, IN | $23,010 | 33% below national |
| 311 | South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI | $23,000 | 33% below national |
| 312 | Eau Claire, WI | $22,990 | 33% below national |
| 313 | Florence, SC | $22,990 | 33% below national |
| 314 | Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $22,960 | 33% below national |
| 315 | Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN | $22,880 | 33% below national |
| 316 | San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR | $22,880 | 33% below national |
| 317 | Texarkana, TX-AR | $22,880 | 33% below national |
| 318 | Brunswick-St. Simons, GA | $22,770 | 34% below national |
| 319 | Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | $22,770 | 34% below national |
| 320 | Erie, PA | $22,730 | 34% below national |
| 321 | Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN | $22,680 | 34% below national |
| 322 | Wausau, WI | $22,640 | 34% below national |
| 323 | Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX | $22,600 | 34% below national |
| 324 | Warner Robins, GA | $22,580 | 34% below national |
| 325 | Altoona, PA | $22,460 | 35% below national |
| 326 | Michigan City-La Porte, IN | $22,430 | 35% below national |
| 327 | Bloomington, IN | $22,370 | 35% below national |
| 328 | Evansville, IN | $22,360 | 35% below national |
| 329 | Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | $22,340 | 35% below national |
| 330 | Janesville-Beloit, WI | $22,090 | 36% below national |
| 331 | Mayaguez, PR | $22,090 | 36% below national |
| 332 | Jackson, TN | $22,030 | 36% below national |
| 333 | Aguadilla, PR | $21,980 | 36% below national |
| 334 | Midland, TX | $21,980 | 36% below national |
| 335 | San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX | $21,980 | 36% below national |
| 336 | Savannah, GA | $21,980 | 36% below national |
| 337 | Ponce, PR | $21,970 | 36% below national |
| 338 | Johnstown, PA | $21,930 | 36% below national |
| 339 | Albany, GA | $21,920 | 36% below national |
| 340 | Iowa City, IA | $21,900 | 36% below national |
| 341 | Abilene, TX | $21,890 | 36% below national |
| 342 | Arecibo, PR | $21,890 | 36% below national |
| 343 | Pocatello, ID | $21,800 | 37% below national |
| 344 | Muncie, IN | $21,780 | 37% below national |
| 345 | Dubuque, IA | $21,720 | 37% below national |
| 346 | Johnson City, TN | $21,700 | 37% below national |
| 347 | Cheyenne, WY | $21,690 | 37% below national |
| 348 | Cedar Rapids, IA | $21,600 | 37% below national |
| 349 | Ames, IA | $21,580 | 37% below national |
| 350 | Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA | $21,540 | 37% below national |
| 351 | Casper, WY | $21,490 | 37% below national |
| 352 | Wichita Falls, TX | $21,460 | 38% below national |
| 353 | Waco, TX | $21,420 | 38% below national |
| 354 | Laredo, TX | $21,380 | 38% below national |
| 355 | Killeen-Temple, TX | $21,280 | 38% below national |
| 356 | Lawton, OK | $21,230 | 38% below national |
| 357 | New Orleans-Metairie, LA | $21,230 | 38% below national |
| 358 | Tyler, TX | $21,170 | 38% below national |
| 359 | Longview, TX | $21,140 | 38% below national |
| 360 | Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC | $21,100 | 39% below national |
| 361 | Terre Haute, IN | $21,090 | 39% below national |
| 362 | Amarillo, TX | $21,050 | 39% below national |
| 363 | Lubbock, TX | $20,990 | 39% below national |
| 364 | Corpus Christi, TX | $20,970 | 39% below national |
| 365 | Columbus, GA-AL | $20,940 | 39% below national |
| 366 | Hammond, LA | $20,650 | 40% below national |
| 367 | Baton Rouge, LA | $20,640 | 40% below national |
| 368 | Victoria, TX | $20,600 | 40% below national |
| 369 | College Station-Bryan, TX | $20,460 | 40% below national |
| 370 | San Angelo, TX | $20,440 | 40% below national |
| 371 | Sherman-Denison, TX | $20,420 | 41% below national |
| 372 | Athens-Clarke County, GA | $20,400 | 41% below national |
| 373 | Odessa, TX | $20,370 | 41% below national |
| 374 | Dalton, GA | $20,260 | 41% below national |
| 375 | Spartanburg, SC | $20,090 | 41% below national |
| 376 | Monroe, LA | $20,060 | 42% below national |
| 377 | Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC | $20,030 | 42% below national |
| 378 | Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | $19,990 | 42% below national |
| 379 | Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | $19,770 | 42% below national |
| 380 | El Paso, TX | $19,680 | 43% below national |
| 381 | Charleston-North Charleston, SC | $19,630 | 43% below national |
| 382 | Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC | $19,600 | 43% below national |
| 383 | Columbia, SC | $19,230 | 44% below national |
| 384 | Lafayette, LA | $19,070 | 44% below national |
| 385 | Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | $18,990 | 45% below national |
| 386 | McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX | $18,940 | 45% below national |
| 387 | Brownsville-Harlingen, TX | $18,340 | 47% below national |
| 388 | Lake Charles, LA | $18,280 | 47% below national |
| 389 | Sumter, SC | $18,040 | 47% below national |
| 390 | Alexandria, LA | $17,840 | 48% below national |
| 391 | Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC | $17,420 | 49% below national |
Same SOC major group
Other detailed occupations in SOC major group 35 (Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations) - category peers, not a pay match.
Chefs and Head Cooks
SOC 35-1011
Cooks, All Other
SOC 35-2019
Cooks, Fast Food
SOC 35-2011
Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
SOC 35-2012
Cooks, Private Household
SOC 35-2013
Showing 5 of 16 detailed occupations BLS assigns to this SOC major group.
Nationwide occupations with similar pay or employment scale
Two OEWS peer sets outside this SOC major group (Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations). Same-category cards above stay inside the group; these neighborhoods are cross-group nearest neighbors on national median pay ($34,340 here) and reported employment (756,390 jobs here).
Similar median pay
Nearest other detailed occupations by BLS OEWS national median annual wage.
Similar employment scale
Nearest headcount peers (floor 1,000 national jobs), distinct from the pay column.
Peers are nearest-neighbor matches on BLS OEWS national median annual wage and reported employment. Employment peers exclude occupations already listed in the pay column so the two link sets stay distinct.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Bartenders make? ▼
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What state pays Bartenders the most? ▼
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What to do with this data
How to use Bartenders pay figures in a real decision
- The 75th-percentile wage is about $47,570/year. Treat it as the upper-quartile market boundary, not an automatic target for experience alone; role scope, location, industry, credentials, performance, and employer context still need separate evidence. Salary calculator
- Location moves pay significantly: Hawaii leads at $76,490/year for this role. Weigh state pay against local cost of living before relocating or negotiating remote. Pay by state
- Compare this occupation against similar roles before you decide, so you are reading the pay band in context rather than in isolation. Compare jobs
These are BLS survey estimates for the occupation, not a salary offer or a prediction for any individual. Your pay depends on experience, employer, exact role, and location.
Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Occupation wages use BLS OEWS May 2025; outlook uses BLS Employment Projections for 2024–2034; safety, skills, knowledge, and task panels identify their BLS or O*NET sources in context. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.
This page is for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial or career advice. Actual pay for a specific role, employer, or offer may differ from these national/state figures, consult a qualified career counselor, recruiter, or financial advisor before making decisions based on this data.