Average Bartender Salary in United States for 2024

In this article, we will look at the average Bartender salary for 2024 in United States and how that compares to other countries and professions. We'll also look at interesting salary data points like median salary, 25th and 75th percentile salaries, salary amounts based on experience, bonus ranges and more!

The data in this article has been compiled using official government salary data, salary surveys, and other sources such as job postings which contain salary information.

All salary information is in the local currency, which is the United States dollar. To keep things simple, we are using the USD currency code instead of the currency symbol $.

How Much Does a Bartender Make in United States?

A Bartender working in United States will typically earn around 36,500 USD per year, and this can range from the lowest average salary of about 19,200 USD to the highest average salary of 55,700 USD.

Average Annual Salary
36,500 USD
Average Monthly Salary
3,041 USD

Lowest Annual Salary
19,200 USD
Lowest Monthly Salary
1,600 USD

Highest Annual Salary
55,700 USD
Highest Monthly Salary
4,641 USD

These are average salaries for a Bartender in United States and include benefits such as housing and transport. It's also possible for a Bartender to earn more or less than the average salaries shown above.

Bartender salaries will vary a lot based on your experience, location, skills, and gender. Keep reading below to research more data on each of these areas.

Distribution of Bartender Salaries in United States

So we've looked at the average salaries a Bartender will earn in United States. The next interesting data point is the distribution of salaries.

Salary ranges

We already know that a Bartender can earn between 19,200 USD and 55,700 USD on average in United States. This is known as the range in statistics.

The difference between the maximum and minimum values is a good indicator of variability in salaries, and can be used by employers to figure out how much they can expect to pay, and for employees to know how much they can earn.

Median salary

The median salary for a Bartender in United States is 33,500 USD. This is the middle value in the distribution of salaries.

What this means is that approximately 50% of the population earn less than 33,500 USD, and 50% of the population earn more than 33,500 USD.

If you are earning more than the median salary, that's a good indicator that you are being paid well.

If you're not earning more than the median salary, your objective should be to increase your earnings to be at least as high as the median salary (which you can do by asking for a pay rise, looking for a better paying job, etc).

Percentiles

Percentiles are similar to the median salary, but instead of looking at the middle value, they look at the values in the top and bottom half of the distribution.

For the average Bartender salary in United States, 25% of the population are earning less than 22,000 USD while 75% of the population earn more than 22,000 USD.

75% of the population earn less than 42,400 USD, and 25% of the population earn more than 42,400 USD.

Like the median salary, the 25th and 75th percentile salaries can be used to determine which quartile you fall into so that you know whether you are being paid well enough compared to others in your profession and location.

The difference between a median and an average salary

The median and average salary are both indicators you can use to see if you are being paid fairly based on the overall population.

  • If your salary is higher than the average and the median salary, you are earning well compared to others.
  • If your salary is lower than the average and the median salary, it could indicate you are not being paid well enough.
  • If you are somewhere in between then it's tricky to determine if you are being paid well enough and you might need to research more closely.

Bartender Salary by Experience Level in United States

The most important factor in determining your salary after the specific profession is the number of years experience you have. It stands to reason that more years of experience will result in a higher wage.

We have researched the average bartender salary based on years of experience to give you an idea of how the average changes once you've worked for a certain amount of time.

  • 0 - 2 Years Experience. A Bartender in United States that has less than two years of experience can expect to earn somewhere in the region of 20,100 USD.
  • 2 - 5 Years Experience. With two to five years of experience the average Bartender salary would increase to 27,100 USD.
  • 5 - 10 Years Experience. From five to ten years of experience as a Bartender, the average salary would be 36,900 USD.
  • 10 - 15 Years Experience. Once you have more than ten years of experience the average salary reaches around 45,600 USD.
  • 15 - 20 Years Experience. A Bartender with 15 to 20 years of experience can earn an average of 48,000 USD.
  • 20+ Years Experience. For a Bartender with more than 20 years, the expected average salary increases to 51,400 USD.

Average Salary by Experience Chart

0-2 Years
20,100 USD
2-5 Years +23%
27,100 USD
5-10 Years +42%
36,900 USD
10-15 Years +17%
45,600 USD
15-20 Years +10%
48,000 USD
20+ Years +6%
51,400 USD

Bartender Salary by Education Level in United States

As well as experience in a job, your education plays a big role in how much you can earn. A lot of higher paying positions require a high level of education, but how much can a degree increase your salary?

In our research we have compared the salaries of employees in the same job and career level with different levels of education to see how much more you can earn at each education level.

The salary you can earn based on your education is very specific to both your location and the career path you choose.

In our research, we looked at the average salary for a Bartender in United States based on the education level of the employees in order to find out whether a better education level would increase your salary.

  • High School. A Bartender in United States with a high school education can earn an average salary of 27,700 USD.

  • Certificate or Diploma. A Bartender in United States with a certificate or diploma education can earn an average salary of 48,600 USD.

Average Salary by Education Chart

High School
27,700 USD
Certificate or Diploma +61%
48,600 USD

How Much is a Master's Degree or MBA Program?

The approximate cost of a master's degree or post-graduate program like an MBA in United States is around 39,500 to 118,000 USD and takes two years to complete.

As you can see above, there are financial benefits from reaching master's degree level, but don't expect to see much of a salary increase until you have completed the degree.

It's common for people to pursue an MBA or other post-graduate program in order to switch to a a job that pays more. On average, you can expect to earn around 10% more when switching to a new company.

Whether you decide to pursue a master's degree depends on many factors. If you are able to afford it, the numbers suggest that the return on investment is worth it and you could recover the costs in a few years from the salary increase you would receive.

Bartender Salary Compared by Gender

In the modern age, we know that there should never be a pay gap between men and women. Unfortunately, in many professions, there is still a significant difference between the salaries earned by men when compared to the salary of women in the same job.

In United States, a male bartender will earn an average of 37,100 USD, while a female bartender will earn around 35,300 USD.

This means that a male bartender earns approximately 5% more than a female bartender for performing the same job.

Average Salary by Gender Chart in United States

Male
37,100 USD
Female -5%
35,300 USD

Bartender Average Pay Raise in United States

In many countries, an annual pay raise is often given to employees to reward their service with a salary increase.

From our research, we can see that the average pay raise for a Bartender in United States is around 9% every 16 months.

The national average pay raise across all professions and industries in United States is around 8% every 16 months.

In this case, we can see that the number of months between the average pay raise is higher than the typical 12 months.

To make the data more meaningful, we can calculate what the approximate annual pay raise would be using a simple formula:

Annual Increase = ( Increase Rate ÷ Months ) × 12

So for this example, it would be:

Annual Increase = ( 9 ÷ 16 ) × 12  = 7%

What this means is that a Bartender in United States can expect to receive an average pay raise of around 7% every 12 months.

Annual Pay Raise by Industry in United States for 2024

In the chart below, you can see the average annual pay raise percentages for each of the major industries in United States.

You will see that companies in bigger and more lucrative industries tend to have the higher annual pay raises.

Banking
4%
Energy
8%
Information Technology
3%
Healthcare
7%
Travel
2%
Construction
6%
Education
1%

Bartender Bonus and Incentive Rates in United States

Another part of your overall compensation in a job is how much bonus you receive. Some job roles will be more likely to pay a bonus than others and also more likely to have higher bonus rates.

Generally speaking, jobs that are more involved with direct revenue generation will receive higher bonuses based on the performance towards revenue goals.

A Bartender is a low bonus based job, with 27% of employees reporting at least one bonus in the last 12 months.

73% reported that they had not received any bonuses in the previous 12 months.

For the employees that did receive a bonus in the previous 12 months, the reported bonuses ranged from 1% to 3%.

Received Bonus
27%
No Bonus
73%

What are the Types of Bonus?

There are a number of difference types of bonus you can receive in a job. Including:

  • Individual performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee for general performance in the job. It's the most common type of bonus.
  • Company performance bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to a company employees to share profit with the staff.
  • Goal based bonus - This is a bonus that is awarded to an individual employee (or a team) for achieving specific goals, objectives, or milestones.
  • Holiday bonus - This type of bonus is usually paid around the holidays, often the end of the year, and is a token of appreciation for the hard work throughout the year.

Government vs Private Sector Salaries

Another commonly asked question is whether you get paid a higher salary working in the public (government) sector or the private sector.

Public sector employees in United States earn approximately 6% more than private sector employees in the same role.

Public Sector
98,800 USD
Private Sector -6%
93,100 USD

Salaries for Jobs Similar to a Bartender

In the table below, we have salary information for jobs that are similar to a Bartender in United States.

Job Title Category Salary
All Rounder Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 38,000 USD
Assistant Executive Housekeeper Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 29,600 USD
Assistant Food and Beverage Controller Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 57,400 USD
Assistant Food and Beverage Director Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 118,900 USD
Assistant Hospitality Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 130,400 USD
Assistant Storekeeper Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 23,700 USD
Assistant Tour Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 63,900 USD
Baker and Pastrycook Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 35,100 USD
Bakery Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 72,800 USD
Bakery Superintendent Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 46,700 USD
Banquet Captain Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 39,400 USD
Banquet Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 49,100 USD
Banquet Server Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 31,700 USD
Bar Attendant Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 32,900 USD
Bar Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 67,500 USD
Bar Supervisor Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 44,800 USD
Barista Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 36,900 USD
Bellman Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 29,400 USD
Beverage Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 77,000 USD
Bistro Attendant Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 32,200 USD
Buffet Chef Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 57,900 USD
Buffet Host Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 32,200 USD
Buffet Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 71,400 USD
Butcher and Slaughterer Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 23,700 USD
Cafeteria Assistant Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 32,200 USD
Cafeteria Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 60,900 USD
Cafeteria Supervisor Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 45,200 USD
Cake Decorator Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 38,100 USD
Casino Shift Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 111,700 USD
Chain Store Customer Support Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 49,400 USD
Chef Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 56,400 USD
Chef De Cuisine Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 84,300 USD
Club Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 111,700 USD
Cluster Director Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 146,900 USD
Cluster Revenue Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 109,000 USD
Cocktail Server Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 30,100 USD
Coffee Shop Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 107,700 USD
Concierge Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 29,300 USD
Confectionery Baker Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 37,300 USD
Conference and Sales Coordinator Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 54,100 USD
Conference Services Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 71,100 USD
Cook Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 52,000 USD
Corporate Sous Chef Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 87,900 USD
Corporate Travel Consultant Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 87,800 USD
Croupier Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 41,000 USD
Culinary Assistant Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 26,400 USD
Culinary Associate Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 25,800 USD
Demi Chef Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 56,900 USD
Dietary Aide Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 58,400 USD
Dining Room Supervisor Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 52,800 USD
Dishwasher Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 23,600 USD
Duty Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 75,500 USD
Events Coordinator Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 46,700 USD
Executive Chef Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 68,500 USD
Executive Pastry Chef Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 55,100 USD
Fast Food Cook Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 51,300 USD
Fast Food Shift Supervisor Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 52,300 USD
Fine Dining Cook Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 83,300 USD
Fine Dining Restaurant Chef Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 88,700 USD
Fleet Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 151,800 USD
Food and Beverage Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 112,700 USD
Food Consultant Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 94,500 USD
Food Safety Coordinator Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 70,600 USD
Food Server Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 31,300 USD
Food Service Director Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 116,400 USD
Food Service Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 118,900 USD
Food Service Sales Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 74,300 USD
Food Service Worker Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 30,700 USD
Front Desk Agent Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 35,300 USD
Front Desk Clerk Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 34,000 USD
Front Office Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 64,400 USD
Guest Service Executive Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 99,700 USD
Guest Service Representative Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 40,500 USD
Head Chef Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 69,400 USD
Head Concierge Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 48,600 USD
Hospitality Director Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 175,200 USD
Hostess / Host Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 35,300 USD
Hotel Desk Clerk Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 34,000 USD
Hotel Maid Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 27,300 USD
Hotel Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 172,300 USD
Hotel Sales Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 134,700 USD
Hotel Service Supervisor Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 101,400 USD
Hotel Staff Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 32,600 USD
Inventory Coordinator Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 36,800 USD
Kitchen Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 57,800 USD
Kitchen Staff Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 32,200 USD
Kitchen Supervisor Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 51,100 USD
Line Cook Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 58,200 USD
Luggage Porter Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 24,200 USD
Motel Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 98,700 USD
Pastry Chef Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 50,500 USD
Pastrycooking and Baking Assistant Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 33,000 USD
Production Operator Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 48,500 USD
Quality, Health and Safety Coordinator Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 57,100 USD
Receptionist Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 35,300 USD
Regional Restaurant Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 132,000 USD
Restaurant Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 114,300 USD
Restaurant Server Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 30,800 USD
Room Reservations Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 117,100 USD
Room Service Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 105,800 USD
Sous Chef Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 68,800 USD
Special Events Coordinator Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 67,900 USD
Supervisor of Food Services Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 78,500 USD
Tour Consultant Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 87,400 USD
Tour Guide Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 54,900 USD
Tour Manager Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 77,000 USD
Travel Agent Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 59,900 USD
Travel Consultant Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 89,800 USD
Waiter / Waitress Food / Hospitality / Tourism / Catering 30,600 USD

Salary Comparison by City

If you want to compare salaries with different cities in United States, you can use the links below to explore the data for each specific city we have researched.

City Average Salary
Atlanta 36,400 USD
Austin 38,000 USD
Baltimore 34,800 USD
Boston 38,700 USD
Bristol 29,100 USD
Chicago 45,100 USD
Cincinnati 35,500 USD
Cleveland 33,200 USD
Dallas 40,700 USD
Denver 38,000 USD
Detroit 36,500 USD
Honolulu 30,300 USD
Houston 45,600 USD
Indianapolis 39,500 USD
Iowa City 31,400 USD
Jacksonville 40,300 USD
Kansas City 35,000 USD
Kent 29,200 USD
Las Vegas 36,000 USD
Long Beach 35,400 USD
Los Angeles 45,000 USD
Memphis 37,300 USD
Miami 33,000 USD
Minneapolis 34,700 USD
New Orleans 35,500 USD
New York 47,500 USD
Oakland 34,900 USD
Oklahoma City 39,500 USD
Orlando 34,100 USD
Philadelphia 40,300 USD
Phoenix 41,500 USD
Sacramento 36,000 USD
San Antonio 43,500 USD
San Diego 41,700 USD
San Francisco 40,200 USD
San Jose 43,400 USD
Seattle 41,300 USD
Tampa 30,600 USD
Vancouver 29,100 USD
Washington D.C. 38,000 USD

Salary Comparison by State

The table below includes links to the average salary for each state in United States.

City Average Salary
Alabama 39,800 USD
Alaska 31,700 USD
Arizona 39,600 USD
Arkansas 35,500 USD
California 45,000 USD
Colorado 38,000 USD
Connecticut 38,700 USD
Delaware 35,300 USD
District of Columbia 32,200 USD
Florida 41,700 USD
Georgia 42,300 USD
Hawaii 35,000 USD
Idaho 37,200 USD
Illinois 40,200 USD
Indiana 38,000 USD
Iowa 34,700 USD
Kansas 39,400 USD
Kentucky 38,000 USD
Louisiana 36,900 USD
Maine 33,000 USD
Maryland 36,500 USD
Massachusetts 38,100 USD
Michigan 41,500 USD
Minnesota 40,900 USD
Mississippi 34,800 USD
Missouri 37,800 USD
Montana 34,000 USD
Nebraska 33,000 USD
Nevada 36,400 USD
New Hampshire 37,200 USD
New Jersey 39,500 USD
New Mexico 37,200 USD
New York 39,500 USD
North Carolina 39,100 USD
North Dakota 33,000 USD
Ohio 41,400 USD
Oklahoma 38,700 USD
Oregon 37,300 USD
Pennsylvania 41,100 USD
Rhode Island 36,000 USD
South Carolina 39,800 USD
South Dakota 35,100 USD
Tennessee 38,700 USD
Texas 41,000 USD
Utah 33,600 USD
Vermont 33,800 USD
Virginia 40,300 USD
Washington 39,500 USD
West Virginia 37,200 USD
Wisconsin 39,400 USD
Wyoming 30,200 USD

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