Bartenders Salary
In Boulder, CO, bartenders earn $42,520 at the median, or about $20.44 an hour. The range runs from $33K at the entry level to $92K for experienced workers.
Where the paycheck goes
What $43K actually covers in Boulder, month by month
About bartenders
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Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for bartenders in metros near Boulder, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial | $37K | , |
| Colorado Springs | $38K | , |
| Fort Collins-Loveland | $46K | , |
| Greeley | $38K | , |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Boulder, CO
Entry-level bartenders (10th percentile) start around $33K. Mid-career wages sit at $43K. Top earners bring in $92K or more, a $59K 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 annually. We'll email you when Boulder numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a bartender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Boulder?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $43K, rent takes 51.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,481/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $900/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for bartenders in Boulder?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bartenders typically earn — is $33K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,271/month.
Is bartender a high-paying job in Boulder?
Local pay is 24% above the national median — $43K here vs. $34K nationally.
How does Boulder compare to the national average for bartenders?
Boulder pays $43K median vs. the U.S. average of $34K — that’s +24%.
How much do bartenders make in Boulder, CO?
The median is $42,520 a year, that works out to about $20 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,190, and experienced bartenders can clear $92,040. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $43K enough to live in Boulder?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,861/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,481/month, which eats 51.8% 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 Boulder?
Boulder has a Regional Price Parity of 100 (100 is the national average). That's right at the national average. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median bartenders salary is worth about $42,520 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.