Bartenders
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Bartenders in the United States earn a median salary of $34,340 per year — about $17 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 757K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +6%.
AI & Automation Risk
The core of bartending involves physical manipulation of objects, manual cleaning, and real-time social interaction in a physical environment. While AI can assist with peripheral tasks like inventory management or automated ordering, the primary value of the role lies in human presence, physical service, and the social 'hospitality' aspect which remains difficult to automate.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku, HIBEST VALUE | $86,280 | Above avg (109.4) | $78,872 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $75,340 | Above avg (111.0) | $67,898 |
| Kennewick-Richland, WA | $55,820 | Average (100.1) | $55,776 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $56,640 | Average (102.4) | $55,289 |
| Walla Walla, WA | $54,030 | Average (98.5) | $54,842 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $61,220 | Above avg (112.6) | $54,387 |
| Bellingham, WA | $56,110 | Above avg (103.3) | $54,300 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | $54,170 | Average (101.9) | $53,182 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $58,180 | Above avg (111.1) | $52,352 |
| Yakima, WA | $49,700 | Below avg (95.5) | $52,017 |
| Binghamton, NY | $47,950 | Below avg (92.9) | $51,635 |
| Longview-Kelso, WA | $49,930 | Average (97.5) | $51,187 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $53,810 | Above avg (105.6) | $50,953 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | $50,210 | Average (100.3) | $50,037 |
| Roanoke, VA | $46,530 | Below avg (93.6) | $49,702 |