Bartenders Salary
In Hawaii, bartenders earn $76,490 at the median, or about $36.78 an hour. The range runs from $31K at the entry level to $118K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 110.17), so that salary is closer to $69,429 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,240/month, about 44.9% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Hawaii. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $76K get you in Hawaii?
About bartenders
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What this looks like in Hawaii
Hawaii sits well above the national pay line for bartenders, local pay runs about 123% higher than the U.S. median of $34K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,240/month, which is 47.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 10% above the national average (BEA RPP 110.17), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Hawaii
Entry-level bartenders (10th percentile) start around $31K. Mid-career wages sit at $76K. Top earners bring in $118K or more, a $87K spread from bottom to top.
Bartenders salary by metro in Hawaii
2 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kahului-Wailuku | $86K | +13% | 800 |
| Urban Honolulu | $75K | -2% | 2,130 |
Compare to other states
Track bartenders salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Hawaii numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a bartender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Hawaii?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $76K, rent takes 47.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,240/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,400/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for bartenders in Hawaii?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bartenders typically earn — is $31K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,840/month. At HUD’s $2,240/month FMR, rent would take 122% 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 Hawaii?
Local pay is 123% above the national median — $76K here vs. $34K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 10% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Hawaii compare to the national average for bartenders?
Hawaii pays $76K median vs. the U.S. average of $34K — that’s +123%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 110.17), the purchasing-power equivalent is $69K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do bartenders make in Hawaii?
The median is $76,490 a year, that works out to about $37 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $30,670, and experienced bartenders can clear $117,540. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $76K enough to live in Hawaii?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $4,735/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,240/month, which eats 47.3% 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 Hawaii?
Hawaii has a Regional Price Parity of 110.17 (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 $69,429 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.