What is the typical salary range for a Bartender?

Pay typically falls between $28,500 and $49,500 per year depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

Bartender Salary: $42,000 Average

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Average base salary

$42,000 / year

≈ $3,500 per month · $20.19 per hour

Location

25th percentile
$28,500Average
$42,00075th percentile
$49,500

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, aged to 2026 using compounded market movement. State selections show BLS state-level figures where published. Actual pay varies with experience, industry, and organization size.

About this role

Bartender is a professional role in the Food Preparation and Serving job family. Pay for this title reflects both its level and its scope; see our Title Level and Organization Responsibility guides for how WePayFairly defines them.

How this role compares

Bartender pays 2% above the average across 17 roles in the Food Preparation and Serving job family (family average $41,000).

Similar-paying roles in Food Preparation and Serving

Waiters and Waitresses$41,500

Cooks, All Other$40,500

Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria$40,000

Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other$38,000

Cooks, Short Order$37,500

First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$48,000

Food Preparation Worker$36,500

Dishwasher$35,500

Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop$34,000

Cooks, Fast Food$33,500

Frequently asked questions

How much does a Bartender make?

The average base salary for a Bartender in the United States is $42,000 per year, or about $20.19 per hour.

What is the typical salary range?

Pay typically falls between $28,500 and $49,500 per year (25th to 75th percentile) depending on experience, location, industry, and organization size.

How does this compare with other Food Preparation and Serving roles?

The Food Preparation and Serving job family averages $41,000 across 17 roles tracked by WePayFairly.

Need a defensible market price for this role?
WePayFairly data is compiled from published survey sources and maintained by compensation professionals.

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