Bartenders Salary
In Anchorage, AK, bartenders earn $31,200 at the median, or about $15 an hour. The range runs from $25K at the entry level to $62K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 105.42), so that salary is closer to $29,596 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,376/month, about 61.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $31K get you in Anchorage?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Anchorage’s Regional Price Parity (105.42). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About bartenders
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What this looks like in Anchorage
Bartenders pay in Anchorage tracks closely to the national median, $31K locally vs. $34K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,376/month, which is 60.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 5% above the national average (BEA RPP 105.42), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for bartenders in metros near Anchorage, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Fairbanks-College | $32K | $31K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Anchorage, AK
Entry-level bartenders (10th percentile) start around $25K. Mid-career wages sit at $31K. Top earners bring in $62K or more, a $37K spread from bottom to top.
Bartenders pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Bartenders salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $76K | +123% | 3,540 |
| New York | $61K | +78% | 43,130 |
| Washington | $56K | +63% | 16,800 |
| District of Columbia | $54K | +57% | 5,760 |
| Maine | $49K | +42% | 3,230 |
| Virginia | $47K | +37% | 13,370 |
| Vermont | $45K | +32% | 2,080 |
| Arizona | $45K | +31% | 14,840 |
| New Jersey | $44K | +28% | 16,260 |
| Oregon | $39K | +13% | 11,950 |
| Connecticut | $39K | +13% | 7,680 |
| Colorado | $38K | +11% | 17,000 |
| Maryland | $38K | +9% | 13,020 |
| Massachusetts | $37K | +9% | 19,850 |
| New Mexico | $37K | +8% | 3,790 |
| Delaware | $37K | +7% | 2,820 |
| Michigan | $37K | +7% | 21,100 |
| North Carolina | $36K | +6% | 20,070 |
| Rhode Island | $36K | +6% | 3,170 |
| California | $36K | +5% | 71,470 |
| Florida | $35K | +2% | 55,170 |
| Utah | $32K | -6% | 3,350 |
| Illinois | $31K | -9% | 43,010 |
| Ohio | $31K | -10% | 27,420 |
| Alaska | $30K | -11% | 2,280 |
| Nebraska | $30K | -12% | 7,320 |
| Missouri | $30K | -12% | 14,410 |
| West Virginia | $30K | -14% | 3,340 |
| South Dakota | $29K | -14% | 3,930 |
| North Dakota | $29K | -15% | 3,960 |
| New Hampshire | $29K | -16% | 3,840 |
| Kentucky | $29K | -16% | 6,870 |
| Pennsylvania | $28K | -17% | 37,490 |
| Mississippi | $28K | -18% | 2,770 |
| Alabama | $28K | -19% | 6,560 |
| Kansas | $28K | -19% | 5,430 |
| Tennessee | $27K | -20% | 10,330 |
| Nevada | $27K | -20% | 16,830 |
| Idaho | $27K | -21% | 3,430 |
| Minnesota | $27K | -22% | 24,420 |
| Montana | $26K | -24% | 5,370 |
| Arkansas | $25K | -27% | 3,020 |
| Oklahoma | $25K | -28% | 5,860 |
| Wisconsin | $23K | -32% | 29,520 |
| Georgia | $23K | -34% | 14,600 |
| Indiana | $23K | -34% | 12,880 |
| Texas | $23K | -34% | 59,000 |
| Wyoming | $22K | -36% | 2,660 |
| Iowa | $22K | -37% | 9,560 |
| Louisiana | $21K | -39% | 10,140 |
| South Carolina | $19K | -44% | 10,680 |
Showing 1–10 of 51 (all 50 states + DC)
Track bartenders salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Anchorage numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a bartender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Anchorage?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $31K, rent takes 60.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,376/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for bartenders in Anchorage?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bartenders typically earn — is $25K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,486/month. At HUD’s $1,376/month FMR, rent would take 93% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is bartender a high-paying job in Anchorage?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $31K locally vs. $34K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Anchorage compare to the national average for bartenders?
Anchorage pays $31K median vs. the U.S. average of $34K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 105.42), the purchasing-power equivalent is $30K — below the national median.
How much do bartenders make in Anchorage, AK?
The median is $31,200 a year, that works out to about $15 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $24,770, and experienced bartenders can clear $61,940. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $31K enough to live in Anchorage?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,259/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,376/month, which eats 60.9% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a bartenders salary go in Anchorage?
Anchorage has a Regional Price Parity of 105.42 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median bartenders salary is worth about $29,596 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do bartenders get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.