Bartender career guide
A bartender mixes and serves drinks, takes care of guests at the bar, and often supplies drinks to servers for the rest of the restaurant. Bartenders also check IDs and are responsible for serving alcohol safely.
Pay data: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Job content: O*NET 31.0. Updated 2026-10-26.
- $34,340median annual wage (U.S.)
- $16.51median hourly wage
- 756,390people employed in the U.S.
- High School Diploma or the equivalentmost common required education
What a bartender does
Mix and serve drinks to patrons, directly or through waitstaff.
Typical tasks
- 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.
A typical day
Before opening, a bartender cuts garnishes, stocks the bar and checks inventory. During service they take orders, make drinks quickly and consistently, handle payments and keep the bar clean. Closing means counting the register, restocking and cleaning every surface.
Skills employers look for
These are the skills O*NET rates as most important for this occupation.
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Reading Comprehension
- Service Orientation
- Social Perceptiveness
- Coordination
- Persuasion
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Education and Training
- Sales and Marketing
- Administration and Management
Tools and technology
Examples of technology used in this occupation, from O*NET: Facebook, Microsoft Outlook.
Education and training
When O*NET asked people in this occupation what education the job requires, the most common answers were:
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED): 43% of respondents
- Less than a High School Diploma: 37% of respondents
- Some College Courses: 16% of respondents
Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Bartender pay
The median annual wage for bartenders was $34,340 in May 2025 ($16.51 an hour). Half of workers earned between $27,400 and $47,570. BLS wage figures for this occupation include tips.
Highest-paying states
- Hawaii: $76,490 median
- New York: $61,210 median
- Washington: $55,830 median
- District of Columbia: $53,920 median
- Maine: $48,920 median
States with the most bartenders
- California: 71,470 employed
- Texas: 59,000 employed
- Florida: 55,170 employed
- New York: 43,130 employed
- Illinois: 43,010 employed
How to get hired
Many bartenders start as barbacks or servers and move behind the bar once they know the drinks and the guests. The minimum age to serve alcohol and the training required vary by state, and many employers ask for a responsible alcohol service certificate. Knowing classic drinks helps, but employers often care more about speed, honesty and how you treat guests.
Job titles you may see
Banquet Bartender, Bar Captain, Bartender, Mixologist.
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Related career guides
Bartender salary by state · Bartender job description and interview questions
Sources and methodology
Wage and employment estimates: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025, cross-industry estimates for all ownerships. Figures are as published; BLS does not publish some estimates for some states. As defined by BLS, wages include tips, commissions and production bonuses, and exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, nonproduction bonuses and other premium pay. BLS OEWS
This page includes information from the 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. Jobder has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. O*NET Database
Written and maintained by the Jobder team. Last updated 2026-10-26. Questions or corrections: support@jobder.pro.
Frequently asked questions
What does a bartender do?
Mix and serve drinks to patrons, directly or through waitstaff.
How much does a bartender make?
The median annual wage for bartenders in the United States was $34,340 in May 2025, or $16.51 an hour. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $20,110 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $73,770.
What education do you need to become a bartender?
In O*NET's survey of people in this occupation, the most common answer for required education was "High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)" (43% of respondents). O*NET classifies the occupation as "Very Little to Some Preparation Needed".
Which state pays bartenders the most?
Hawaii had the highest median annual wage for this occupation in May 2025, at $76,490, followed by New York ($61,210) and Washington ($55,830).
How many bartenders are there in the U.S.?
BLS estimated 756,390 people were employed as bartenders in May 2025. California employed the most, with 71,470.