Bartenders Salary in the United States
The median annual wage for bartenders is $34,340, or $16.51 per hour. About 756,390 people work in this occupation nationwide. Wages vary substantially by state — from $76,490 in Hawaii to $19,370 in South Carolina.
Wage distribution nationwide
Earnings spread across all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Salary by state
All 51 states with published data, ranked by median annual wage.
| # | State | Median annual | Median hourly | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $76,490 | $36.78 | 3,540 | 1.16 |
| 2 | New York | $61,210 | $29.43 | 43,130 | 0.92 |
| 3 | Washington | $55,830 | $26.84 | 16,800 | 0.97 |
| 4 | District of Columbia | $53,920 | $25.92 | 5,760 | 1.69 |
| 5 | Maine | $48,920 | $23.52 | 3,230 | 1.04 |
| 6 | Virginia | $47,070 | $22.63 | 13,370 | 0.67 |
| 7 | Vermont | $45,450 | $21.85 | 2,080 | 1.40 |
| 8 | Arizona | $45,070 | $21.67 | 14,840 | 0.94 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $44,020 | $21.16 | 16,260 | 0.78 |
| 10 | Oregon | $38,900 | $18.70 | 11,950 | 1.25 |
| 11 | Connecticut | $38,780 | $18.64 | 7,680 | 0.93 |
| 12 | Colorado | $38,170 | $18.35 | 17,000 | 1.22 |
| 13 | Maryland | $37,580 | $18.07 | 13,020 | 0.97 |
| 14 | Massachusetts | $37,440 | $18.00 | 19,850 | 1.12 |
| 15 | New Mexico | $36,980 | $17.78 | 3,790 | 0.89 |
| 16 | Delaware | $36,840 | $17.71 | 2,820 | 1.19 |
| 17 | Michigan | $36,780 | $17.68 | 21,100 | 0.98 |
| 18 | North Carolina | $36,470 | $17.53 | 20,070 | 0.83 |
| 19 | Rhode Island | $36,410 | $17.51 | 3,170 | 1.30 |
| 20 | California | $36,220 | $17.41 | 71,470 | 0.81 |
| 21 | Florida | $35,150 | $16.90 | 55,170 | 1.14 |
| 22 | Utah | $32,150 | $15.46 | 3,350 | 0.40 |
| 23 | Illinois | $31,200 | $15.00 | 43,010 | 1.45 |
| 24 | Ohio | $30,880 | $14.84 | 27,420 | 1.02 |
| 25 | Alaska | $30,460 | $14.65 | 2,280 | 1.44 |
| 26 | Nebraska | $30,180 | $14.51 | 7,320 | 1.47 |
| 27 | Missouri | $30,090 | $14.47 | 14,410 | 1.01 |
| 28 | West Virginia | $29,630 | $14.24 | 3,340 | 0.98 |
| 29 | South Dakota | $29,400 | $14.14 | 3,930 | 1.77 |
| 30 | North Dakota | $29,040 | $13.96 | 3,960 | 1.90 |
| 31 | New Hampshire | $28,800 | $13.85 | 3,840 | 1.16 |
| 32 | Kentucky | $28,780 | $13.84 | 6,870 | 0.71 |
| 33 | Pennsylvania | $28,420 | $13.66 | 37,490 | 1.27 |
| 34 | Mississippi | $28,320 | $13.62 | 2,770 | 0.49 |
| 35 | Alabama | $27,980 | $13.45 | 6,560 | 0.64 |
| 36 | Kansas | $27,940 | $13.43 | 5,430 | 0.78 |
| 37 | Tennessee | $27,480 | $13.21 | 10,330 | 0.65 |
| 38 | Nevada | $27,460 | $13.20 | 16,830 | 2.23 |
| 39 | Idaho | $27,240 | $13.10 | 3,430 | 0.82 |
| 40 | Minnesota | $26,900 | $12.93 | 24,420 | 1.70 |
| 41 | Montana | $26,010 | $12.51 | 5,370 | 2.16 |
| 42 | Arkansas | $25,090 | $12.06 | 3,020 | 0.48 |
| 43 | Oklahoma | $24,790 | $11.92 | 5,860 | 0.70 |
| 44 | Wisconsin | $23,460 | $11.28 | 29,520 | 2.06 |
| 45 | Georgia | $22,830 | $10.98 | 14,600 | 0.61 |
| 46 | Indiana | $22,770 | $10.95 | 12,880 | 0.83 |
| 47 | Texas | $22,690 | $10.91 | 59,000 | 0.86 |
| 48 | Wyoming | $22,030 | $10.59 | 2,660 | 1.95 |
| 49 | Iowa | $21,720 | $10.44 | 9,560 | 1.26 |
| 50 | Louisiana | $20,850 | $10.02 | 10,140 | 1.08 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $19,370 | $9.31 | 10,680 | 0.95 |
Related occupations
Same job family, ranked by national employment.
Frequently asked questions
How much do bartenders make?
The median annual wage for bartenders in the United States is $34,340, or $16.51 per hour. Entry-level workers (10th percentile) earn $20,110, and the top 10% earn $73,770.
How many bartenders are employed in the U.S.?
About 756,390 people work as bartenders nationwide.
Which state pays bartenders the most?
Hawaii pays the most at a median of $76,490, followed by New York ($61,210) and Washington ($55,830).
Which state pays bartenders the least?
South Carolina has the lowest median at $19,370.
Where are bartenders jobs most concentrated?
The location quotient measures employment concentration relative to the national average. The highest is Nevada at 2.23×.