The average salary for a bartender in the United States is around $26,028 per year.
Avg Salary
Bartenders earn an average yearly salary of $26,028.
Wages typically start from $16,413 and go up to $41,276.
58% below national average Updated in 2023
Bartender earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level bartender earnings begin at:
$19.84 per hour
$41,276 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level bartender earnings begin at:
$15.95 per hour
$33,177 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level bartender earnings begin at:
$12.51 per hour
$26,028 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level bartender earnings begin at:
$9.82 per hour
$20,420 per year
10th percentile
Starting level bartender earnings begin at:
$7.89 per hour
$16,413 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Bartender salary by state
| State Name | Average Salary |
|---|---|
| Massachusetts | $38,250 |
| Arizona | $37,790 |
| Hawaii | $36,970 |
| Maine | $36,640 |
| Washington | $35,700 |
| New York | $33,920 |
| District of Columbia | $33,250 |
| California | $30,560 |
| New Jersey | $30,330 |
| Virginia | $29,780 |
| Alaska | $29,230 |
| Oregon | $29,210 |
| Connecticut | $28,530 |
| Michigan | $28,290 |
| Rhode Island | $27,890 |
| Maryland | $27,430 |
| Colorado | $27,280 |
| Vermont | $27,270 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $24,310 |
| Minnesota | $23,880 |
| South Dakota | $23,420 |
| North Dakota | $23,410 |
| Missouri | $23,350 |
| Delaware | $23,230 |
| Illinois | $22,930 |
| Arkansas | $22,880 |
| Wyoming | $22,600 |
| Nevada | $22,280 |
| Texas | $22,190 |
| Montana | $22,080 |
| West Virginia | $22,040 |
| Wisconsin | $21,930 |
| Nebraska | $21,900 |
| New Mexico | $21,840 |
| New Hampshire | $21,820 |
| Florida | $21,760 |
| Utah | $21,480 |
| Ohio | $21,230 |
| Pennsylvania | $20,950 |
| South Carolina | $20,850 |
| Indiana | $20,540 |
| Iowa | $20,530 |
| Kentucky | $20,530 |
| Guam | $19,640 |
| Oklahoma | $19,610 |
| Idaho | $19,420 |
| North Carolina | $18,970 |
| Kansas | $18,870 |
| Georgia | $18,790 |
| Tennessee | $18,780 |
| Alabama | $18,680 |
| Louisiana | $18,230 |
| Puerto Rico | $18,180 |
| Mississippi | $17,840 |
How do bartender salaries compare to similar careers?
Bartenders earn about the same as related careers in the United States. On average, they make less than registered dietitian but more than food batchmakers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Registered dietitian salary | $53K |
| Personal chef salary | $37K |
| Brewmaster salary | $34K |
| Restaurant manager salary | $32K |
| Dietetic technician salary | $32K |
| Bartender salary | $26K |
| Culinary chef salary | $21K |
| Barista salary | $18K |
| Butcher salary | $13K |
| Food batchmaker salary | $6K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)