Jetted FoxCareers · Restaurants & bars
Bartenders
Mix and serve drinks to customers at a bar or restaurant. No college degree needed.
Start now · paid while you train
Starting pay ranges from about $8/hr in Louisiana to $27.35/hr in Hawaii.
Pay in every state
| State | Start | 2 years |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | $8.30–10.33/hr | $13.45/hr |
| Alaska | $11.96–13.58/hr | $14.65/hr |
| Arizona | $14.74–16.12/hr | $21.67/hr |
| Arkansas | $11–11.23/hr | $12.06/hr |
| California | $16.50–16.66/hr | $17.41/hr |
| Colorado | $14.81–15.59/hr | $18.35/hr |
| Connecticut | $16.35/hr | $18.64/hr |
| Delaware | $15/hr | $17.71/hr |
| Florida | $13.19–14.01/hr | $16.90/hr |
| Georgia | $7.61–8.82/hr | $10.98/hr |
| Hawaii | $14.74–27.35/hr | $36.78/hr |
| Idaho | $8.10–9.60/hr | $13.10/hr |
| Illinois | $15/hr | $15/hr |
| Indiana | $8.20–9.72/hr | $10.95/hr |
| Iowa | $8.04–8.87/hr | $10.44/hr |
| Kansas | $8.24–10.16/hr | $13.43/hr |
| Kentucky | $7.75–8.62/hr | $13.84/hr |
| Louisiana | $7.25–8/hr | $10.02/hr |
| Maine | $14.96–16.73/hr | $23.52/hr |
| Maryland | $15–16.47/hr | $18.07/hr |
| Massachusetts | $15.33–16.44/hr | $18/hr |
| Michigan | $12.48–13.77/hr | $17.68/hr |
| Minnesota | $11.13–11.47/hr | $12.93/hr |
| Mississippi | $7.65–8.97/hr | $13.62/hr |
| Missouri | $13.75/hr | $14.47/hr |
| Montana | $10.55–10.73/hr | $12.51/hr |
| Nebraska | $13.50/hr | $14.51/hr |
| Nevada | $12–12.12/hr | $13.20/hr |
| New Hampshire | $8.36–10.21/hr | $13.85/hr |
| New Jersey | $15.49–16.98/hr | $21.16/hr |
| New Mexico | $12.37–13.01/hr | $17.78/hr |
| New York | $16.18–17.83/hr | $29.43/hr |
| North Carolina | $7.78–10.45/hr | $17.53/hr |
| North Dakota | $9.06–10.94/hr | $13.96/hr |
| Ohio | $11.05–12.37/hr | $14.84/hr |
| Oklahoma | $7.80–8.50/hr | $11.92/hr |
| Oregon | $15–16.23/hr | $18.70/hr |
| Pennsylvania | $8.39–10.22/hr | $13.66/hr |
| Rhode Island | $15/hr | $17.51/hr |
| South Carolina | $7.25–8.26/hr | $9.31/hr |
| South Dakota | $13.17–13.50/hr | $14.14/hr |
| Tennessee | $7.68–8.73/hr | $13.21/hr |
| Texas | $7.79–8.50/hr | $10.91/hr |
| Utah | $8.48–10.21/hr | $15.46/hr |
| Vermont | $14.41–14.65/hr | $21.85/hr |
| Virginia | $13.41–16.66/hr | $22.63/hr |
| Washington | $18.93–23.04/hr | $26.84/hr |
| Washington, DC | $17.50–18.64/hr | $25.92/hr |
| West Virginia | $9.57–11.20/hr | $14.24/hr |
| Wisconsin | $8.27–10.06/hr | $11.28/hr |
| Wyoming | $8.47–8.77/hr | $10.59/hr |
Estimates, May 2025. Start = what the lowest-paid 10–25% earn; 2 years = the median. US Bureau of Labor Statistics
What it takes
Before you're hired
Also: 18–21+ (set by state law)
Once you're hired
Alcohol server permit or certification: required in some states. It lets you serve or sell alcohol for pay. Rules differ by state; check your state's licensing board.
A normal day
You work behind a bar during evening and weekend shifts, taking orders, mixing drinks, checking IDs and running tabs. You keep the bar stocked and clean. Busy nights are fast and loud; slow nights are quiet.
The good parts
Tips can make good money on busy nights. Social, fast-paced work. About 121,200 US openings a year.
The hard parts
Late nights, weekends and holidays. Drunk or rude customers. Income depends on tips and varies week to week.
Where it leads
head bartender or bar manager; some open their own bar.
Quick answers
Do bartenders need a college degree?
No. You can start now: paid while you train.
How long is the training for bartenders?
1–4 weeks of paid training at work (often after working as a bar helper).
How much do bartenders make?
About $9.67–13.17 an hour to start and $16.51 an hour at the median across the US (May 2025).
Is it a fit for you?
Answer a few questions and see your paths. Free, about 7 minutes.
Similar careers
Fast food and counter workers · Waiters and waitresses · Dining room and cafeteria attendants and bartender helpers
Last updated October 13, 2026. Pay: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Jobs: BLS Employment Projections 2025–35. Training, costs and requirements: Jetted Fox research (estimates). This site 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. Jetted Fox has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Facts, not advice.