Average Salary for Bartenders
SOC 35-3011 · Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · 2024 data
The median annual wage for Bartenders in the United States is $33,530 ($16.12/hr), based on 2024 BLS OEWS data. Wages range from $19,930 at the 10th percentile to $71,920 at the 90th percentile nationally. An estimated 745,610 people work in this occupation across the country. The national median wage has grown 76% since 2014.
Median Annual
$33,530
Mean Annual
$39,880
10th Pct
$19,930
75th Pct
$46,790
Employment
745,610
Salary Distribution
$20k
10th
$26k
25th
$34k
Median
$47k
75th
$72k
90th
Highest Paying Metro Areas
| Metro Area | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $80,040 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $70,300 |
| Burlington-South Burlington, VT | $65,480 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $59,030 |
| Kingston, NY | $56,070 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | $51,390 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $51,180 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $50,070 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | $49,950 |
| Ithaca, NY | $49,940 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $49,490 |
| Glens Falls, NY | $49,430 |
| Syracuse, NY | $48,810 |
| Binghamton, NY | $48,530 |
| Roanoke, VA | $48,260 |
Salary by State
| State | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $68,820 |
| New York | $60,750 |
| District of Columbia | $54,930 |
| Vermont | $54,310 |
| Washington | $48,320 |
| Maine | $47,630 |
| Virginia | $46,860 |
| New Jersey | $45,660 |
| Virgin Islands | $42,630 |
| Arizona | $40,860 |
| Michigan | $39,500 |
| Delaware | $36,420 |
| Massachusetts | $36,000 |
| California | $35,900 |
| Maryland | $35,750 |
| Connecticut | $34,420 |
| Utah | $34,120 |
| Oregon | $33,970 |
| Colorado | $33,780 |
| Rhode Island | $33,700 |
| North Carolina | $32,410 |
| New Mexico | $31,370 |
| Florida | $30,850 |
| Alaska | $29,860 |
| Ohio | $29,850 |
| Nebraska | $29,400 |
| Illinois | $29,120 |
| West Virginia | $29,030 |
| Kentucky | $28,590 |
| South Dakota | $28,530 |
| North Dakota | $28,440 |
| New Hampshire | $28,100 |
| Kansas | $27,760 |
| Texas | $27,750 |
| Pennsylvania | $27,090 |
| Missouri | $27,060 |
| Minnesota | $26,840 |
| Arkansas | $26,030 |
| Nevada | $25,790 |
| Mississippi | $24,700 |
| Georgia | $23,500 |
| Idaho | $22,880 |
| Montana | $22,840 |
| Indiana | $22,790 |
| Alabama | $22,670 |
| Tennessee | $22,660 |
| Wisconsin | $22,520 |
| Iowa | $22,500 |
| Wyoming | $22,010 |
| Oklahoma | $21,620 |
| Puerto Rico | $21,160 |
| Guam | $20,370 |
| Louisiana | $19,620 |
| South Carolina | $18,390 |
Salary by Industry
National median wage for Bartenders broken down by industry sector, 2024 data.
| Industry | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| General Merchandise Retailers | $45,740 |
| Gasoline Stations and Fuel Dealers | $44,680 |
| Gasoline Stations | $44,680 |
| Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Land | $41,150 |
| Employment Services | $40,150 |
| Temporary Help Services | $40,150 |
| Administrative and Support Services | $39,970 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | $39,970 |
| Casino Hotels | $37,440 |
| Continuing Care Retirement Communities and Assisted Living Facilities for the Elderly | $36,710 |
| Nursing and Residential Care Facilities | $36,660 |
| Miscellaneous Store Retailers (4594 and 4595 only) | $36,500 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | $36,470 |
| Technical and Trade Schools | $36,050 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $35,830 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $35,830 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | $35,830 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $35,720 |
| Wholesale Trade | $35,680 |
| Traveler Accommodation | $35,650 |
| Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation | $35,620 |
| Accommodation | $35,590 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | $35,490 |
| Scenic and Sightseeing Transportation, Water | $35,490 |
| Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions | $35,480 |
| Museums, Historical Sites, and Similar Institutions | $35,480 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods (4244 and 4248 only) | $35,420 |
| State Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $35,360 |
| State Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $35,360 |
| Merchant Wholesalers, Nondurable Goods | $35,150 |
| Full-Service Restaurants | $35,090 |
| Beverage Manufacturing | $35,060 |
| Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing | $35,060 |
| Manufacturing | $35,030 |
| Educational Services | $34,960 |
| Educational Services | $34,950 |
| Restaurants and Other Eating Places | $34,850 |
| Amusement Parks and Arcades | $34,790 |
| Sporting Goods, Hobby, and Musical Instrument Retailers | $34,670 |
| Other Personal Services | $34,550 |
| Special Food Services | $34,490 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, including State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $34,290 |
| Local Government, including Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $34,280 |
| Food and Beverage Retailers (4451 and 4452 only) | $34,080 |
| Retail Trade | $34,080 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | $34,020 |
| Food Services and Drinking Places | $33,860 |
| Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events | $33,830 |
| Cross-industry, Private Ownership only | $33,520 |
| Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries | $33,410 |
| Travel Arrangement and Reservation Services | $33,400 |
| Theater Companies and Dinner Theaters | $33,340 |
| Performing Arts Companies | $33,280 |
| Food and Beverage Retailers | $32,970 |
| Machinery Manufacturing | $32,660 |
| Machinery Manufacturing (3331, 3332, 3334, and 3339 only) | $32,660 |
| Personal and Laundry Services | $32,640 |
| Motion Picture and Video Exhibition | $32,640 |
| Food Manufacturing | $32,570 |
| Motion Picture and Video Industries | $32,160 |
| Information | $32,160 |
| Motion Picture and Sound Recording Industries | $32,160 |
| Labor Unions and Similar Labor Organizations | $31,950 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | $31,950 |
| Real Estate | $31,930 |
| Real Estate and Rental and Leasing | $31,760 |
| Fitness and Recreational Sports Centers | $31,460 |
| Bakeries and Tortilla Manufacturing | $31,320 |
| Drinking Places (Alcoholic Beverages) | $31,200 |
| Business, Professional, Labor, Political, and Similar Organizations | $31,200 |
| Amusement, Gambling, and Recreation Industries | $31,200 |
| Other Amusement and Recreation Industries | $31,200 |
| Beer, Wine, and Liquor Retailers | $31,200 |
| Sporting Goods, Hobby, Musical Instrument, Book, and Miscellaneous Retailers | $31,190 |
| Other Support Services | $30,940 |
| Gambling Industries | $30,600 |
| RV (Recreational Vehicle) Parks and Recreational Camps | $30,320 |
| Facilities Support Services | $29,930 |
| Spectator Sports | $29,930 |
| Book Retailers and News Dealers | $29,850 |
| Social Advocacy Organizations | $29,620 |
| Sporting Goods Retailers | $29,240 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $29,120 |
| Other Miscellaneous Retailers | $29,120 |
| Local Government, excluding Schools and Hospitals (OEWS Designation) | $29,120 |
| Federal, State, and Local Government, excluding State and Local Government Schools and Hospitals and the U.S. Postal Service (OEWS Designation) | $29,120 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | $27,580 |
| Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations | $27,530 |
| Rooming and Boarding Houses, Dormitories, and Workers' Camps | $27,500 |
| Civic and Social Organizations | $27,410 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $26,820 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | $26,820 |
| Accounting, Tax Preparation, Bookkeeping, and Payroll Services | $26,410 |
| Other Schools and Instruction | $26,150 |
| Personal Care Services | $25,730 |
| Construction | $23,590 |
National Wage Trend
View data table
| Year | Median Annual |
|---|---|
| 2024 | $33,530 |
| 2023 | $31,510 |
| 2022 | $29,380 |
| 2021 | $26,350 |
| 2020 | $24,960 |
| 2019 | $23,680 |
| 2018 | $22,550 |
| 2017 | $21,690 |
| 2016 | $20,800 |
| 2015 | $19,530 |
| 2014 | $19,050 |