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Bartenders salary

Bartenders earn a median of $34,340 a year ($16.51/hr) in the U.S. – from $19,370 in South Carolina to $76,490 in Hawaii. Enter your pay below to see how you compare.

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Median pay, United States
$16.51/hr · $34,340 a year
756,390 jobs nationwide. That is 33% below the median for all U.S. jobs ($50,980). Source: BLS, May 2025.

Pay range

10th percentile
90% earn more$20,110$9.67/hr
25th percentile
75% earn more$27,400$13.17/hr
Median (50th)
half earn more, half less$34,340$16.51/hr
75th percentile
25% earn more$47,570$22.87/hr
90th percentile
top 10% earn more$73,770$35.47/hr
Average (mean)
pulled up by top earners$40,790$19.61/hr

How does my pay compare?

Enter your pay to see where you stand among bartenders. Nothing you type leaves your device.

Pay by state

States ranked by median annual wage for bartenders. Tap a state for its minimum wage.

1. Hawaii
3,540 jobs · $36.78/hr$76,490
2. New York
43,130 jobs · $29.43/hr$61,210
3. Washington
16,800 jobs · $26.84/hr$55,830
4. District of Columbia
5,760 jobs · $25.92/hr$53,920
5. Maine
3,230 jobs · $23.52/hr$48,920
6. Virginia
13,370 jobs · $22.63/hr$47,070
7. Vermont
2,080 jobs · $21.85/hr$45,450
8. Arizona
14,840 jobs · $21.67/hr$45,070
9. New Jersey
16,260 jobs · $21.16/hr$44,020
10. Oregon
11,950 jobs · $18.70/hr$38,900
11. Connecticut
7,680 jobs · $18.64/hr$38,780
12. Colorado
17,000 jobs · $18.35/hr$38,170
13. Maryland
13,020 jobs · $18.07/hr$37,580
14. Massachusetts
19,850 jobs · $18.00/hr$37,440
15. New Mexico
3,790 jobs · $17.78/hr$36,980
16. Delaware
2,820 jobs · $17.71/hr$36,840
17. Michigan
21,100 jobs · $17.68/hr$36,780
18. North Carolina
20,070 jobs · $17.53/hr$36,470
19. Rhode Island
3,170 jobs · $17.51/hr$36,410
20. California
71,470 jobs · $17.41/hr$36,220
21. Florida
55,170 jobs · $16.90/hr$35,150
22. Utah
3,350 jobs · $15.46/hr$32,150
23. Illinois
43,010 jobs · $15.00/hr$31,200
24. Ohio
27,420 jobs · $14.84/hr$30,880
25. Alaska
2,280 jobs · $14.65/hr$30,460
26. Nebraska
7,320 jobs · $14.51/hr$30,180
27. Missouri
14,410 jobs · $14.47/hr$30,090
28. West Virginia
3,340 jobs · $14.24/hr$29,630
29. South Dakota
3,930 jobs · $14.14/hr$29,400
30. North Dakota
3,960 jobs · $13.96/hr$29,040
31. New Hampshire
3,840 jobs · $13.85/hr$28,800
32. Kentucky
6,870 jobs · $13.84/hr$28,780
33. Pennsylvania
37,490 jobs · $13.66/hr$28,420
34. Mississippi
2,770 jobs · $13.62/hr$28,320
35. Alabama
6,560 jobs · $13.45/hr$27,980
36. Kansas
5,430 jobs · $13.43/hr$27,940
37. Tennessee
10,330 jobs · $13.21/hr$27,480
38. Nevada
16,830 jobs · $13.20/hr$27,460
39. Idaho
3,430 jobs · $13.10/hr$27,240
40. Minnesota
24,420 jobs · $12.93/hr$26,900
41. Montana
5,370 jobs · $12.51/hr$26,010
42. Arkansas
3,020 jobs · $12.06/hr$25,090
43. Oklahoma
5,860 jobs · $11.92/hr$24,790
44. Wisconsin
29,520 jobs · $11.28/hr$23,460
45. Georgia
14,600 jobs · $10.98/hr$22,830
46. Indiana
12,880 jobs · $10.95/hr$22,770
47. Texas
59,000 jobs · $10.91/hr$22,690
48. Puerto Rico
3,480 jobs · $10.88/hr$22,630
49. Wyoming
2,660 jobs · $10.59/hr$22,030
50. Iowa
9,560 jobs · $10.44/hr$21,720
51. Louisiana
10,140 jobs · $10.02/hr$20,850
52. South Carolina
10,680 jobs · $9.31/hr$19,370
Fast Food and Counter Workers$31,200Waiters and Waitresses$35,230Cooks, Restaurant$37,390First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$44,080Food Preparation Workers$35,320Cooks, Fast Food$30,890Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers$33,980Dishwashers$34,810

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (May 2025), SOC code 35-3011. Wages exclude the self-employed. All jobs · Minimum wage by state

Questions & answers

How much do bartenders make?

The median wage for bartenders in the U.S. was $16.51 an hour or $34,340 a year in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The middle half earned between $27,400 and $47,570 a year.

Which state pays bartenders the most?

Hawaii has the highest median wage for bartenders: $76,490 a year. The lowest published median is in South Carolina at $19,370. Living costs also differ a lot between states.

How many bartenders are there?

BLS estimates 756,390 bartenders were employed in the U.S. in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.

What is the difference between median and average pay?

The median is the middle wage: half of workers earn more and half earn less. The average (mean) adds everyone up and divides, so a few very high earners pull it up. The median is usually the better guide to typical pay.

What does the 10th or 90th percentile mean?

The 10th percentile is the wage that only 10% of workers earn less than – often entry-level pay. The 90th percentile is the wage that only 10% earn more than – usually the most experienced or highest-paid workers.