Bartenders pay in the United States
Goes furthest in Hawaii
·Food Preparation and Serving·756k jobs
Figures from US Bureau of Labor StatisticsOccupational Employment and Wage Statistics
$16.51/hr median
756,390 employed
+5% to 2035
36% AI exposure
No formal educational credential
54 states reported
and more...
What this work is
Mix and serve drinks to patrons, directly or through waitstaff.
Where the money actually goes furthest
Hawaii pays the most both before and after cost of living — $76,490, worth $69,567 once local prices are counted.
Pay by state
54 states and territories publish a median for this occupation. Switch the ranking to see how much the order changes.
Adjusted for what things cost in that state.
| State | Hourly | Annual | Worth locally | After state tax | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $36.78/hr | $76,490 | $69,567 | $72,119 | 3,540 |
| New York | $29.43/hr | $61,210 | $56,717 | $58,448 | 43,130 |
| Washington | $26.84/hr | $55,830 | $52,172 | $55,830 | 16,800 |
| Maine | $23.52/hr | $48,920 | $50,407 | $46,858 | 3,230 |
| District of Columbia | $25.92/hr | $53,920 | $49,062 | $51,760 | 5,760 |
| Virginia | $22.63/hr | $47,070 | $46,557 | $45,109 | 13,370 |
| Vermont | $21.85/hr | $45,450 | $46,396 | $44,161 | 2,080 |
| Arizona | $21.67/hr | $45,070 | $44,765 | $44,308 | 14,840 |
| New Jersey | $21.16/hr | $44,020 | $40,455 | $43,080 | 16,260 |
| New Mexico | $17.78/hr | $36,980 | $40,104 | $36,258 | 3,790 |
| North Carolina | $17.53/hr | $36,470 | $38,662 | $35,461 | 20,070 |
| Michigan | $17.68/hr | $36,780 | $38,224 | $35,454 | 21,100 |
| Oregon | $18.70/hr | $38,900 | $37,635 | $36,037 | 11,950 |
| Connecticut | $18.64/hr | $38,780 | $37,428 | $37,284 | 7,680 |
| Colorado | $18.35/hr | $38,170 | $37,040 | $37,168 | 17,000 |
| Delaware | $17.71/hr | $36,840 | $36,910 | $35,362 | 2,820 |
| Maryland | $18.07/hr | $37,580 | $35,804 | $35,975 | 13,020 |
| Rhode Island | $17.51/hr | $36,410 | $35,598 | $35,440 | 3,170 |
| Massachusetts | $18.00/hr | $37,440 | $35,400 | $35,568 | 19,850 |
| Florida | $16.90/hr | $35,150 | $33,990 | $35,150 | 55,170 |
| Nebraska | $14.51/hr | $30,180 | $33,496 | $29,454 | 7,320 |
| Ohio | $14.84/hr | $30,880 | $33,286 | $30,747 | 27,420 |
| South Dakota | $14.14/hr | $29,400 | $33,186 | $29,400 | 3,930 |
| Missouri | $14.47/hr | $30,090 | $33,131 | $29,532 | 14,410 |
| West Virginia | $14.24/hr | $29,630 | $33,106 | $28,809 | 3,340 |
| California | $17.41/hr | $36,220 | $32,713 | $35,610 | 71,470 |
| North Dakota | $13.96/hr | $29,040 | $32,643 | $29,040 | 3,960 |
| Mississippi | $13.62/hr | $28,320 | $32,570 | $27,175 | 2,770 |
| Utah | $15.46/hr | $32,150 | $32,520 | $30,687 | 3,350 |
| Kentucky | $13.84/hr | $28,780 | $31,921 | $27,755 | 6,870 |
| Alabama | $13.45/hr | $27,980 | $31,501 | $26,771 | 6,560 |
| Illinois | $15.00/hr | $31,200 | $31,212 | $29,792 | 43,010 |
| Kansas | $13.43/hr | $27,940 | $31,020 | $26,669 | 5,430 |
| Tennessee | $13.21/hr | $27,480 | $29,911 | $27,480 | 10,330 |
| Alaska | $14.65/hr | $30,460 | $29,757 | $30,460 | 2,280 |
| Pennsylvania | $13.66/hr | $28,420 | $29,127 | $27,547 | 37,490 |
| Arkansas | $12.06/hr | $25,090 | $28,858 | $24,288 | 3,020 |
| Idaho | $13.10/hr | $27,240 | $28,526 | $26,570 | 3,430 |
| Oklahoma | $11.92/hr | $24,790 | $28,221 | $24,102 | 5,860 |
| New Hampshire | $13.85/hr | $28,800 | $27,647 | $28,800 | 3,840 |
| Montana | $12.51/hr | $26,010 | $27,480 | $25,473 | 5,370 |
| Nevada | $13.20/hr | $27,460 | $27,465 | $27,460 | 16,830 |
| Minnesota | $12.93/hr | $26,900 | $27,276 | $26,240 | 24,420 |
| Wisconsin | $11.28/hr | $23,460 | $24,930 | $23,101 | 29,520 |
| Iowa | $10.44/hr | $21,720 | $24,749 | $21,449 | 9,560 |
| Indiana | $10.95/hr | $22,770 | $24,397 | $22,116 | 12,880 |
| Wyoming | $10.59/hr | $22,030 | $23,767 | $22,030 | 2,660 |
| Georgia | $10.98/hr | $22,830 | $23,709 | $22,267 | 14,600 |
| Louisiana | $10.02/hr | $20,850 | $23,636 | $20,599 | 10,140 |
| Texas | $10.91/hr | $22,690 | $23,377 | $22,690 | 59,000 |
| South Carolina | $9.31/hr | $19,370 | $20,661 | $19,333 | 10,680 |
| Virgin Islands | $29.51/hr | $61,380 | Not published | Not published | 490 |
| Puerto Rico | $10.88/hr | $22,630 | Not published | Not published | 3,480 |
| Guam | $9.95/hr | $20,700 | Not published | Not published | 280 |
National median for comparison: $34,340. “Worth locally” divides pay by the area’s price level, so a figure above the headline means money goes further there than the US average.
$34,340/year
$16.51/hr an hour, national median
Across the states
$16,640$97,750
25th to 75th percentile, lowest and highest state
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