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COL-adjusted ranking

Best Cities for Bartenderss by Take-Home Pay

The cities that pay Bartenderss the most on paper aren't usually the best deals once rent and prices are factored in. Kahului-Wailuku ranks first with a COL-adjusted equivalent of $73,169/year, better purchasing power than Kahului-Wailuku's higher nominal pay of $80,040. The table below uses BLS OEWS May 2024 salary data and BEA Regional Price Parities.

Highest nominal pay

#1 Kahului-Wailuku$80,040
#2 Urban Honolulu$70,300
#3 Burlington-South Burlington$65,480

Best purchasing power

#1 Kahului-Wailuku$73,169
#2 Burlington-South Burlington$64,864
#3 Urban Honolulu$63,356

Top 25 metros by purchasing power

Ranked by COL-adjusted salary. Metros with fewer than 100 employed bartenderss excluded.

Rank
Metro
Nominal
COL-adj.
#1
Kahului-Wailuku
39% rent burden
$80,040
$73,169
#2
$65,480
$64,864
#3
Urban Honolulu
45% rent burden
$70,300
$63,356
#4
Kingston
39% rent burden
$56,070
$55,675
#5
$59,030
$52,443
#6
Binghamton
27% rent burden
$48,530
$52,261
#7
Buffalo-Cheektowaga
32% rent burden
$49,950
$52,118
#8
Glens Falls
33% rent burden
$49,430
$52,103
#9
Roanoke
31% rent burden
$48,260
$51,549
#10
Syracuse
34% rent burden
$48,810
$50,982
#11
$51,180
$50,245
#12
Midland
31% rent burden
$45,850
$49,880
#13
Rochester
39% rent burden
$47,980
$49,449
#14
$46,470
$48,634
#15
Flint
27% rent burden
$45,130
$48,511
#16
Ithaca
42% rent burden
$49,940
$48,335
#17
$47,740
$47,946
#18
Lansing-East Lansing
34% rent burden
$45,330
$47,721
#19
Traverse City
33% rent burden
$44,520
$47,681
#20
Yakima
36% rent burden
$45,340
$47,452
#21
Longview-Kelso
38% rent burden
$46,130
$47,289
#22
$51,390
$46,966
#23
Charlottesville
47% rent burden
$46,390
$46,788
#24
Kennewick-Richland
39% rent burden
$46,780
$46,743
#25
Saginaw
32% rent burden
$41,990
$46,199

COL-adjusted = nominal salary divided by (BEA RPP divided by 100). Rent burden = annual 2BR FMR as % of nominal salary. Sources: BLS OEWS May 2024, BEA Regional Price Parities, HUD Fair Market Rents.

Common questions

What does "COL-adjusted pay" mean for Bartenderss?

COL-adjusted pay divides the BLS median salary by the BEA Regional Price Parity index (100 = national average). A salary of $80,040 in a city with RPP 120 has the same purchasing power as $66,700 at national average prices.

Why doesn't New York or San Francisco top this list?

Both cities pay above-average salaries, but rent and everyday costs eat most of that premium. A bartenders in New York might earn 30% more but pay 60-80% more in rent. The net result is often less purchasing power than mid-cost metros.

How is purchasing power calculated?

Purchasing power equals nominal median salary divided by (BEA RPP divided by 100). BEA's Regional Price Parities measure relative price levels across metro areas, updated annually from the National Income and Product Accounts.

What's the most affordable metro for Bartenderss?

Binghamton has one of the lowest rent burdens for Bartenderss in this dataset. HUD FMR for a 2-bedroom is $1,103/month, with a median salary of $48,530.

Where do Bartenderss get paid the most in nominal terms?

Kahului-Wailuku pays the highest nominal median salary at $80,040/year, per BLS OEWS May 2024. But check the COL-adjusted column before accepting any relocation offer.

National salary breakdown for BartenderssView →How to become a bartendersGuide →Compare two cities side by sideCompare →