State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Bartender Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
The median pay for Bartenders is $34,340 a year ($16.51/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 5.9% through 2034, with about 129,600 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
SOC 35-3011Food Preparation and Serving RelatedLast updated August 15, 2026
- Median pay
- $34,340
- Projected growth
- +5.9%
- Openings a year
- 129,600
- Typical education
- No formal credential
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Banquet Bartender, Bar Captain, Bartender, Mixologist.
How much do Bartenders make?
10th percentile$20,110
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$27,400
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$34,340
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$47,570
Upper quartile
90th percentile$73,770
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $34,340 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $16.51/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $40,790 |
| People employed | 756,390 |
Versus all US occupations
At $34,340, Bartenders earn 33% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $16,640 a year.
Versus food preparation and serving related occupations
Inside the Food Preparation and Serving Related group, where the middle occupation pays $35,275, this is 3% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $73,770 or more while the bottom 10% earn $20,110, a gap of 3.7×. That is an unusually wide spread, which usually tracks specialisation, employer type and years of experience.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 1% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Hawaii pays the most at $76,490, and still leads at $69,567 once local prices are taken into account.
Which states pay Bartenders the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $76,490 | $69,567 | 3,540 |
| U.S. Virgin Islands | $61,380 | N/A | 490 |
| New York | $61,210 | $56,717 | 43,130 |
| Washington | $55,830 | $52,171 | 16,800 |
| District of Columbia | $53,920 | $49,062 | 5,760 |
| Maine | $48,920 | $50,407 | 3,230 |
| Virginia | $47,070 | $46,556 | 13,370 |
| Vermont | $45,450 | $46,397 | 2,080 |
| Arizona | $45,070 | $44,767 | 14,840 |
| New Jersey | $44,020 | $40,458 | 16,260 |
Is Bartender a growing career?
Bartenders5.9%
All US occupations3.1%
+5.9% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Bartenders to change 5.9% over 2024–2034, against 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 44,800 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 129,600 openings are projected each year, 17.1% of the 756,700 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Population and income growth are expected to result in increased demand for food, drinks, and entertainment. More bartenders will be needed to meet this demand, especially in full-service restaurants and breweries. Bartenders also will be needed in some entertainment venues as services expand.
How to become a Bartender
Bartenders typically do not need formal education credentials to enter the occupation, although some employers require or prefer for candidates to have a high school diploma. They typically learn their skills through on-the-job training that lasts a few weeks. Some bartenders gain experience in other jobs or occupations.
Most states require workers who serve alcoholic beverages to be at least 18 years old. Bartenders must be familiar with state and local laws concerning the sale of alcoholic beverages.
| Typical entry-level education | No formal educational credential |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Little or no preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | Short-term on-the-job training |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as bartenders.
- High School Diploma43.0%
- Less than a High School Diploma37.0%
- Some College Courses16.4%
- Post-Secondary Certificate2.6%
- Bachelor's Degree1.1%
What does a Bartender do?
Mix and serve drinks to patrons, directly or through waitstaff.
Bartenders mix drinks and serve them directly to customers or through wait staff.
Day-to-day tasks
- Check identification of customers to verify age requirements for purchase of alcohol.
- Clean bars, work areas, and tables.
- Attempt to limit problems and liability related to customers' excessive drinking by taking steps such as persuading customers to stop drinking, or ordering taxis or other transportation for intoxicated patrons.
- Take beverage orders from serving staff or directly from patrons.
- Serve wine, and bottled or draft beer.
- Clean glasses, utensils, and bar equipment.
- Slice and pit fruit for garnishing drinks.
- Stock bar with beer, wine, liquor, and related supplies such as ice, glassware, napkins, or straws.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Where bartenders work
| Full-service restaurants | 41% |
|---|---|
| Drinking places (alcoholic beverages) | 24% |
| Traveler accommodation | 6% |
| Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries | 6% |
| Civic and social organizations | 5% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Active Listening3.8/5
- Speaking3.1/5
- Critical Thinking3.1/5
- Reading Comprehension3.0/5
- Active Learning3.0/5
- Monitoring3.0/5
- Learning Strategies2.9/5
- Writing2.8/5
Transferable skills
- Service Orientation3.6/5
- Social Perceptiveness3.3/5
- Coordination3.1/5
- Persuasion3.1/5
- Instructing3.0/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.0/5
- Time Management3.0/5
- Negotiation2.9/5
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
- Data base user interface and query software
- Internet browser software
- Point of sale POS software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Bartender?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary4.7
Investigative1.0
Artistic2.3
Social3.7
Enterprisingprimary3.9
Conventionalprimary4.5
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Bartender: frequently asked questions
How much do Bartenders make?
Bartenders earn a median of $34,340 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 33% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $16.51/hr. The middle half earn between $27,400 and $47,570. The top 10% earn $73,770 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Bartender?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement for Bartenders, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as little or no preparation. BLS also lists short-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 43.0% hold high school diploma.
Is Bartender a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.9% over 2024–2034, faster than the 3.1% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 129,600 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Bartender do?
Bartenders mix drinks and serve them directly to customers or through wait staff. A core O*NET task: check identification of customers to verify age requirements for purchase of alcohol. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Web page creation and editing software.
Which states pay Bartenders the most?
The highest state medians for Bartenders are Hawaii ($76,490), U.S. Virgin Islands ($61,380), New York ($61,210) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Bartender?
O*NET scores Bartenders highest on the Realistic, Conventional and Enterprising interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are ESFJ, ESTJ. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.