The average salary for a bartender in the United States is around $34,340 per year.
Avg Salary
Bartenders earn an average yearly salary of $34,340.
Wages typically start from $20,110 and go up to $73,770.
41% below national average Updated in 2025
Bartender earnings by seniority
90th percentile
Top-level bartender earnings begin at:
$35.47 per hour
$73,770 per year
75th percentile
Senior-level bartender earnings begin at:
$22.87 per hour
$47,570 per year
50th percentile
Mid-level bartender earnings begin at:
$16.51 per hour
$34,340 per year
25th percentile
Junior-level bartender earnings begin at:
$13.17 per hour
$27,400 per year
10th percentile
Starting level bartender earnings begin at:
$9.67 per hour
$20,110 per year
Approximate values based on highest and lowest earning segments.
Bartender salary by state
| State Name | Average 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 |
| Connecticut | $38,780 |
| Colorado | $38,170 |
| Maryland | $37,580 |
| Massachusetts | $37,440 |
| New Mexico | $36,980 |
| Delaware | $36,840 |
| Michigan | $36,780 |
| North Carolina | $36,470 |
| Rhode Island | $36,410 |
| California | $36,220 |
| Florida | $35,150 |
| Utah | $32,150 |
| Illinois | $31,200 |
| Ohio | $30,880 |
| Alaska | $30,460 |
| Nebraska | $30,180 |
| Missouri | $30,090 |
| West Virginia | $29,630 |
| South Dakota | $29,400 |
| North Dakota | $29,040 |
| New Hampshire | $28,800 |
| Kentucky | $28,780 |
| Pennsylvania | $28,420 |
| Mississippi | $28,320 |
| Alabama | $27,980 |
| Kansas | $27,940 |
| Tennessee | $27,480 |
| Nevada | $27,460 |
| Idaho | $27,240 |
| Minnesota | $26,900 |
| Montana | $26,010 |
| Arkansas | $25,090 |
| Oklahoma | $24,790 |
| Virgin Islands, U.S. | $24,310 |
| Wisconsin | $23,460 |
| Georgia | $22,830 |
| Indiana | $22,770 |
| Texas | $22,690 |
| Wyoming | $22,030 |
| Iowa | $21,720 |
| Louisiana | $20,850 |
| Guam | $19,640 |
| South Carolina | $19,370 |
| Puerto Rico | $18,180 |
How do bartender salaries compare to similar careers?
Bartenders earn 12% less than similar careers in the United States. On average, they make less than culinary chefs but more than bakers.
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Culinary chef salary | $62K |
| Brewmaster salary | $52K |
| Personal chef salary | $48K |
| Food batchmaker salary | $42K |
| Butcher salary | $40K |
| Bartender salary | $34K |
| Dietetic technician salary | $38K |
| Food server salary | $35K |
| Restaurant cook salary | $37K |
| Baker salary | $37K |
Source: CareerExplorer (Aggregated)