How much do bartenders make in a year? (2024)

In the busy world of hospitality, bartenders can be some of the busiest people in the biz. Whether they’re pulling pints or mixing up whatever the drink of the summer is, they deserve every sweaty dollar bill left at the bar for them.

To be a great bartender, you’ve gotta be fast on your feet, have a great memory for recipes (and regulars), and be personable enough to work well with a rotating group of strangers day in and day out. So with that in mind, how much do bartenders make as a salary?

Like any role in the hospitality sector, there are a number of variables, like salary vs. hourly pay, tips, and location.

Ahead, we’re going to break down the nitty gritty of a bartender’s salary, including current salary or wage ranges, how tips are included, other factors like location and seasonality, and, finally, how much bartenders make in certain states.

Bartender salary: What are bartenders being paid?

Let’s get this out of the way first: what is a bartender? In many hospitality locations, there’s an expectation to be both a server and a bartender—a sort of hybrid serving gig that’s beneficial for smaller locations.

TL;DR: a bartender is someone who mixes alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks (think soft drinks or mocktails) behind the bar for patrons. Cocktails, wine, and liquor serve as a way to enhance a meal, moment, or outing for customers. But even without the booze, many customers are going non-alcoholic these days, meaning professional bartenders are using their skills to develop flavorful and fun substitutes.

Not only are bartenders responsible for making or pouring the drinks an establishment serves, they’re often tasked with serving anyone sitting at the bar their meals, as well as watching how many alcoholic drinks a person has had and knowing when to stop serving them.

But hey, back to the numbers!

How much do bartenders make per year?

While every bartender’s pay range is different, the average bartender’s salary (without tips) is $28,648.25.

Those averages include:

According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Services, the mean wage of a bartender is $17.83 per hour and the mean salary is $37,090.
According to Salary.com, the average bartender makes $23,503 per year.
According to ZipRecruiter, bartenders in the U.S. make $16 per hour in wages, which works out to be around $33,000 per year.
According to Payscale.com, the average bartender’s salary is around $21,000.

It’s important to remember that this is the average amount taken from these sources. Later on, we’ll go in-depth about the other factors that go into a bartender’s salary, including hours worked and tips.

How much do bartenders make an hour?

Just like the national average salary, the amount per hour that a bartender can make varies by state. According to ZipRecruiter’s data, hourly wage ranges can go between $10.78 to $17.52. In some cases, ZipRecruiter’s data shows that an hourly bartending salary can be as low as $5.29. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Services notes that there’s a small section of bartenders who make nearly $30 per hour.

Much of a bartender’s hourly wage relies on a mixture of the minimum wage required legally through the Fair Labor Standards Act and state minimum wage because they are designated tipped employees.

How much do bartenders make in tips?

How much bartenders make is entirely dependent on what sort of tips they pull in each night. Bartenders are often tipped directly by customers or, in the case of working at a restaurant, get a tip-out from servers, or can be part of a tip pool.

In any case, tips are a massive factor in how much bartenders make overall. On average, bartenders in the US can make $150 in tips a night, but that number can skyrocket if you’re working for the right crowd.

If a bartender works five shifts in a week, that’s an extra $750 per week. Sticking with this average and number of shifts per week, missing no shifts, that may yield a bartender a sweet extra $36,000 a year, potentially even doubling their salary.

Factors that affect how much you pay your bartenders.

Similar to any other role at any other business, there are factors for how much a bartender is going to make. Practically speaking, not everyone is going to start out at the highest level of pay for a bartender, nor will they always get the most tips—especially depending on their setting, shifts worked, and the clientele.

How much a bartender makes varies from state-to-state (which we’ll dig into further along) and a number of other reasons. Consider the following factors below to get a clearer snapshot of how much a bartender can earn:

Geographic location

The location of a bar or restaurant is going to greatly influence how much a bartender makes. For large markets, like New York, Miami, or Los Angeles, there’s a higher chance a bartender will make more by the simple fact that there are more people to serve and more tourists are visiting. It also means there are fancier bars and restaurants with more expensive drinks and a clientel who’s willing to pay $30+ for a cocktail.

Smaller cities and towns typically don’t see cocktail lists that expensive, and they also just naturally have less people, meaning smaller restaurants and bars where not as many people need to be on shift. It’s safe to say that if you want to really rake it in as a bartender, it’s best to head to the big city.

Type of establishment

A bartender’s salary can depend on the type of place they work. For instance, a bartender working at a restaurant may primarily make their tips through a tip pool, which takes all serving staff’s tips in to be redistributed. A bar where a customer can tip a bartender directly may yield different wage results, and is a huge incentive for a bartender to go the extra mile. Even if a bartender is working at an event, or even a music and entertainment venue, their tips may vary.

It also depends on the type of establishment a bartender is working at. Upscale or fine dining restaurants, or high-end cocktail bars are naturally going to see higher price points and big tippers vs. the neighbourhood dive bar or pub, or even a chain restaurant that also serves drinks.

Experience

Everybody’s gotta start somewhere—and often that’s in the most junior position to gain experience. The same is true for bartenders. For bartenders just entering the industry, their junior experience level can impact how they earn in hourly wages and how often they’re tipped. Typically junior bartenders star out as bar backs, bringing in kegs and changing gas lines, and not making drinks (though possibly they’re the ones stuck starting those long-pouring Guinness pints). They may not get those prized Friday and Saturday night shifts, and might be stuck working lunch rushes when they do transition behind the bar.

Experienced bartenders with years, and even schooling, under their belt often earn more money because of how long they’ve been tending to their craft.

Tipping

Tips varies by location, customer temperament, percentage, and level of service performed by a bartender.

While some bartenders get tipped directly by customers, some restaurant bars are set up in a way that bartenders don’t actually interact with customers at all, meaning they’ve got less of a chance of earning extra tips for themselves, and have to rely on serving and kitchen staff to help drive those amounts up.

Shift timing

When a bartender starts their shift—and for how long—is a crucial factor in how much they’ll earn. From a tipping perspective, there’s more money to be made in the evenings. People go to restaurants for dinner and drinks, others go to bars to hangout and catch-up with friends after work—often evening activities, or maybe a boozy brunch. If a bartender is scheduled to work mostly during evenings, there’s a likelier chance their tips will be higher, and therefore their earnings will be more, too.

Seasonality

Most places have a busy season, whether it’s the opening of patio season, March Madness, or holiday markets in a small town located in Hallmark, USA. Seasonality absolutely factors into how much bartenders can make, both because people can be feeling more generous, or because bars are just more packed in general (looking at you, first patio drink of the year). The same is true for the holidays when businesses book private rooms for holiday parties and other holiday related events. In any case, an establishment’s busy season can greatly affect how much a bartender makes.

How much do bartenders make across the US?

We know that bartenders’ earnings can vary for a number of reasons. To give you a better understanding of that variation in numbers, we’ve gathered some bartender salary examples across the US in some of the biggest cities and states: plan your destination accordingly.

How much do bartenders make in NYC?

In New York City, a bartender’s average base pay can range from $41,000 to $68,000 a year. On top of that, there may be an additional $26,000 from tips.

How much do bartenders make in Las Vegas?

In Las Vegas, the average earnings of a bartender are from $34,000 to $55,000 in base pay a year. On top of that, additional earnings can be anywhere from $21,000 to $39,000.

How much do bartenders make in California?

In California, bartenders can earn a base pay from $38,000 to $60,000 a year. The average is around $48,000. Additional pay is in the range of $19,000 to $35,000, with $28,000 as the median amount.

How much do bartenders make in Florida?

Floridian bartenders can earn anywhere from $33,000 to $55,000 in base pay a year, with an average of nearly $28,000 of additional cash compensation.

How much do bartenders make in Texas?

Bartenders in Texas are paid a base amount ranging from $33,000 to $55,000 a year. Additional cash income ranges from $21,000 to $39,000.

How much do bartenders make in Chicago?

In Chicago, bartenders make a base pay of $35,000 to $59,000 a year. Additional cash income bartenders can earn through tips ranges from $20,000 to nearly $39,000.

How much do bartenders make in Arizona?

Across Arizona, bartenders earn a base pay of $35,000 to $55,000 a year with an additional cash income ranging from $21,000 to $40,000.

How much do bartenders make in San Antonio?

In San Antonio, bartenders earn anywhere from $33,000 to $55,000 in base pay a year. On top of that, there’s an average of nearly $30,000 in additional cash income.

How much do bartenders make in Virginia?

In Virginia Beach, bartenders can earn between $33,000 and $54,000 in base pay a year, with a range of $21,000 to nearly $40,000 in cash income. Richmond, VA has a similar amount, with the highest pay base range hitting $58,000.

How much do bartenders make in Seattle?

In Seattle, bartenders may earn a base salary between $34,000 to $68,000 a year. In addition to that, cash compensation ranges from $21,000 to $39,000.

How much do bartenders make in Colorado?

In Colorado, bartenders can earn anywhere from $37,000 to $61,000 in base pay a year. Additional cash compensation ranges from $18,000 to $35,000.

How much do bartenders make in Hawaii?

Hawaiian bartenders can earn a base pay of $34,000 to $56,000 a year. Additional cash income ranges from $21,000 to $42,000.

How much do bartenders make in Maryland?

In Maryland, bartenders can make in a year anywhere from $38,000 to $61,000. Additional cash compensation ranges from $23,000 to $43,000.

How much do bartenders make in Oklahoma?

In Oklahoma, bartenders can earn a yearly base income ranging from $32,000 to $54,000, with additional cash compensation ranging from $20,000 to $38,000.

How much do bartenders make in Pittsburgh?

In Pittsburg, PA, a bartender’s yearly salary can range from $34,000 to $57,000. Additional cash compensation can be $18,000 to $34,000.

How much do bartenders make in Utah?

In Utah, bartenders can earn anywhere from $41,000 to $74,000 a year in base pay. Additional cash compensation ranges from $28,000 to $53,000.

How much do bartenders make in Wisconsin?

In Wisconsin, bartenders may earn a base salary between $34,000 to $56,000 a year. Add on tips for additional cash compensation ranging from $16,000 to $31,000.

Want to hire the best bartenders?

Sure, salary is always a key factor when it comes to hiring. But it’s not the only thing that can bring in the best talent for bartenders. If you want to have a fantastic bartender mixing the hottest drinks, look for someone who works well with your team and keeps morale high.

Having a great interview process is a solid way to help identify people who will be an asset to your team. Instead of keeping track of interview performances in your head though, consider using an interview scoring sheet to help you remember top talent. In fact, we’ll even make it easy for you, sending you through the World Wide Web to this handy free interview scoring template from our team here at Homebase. Even better? Homebase can help you manage your entire business, from hiring, to scheduling shifts, to payroll. It’s a one-stop-shop that makes it easy for bars, restaurants, and other small businesses to get their work done faster, easier, and with way less headaches.

Now, if they could just help you anticipate the next big cocktail trend…