Bartenders — Career Decision Dashboard
United States
Opens your browser print dialog — choose “Save as PDF”.
Report generated from official BLS OEWS and O*NET data — United States.
Median annual wage
$34,340
United States, 2025
Employment
756,390
United States, 2025
Typical education
High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)
Job Zone 2
Skills identified
35
10 related careers
Career overview
Mix and serve drinks to patrons, directly or through waitstaff.
- O*NET code
- 35-3011.00
- Job zone
- 2
- Experience required
- Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
Typical tasks
- Supervise the work of bar staff and other bartenders.
- Order or requisition liquors and supplies.
- Plan bar menus.
- Arrange bottles and glasses to make attractive displays.
- Create drink recipes.
- Clean glasses, utensils, and bar equipment.
- Collect money for drinks served.
- Balance cash receipts.
Choose a location
Salary analysis — United States
10th percentile
$20,110
25th percentile
$27,400
75th percentile
$47,570
90th percentile
$73,770
Most important skills
- Active Listening3.8
- Service Orientation3.6
- Social Perceptiveness3.3
- Persuasion3.1
- Speaking3.1
- Critical Thinking3.1
- Coordination3.1
- Active Learning3.0
- Reading Comprehension3.0
- Monitoring3.0
- Instructing3.0
- Time Management3.0
What skills do you need?
Select the skills you already have
Skills listed are those O*NET rates at importance 3.0 or above for this occupation. Set your own level on the same 0–7 O*NET scale.
Skill coverage
0%
0 of 13 identified skills
Matched
0
Missing
13
Your selected skills cover approximately 0% of the skills identified for this occupation in O*NET. This is a coverage measure of listed skills only — it is not a qualification, hiring or interview outcome.
Skills to develop
| Skill | Importance | Required level | Your level | Gap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | 3.8 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Service Orientation | 3.6 | 3.1 | Not selected | 3.1 |
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.3 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Persuasion | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Speaking | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Coordination | 3.1 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Active Learning | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Monitoring | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Instructing | 3.0 | 3.0 | Not selected | 3.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.1 | 2.9 | Not selected | 2.9 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.0 | 2.6 | Not selected | 2.6 |
| Time Management | 3.0 | 2.5 | Not selected | 2.5 |
Ordered by required level gap multiplied by O*NET importance. No prediction or recommendation is implied.
Related careers
Supplemental
National median $41,380
Compare with BartendersSupplemental
National median $36,300
Compare with BartendersSupplemental
National median $31,200
Compare with BartendersHow salary varies by location
| Location | Median | Employment | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului, HI | $86,280 | 800 | 2025 |
| HI | $76,490 | 3,540 | 2025 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $75,340 | 2,130 | 2025 |
| VI | $61,380 | 490 | 2025 |
| New York, NY | $61,220 | 38,510 | 2025 |
| NY | $61,210 | 43,130 | 2025 |
| Seattle, WA | $58,180 | 9,640 | 2025 |
| Mount Vernon, WA | $56,640 | 270 | 2025 |
| Bellingham, WA | $56,110 | 600 | 2025 |
| WA | $55,830 | 16,800 | 2025 |
| Kennewick, WA | $55,820 | 600 | 2025 |
| Portland, ME | $54,170 | 1,780 | 2025 |
| Walla Walla, WA | $54,030 | 120 | 2025 |
| DC | $53,920 | 5,760 | 2025 |
| Bremerton, WA | $53,810 | 560 | 2025 |
| Spokane, WA | $50,210 | 1,100 | 2025 |
| Olympia, WA | $50,180 | 530 | 2025 |
| Longview, WA | $49,930 | 210 | 2025 |
| Yakima, WA | $49,700 | 350 | 2025 |
| Burlington, VT | $49,070 | 780 | 2025 |
Career transition paths
Compare the skills of a career you hold today with Bartenders to see shared skills, target-only skills and skill overlap.
Build a transition comparisonCareer and skills data: O*NET 31.0.
Salary and employment data: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS, 2025 (May 2025 release).
Figures are periodic published survey snapshots, not real-time market rates.