So, how much do bartenders actually make?
The typical US bartender earns about $16.51 an hour, or a salary of about $34,340 a year, with tips included. That is the middle of a wide range: the lowest-paid 10% make under $9.67 an hour and the top 10% make over $35.47.
Where your money comes from
Almost every bartender's pay comes from the same three pieces. The calculator above works them out for you.
- Your hourly wage. What the bar pays you per hour. In many states it can be very low for tipped staff, because tips are expected to make up the rest.
- Your tips. Cash and card tips from guests. For most bar jobs this is the biggest part of your pay, and it changes a lot between a slow Tuesday and a busy Saturday.
- Your tip-out. At the end of the night, many bars ask you to share part of your tips with barbacks, bussers or runners. Barbacks commonly get 10% to 20% of a bartender's tips.
How your city changes your paycheck
Every state, and some cities, set the lowest wage you can be paid. In some places a bar can pay you $2.13 an hour and count your tips toward the rest. In others you get the full minimum wage before any tips. That one rule can be worth hundreds of dollars a week.
| City | Lowest wage | Do tips count toward it? |
|---|---|---|
| Seattle | $21.30 | No. Every tip is on top |
| San Francisco | $19.61 | No. Every tip is on top |
| Los Angeles | $18.42 | No. Every tip is on top |
| San Diego | $17.75 | No. Every tip is on top |
| Denver | $16.27 | Yes, up to $19.29 an hour |
| Chicago | $12.96 | Yes, up to $17.05 an hour |
| Phoenix | $12.15 | Yes, up to $15.15 an hour |
| Las Vegas | $12.00 | No. Every tip is on top |
| Miami | $11.98 | Yes, up to $15.00 an hour |
| Orlando | $11.98 | Yes, up to $15.00 an hour |
| New York City | $11.35 | Yes, up to $17.00 an hour |
| Washington, DC | $10.30 | Yes, up to $18.40 an hour |
| Boston | $6.75 | Yes, up to $15.00 an hour |
| Philadelphia | $2.83 | Yes, up to $7.25 an hour |
| Atlanta | $2.13 | Yes, up to $7.25 an hour |
| Austin | $2.13 | Yes, up to $7.25 an hour |
| Dallas | $2.13 | Yes, up to $7.25 an hour |
| Houston | $2.13 | Yes, up to $7.25 an hour |
| Nashville | $2.13 | Yes, up to $7.25 an hour |
| New Orleans | $2.13 | Yes, up to $7.25 an hour |
Bartender pay in New York, California and Texas
These three states show how far apart the rules are, even before tips.
- New York City
Bars can pay tipped staff $11.35 an hour as long as tips bring you to $17.00. Bartenders there average about $200 a day in tips.
- California
Tips can't count toward your wage anywhere in the state. You get the full minimum first: $18.42 in Los Angeles, $19.61 in San Francisco and $17.75 in San Diego, plus every tip.
- Texas
Bars can pay as little as $2.13 an hour and count tips toward $7.25, so most of your pay comes from tips. Agency event shifts pay a set rate instead, about $20 to $25 an hour in Houston, Dallas and Austin.
Why the place you work matters so much
Two bartenders in the same city can earn very different amounts, and not only because one is busier. The kind of place decides how the money reaches you.
- Bars and restaurants
A low hourly wage plus tips. You usually tip out the barback at the end of the night. In big cities, bartenders average about $150 to $225 a day in tips.
- Nightclubs and lounges
Usually the same low wage, with the biggest swings in tips. Many clubs pool tips. In VinePair's bartender diaries, Friday shifts at busy bars and lounges brought in $300 to $700.
- Hotels, banquets and conventions
A higher hourly wage, often under a union contract. Banquet bills carry a service charge, often around 20%, and staff usually get part of it, not all of it.
- Events through an agency or app
A set hourly rate for each shift, usually with a 4 to 5 hour minimum. Tips may or may not be allowed. Rates run from about $16.50 an hour in Phoenix to $27 or more in Seattle and San Francisco.
- Weddings and private parties
You set your own rate when you book directly. Private bartenders commonly charge $35 to $60 an hour, and hosts often add a 15% to 20% gratuity.
- Stadiums and arenas
An hourly wage from the venue's food and drink company, often with a union. Posted wages are around $16 to $20 an hour, and tips are smaller than at a bar.
Four shifts a week at a busy Chicago bar
- Wage: Chicago's lowest cash wage for tipped staff is $12.96 an hour. 4 shifts × 7 hours = 28 hours, so $363.
- Tips: about $200 on a typical shift × 4 shifts = $800.
- Tip-out: 10% of tips to the barback = −$80.
- Total: about $1,083 a week before taxes, or about $38.67 an hour.
- Same 28 hours as agency event shifts at $21.88 an hour: about $613, but the same every week.
How much do bartenders make in a year?
It depends on how many shifts you work. The typical bartender earns about $34,340 a year, but many work part-time. Full-time hours at the top 10% rate ($35.47 an hour) come to about $73,800 a year. The Chicago week above, kept up for 50 weeks, is about $54,000 before taxes.
Do you need a license to start bartending?
Usually you don't need a bartending school or a "bartender license." What you may need is a short alcohol-service course, and whether it is required depends on your state.
- California
Required. Pass the state's Responsible Beverage Service (RBS) course within 60 days of starting. Valid for 3 years.
- Tennessee
Required. You need a state server permit. Permits issued since 2025 last 2 years.
- Texas
Not required by law, but most employers ask for a TABC seller-server certificate. It takes about 2 hours online and lasts 2 years.
- Georgia
No state rule, but many cities and counties require their own permit.
Online courses usually cost $10 to $55. The minimum age to serve and to mix drinks also differs by state. If you're ready to work, browse bartender shifts or read about the bartender role.
