Mix and serve drinks to patrons, directly or through waitstaff.
National median · BLS
$34,340
▲ +2.42%YoY
H-1B sponsor median
—
Too few H-1B filings
Average salary · BLS
$40,790
Mean annual wage
U.S. employment
756,390
Jobs (BLS)
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Pay range for Bartenders
Annual base pay at each percentile. BLS covers all U.S. workers in this occupation.
Percentile
All U.S. workers (BLS)
10th — entry pay
$20,110
25th
$27,400
Median (50th)
$34,340
75th
$47,570
90th — top pay
$73,770
Hourly ⇄ annual pay
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Monthly—
Every 2 weeks—
Weekly—
Daily—
Based on
hrs/week ×
weeks/year
= 2,080 hrs
Projections 2025–2035
Job outlook for Bartenders
BLS projects employment of bartenders to grow 5% from 2025 to 2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations.
About 121,200 openings are projected each year, on average, from new jobs and from replacing workers who retire or move to other occupations.
Jobs 2025 → 2035
762,600 → 800,500
+37,900 jobs
Projected change
+5%
All occupations: +3.5%
Openings per year
121,200
Average, 2025–2035
Typical entry education
No formal educational credential
No related experience required
On-the-job training
Short-term on-the-job training
Self-employed
0.2% of workers (2025)
Preparation needed (O*NET Job Zone 2)
Very Little to Some Preparation Needed. Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
BLS state medians, plus the same figure adjusted for local prices (BEA Regional Price Parities). Tap a state for its full range and H-1B pay.
State
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
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Bartenders salaries by metro area
Search by city, ZIP code or metro name. Tap a metro for its full range.
Metro area
Median
Jobs
Cost-adjusted
Profile
Skills & tools
Skills needed for Bartenders
How important each skill and knowledge area is for this job, rated by O*NET on a 1–5 scale from surveys of workers and occupational analysts.
Top skills
Active Listening3.8
Service Orientation3.6
Social Perceptiveness3.3
Coordination3.1
Critical Thinking3.1
Persuasion3.1
Speaking3.1
Active Learning3.0
Complex Problem Solving3.0
Instructing3.0
Top knowledge areas
Customer and Personal Service4.4
English Language3.6
Education and Training3.2
Sales and Marketing3.1
Administration and Management3.0
Public Safety and Security3.0
Mathematics3.0
Personnel and Human Resources2.8
Software and technology used
FacebookMicrosoft OutlookAZZ CardFileCompris softwareFocus point of sale POS softwareIntuit QuickBooks Point of SaleMICROS Systems HSI Profits SeriesNCR Advanced Checkout SolutionNCR NeighborhoodPOSThe General StoreWeb browser software
Highlighted = in demand: frequently listed in employer job postings for this occupation (O*NET).
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.
About the job
What bartenders do
Clean glasses, utensils, and bar equipment.
Collect money for drinks served.
Balance cash receipts.
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.
Also called
Banquet BartenderBar CaptainBartenderMixologist
More job titles for this occupation (12)
Bar AttendantBar TenderBarkeepBarkeeperBarmaidBarmanCatering BartenderDrink MixerEvent BartenderRestaurant BartenderService BartenderTaproom Attendant
Source: O*NET 31.0 (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0). These are general job titles, not H-1B filings; for titles employers actually filed, see “Job titles” above.
Similar jobs and how they pay
Occupations O*NET lists as closely related to Bartenders, with BLS national medians compared with this occupation's $34,340.
