Bartenders · Illinois

Bartenders Salary in Illinois

Bartenders in Illinois earn a median annual wage of $31,200 —9.1% below the national median of $34,340. That ranks IL #23 of 51 covered states and territories for this occupation.

Median annual
$31,200
Median hourly
$15.00
Entry level (P10)
$31,200
10th percentile
Top 10% (P90)
$46,520
90th percentile
Employment
43,010
7.1 per 1,000 jobs
vs U.S. median
-9.1%
U.S. $34,340

Wage distribution

How earnings are spread across workers in this occupation, from the 10th to the 90th percentile.

10th percentile90th percentile
$31,200
$31,200
$31,200
$31,780
$31,200$31,200$46,520
Annual wage distribution. Highlighted segment contains the median of $31,200.

Employment is 1.45× as concentrated as the national average, making Illinois a strong market for this occupation.

Highest-paying states for bartenders

All 51 states ranked by median annual wage. Illinois is highlighted.

#StateMedian annual Median hourlyEmploymentLocation quotient
1Hawaii$76,490$36.783,5401.16
2New York$61,210$29.4343,1300.92
3Washington$55,830$26.8416,8000.97
4District of Columbia$53,920$25.925,7601.69
5Maine$48,920$23.523,2301.04
6Virginia$47,070$22.6313,3700.67
7Vermont$45,450$21.852,0801.40
8Arizona$45,070$21.6714,8400.94
9New Jersey$44,020$21.1616,2600.78
10Oregon$38,900$18.7011,9501.25

Related occupations in Illinois

Occupations in the same job family, compared within Illinois.

OccupationIllinois medianU.S. median
Fast Food and Counter Workers$33,910$31,200
Waiters and Waitresses$31,200$35,230
Cooks, Restaurant$37,580$37,390
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$39,470$44,080
Food Preparation Workers$34,850$35,320
Cooks, Fast Food$34,960$30,890

Frequently asked questions

How much do bartenders make in Illinois?

The median annual wage for bartenders in Illinois is $31,200, or $15.00 per hour. That is 9.1% below the national median of $34,340.

What is the entry-level bartenders salary in Illinois?

Workers at the 10th percentile earn $31,200 per year ($15.00/hour). The 25th percentile is $31,200.

How many people work as bartenders in Illinois?

About 43,010 people work in this occupation in Illinois, or 7.1 per 1,000 jobs statewide.

Is Illinois a good state for bartenders?

Illinois ranks #23 of 51 states by median wage for this occupation. Employment is 1.45x as concentrated as the national average, making Illinois a strong market for this occupation.

Which state pays bartenders the most?

Hawaii has the highest median wage at $76,490 per year, followed by New York ($61,210) and Washington ($55,830).

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025. Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, cross-industry estimates. Retrieved 2026-10-26. Figures are rounded by BLS to the nearest dollar (annual) and cent (hourly). Percentile wages describe the distribution of workers, not the pay range for a single job posting. bls.gov/oes