Bartenders Salary in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA
In Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA, bartenders earn $28,880 at the median, or about $13.89 an hour. The range runs from $17K at the entry level to $60K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 86.45), which stretches that salary to about $33,407 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,044/month — about 48.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $29K get you in Kingsport-Bristol?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Kingsport-Bristol’s Regional Price Parity (86.45). 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
Sponsored links — AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA
Entry-level bartenders (10th percentile) start around $17K. Mid-career wages sit at $29K. Top earners bring in $60K or more, a $43K spread from bottom to top.
Bartenders pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $69K | +105% | 3,640 |
| New York | $61K | +81% | 42,550 |
| District of Columbia | $55K | +64% | 4,890 |
| Vermont | $54K | +62% | 2,210 |
| Washington | $48K | +44% | 19,140 |
| Maine | $48K | +42% | 3,060 |
| Virginia | $47K | +40% | 15,870 |
| New Jersey | $46K | +36% | 17,500 |
| Arizona | $41K | +22% | 13,360 |
| Michigan | $40K | +18% | 19,530 |
| Delaware | $36K | +9% | 2,380 |
| Massachusetts | $36K | +7% | 21,080 |
| California | $36K | +7% | 69,790 |
| Maryland | $36K | +7% | 13,770 |
| Connecticut | $34K | +3% | 8,280 |
| Utah | $34K | +2% | 3,320 |
| Oregon | $34K | +1% | 11,940 |
| Rhode Island | $34K | +1% | 3,560 |
| North Carolina | $32K | -3% | 19,500 |
| New Mexico | $31K | -6% | 3,460 |
| Florida | $31K | -8% | 54,800 |
| Alaska | $30K | -11% | 2,070 |
| Ohio | $30K | -11% | 27,530 |
| Nebraska | $29K | -12% | 6,500 |
| Illinois | $29K | -13% | 40,520 |
| West Virginia | $29K | -13% | 3,120 |
| Kentucky | $29K | -15% | 6,210 |
| South Dakota | $29K | -15% | 3,520 |
| North Dakota | $28K | -15% | 3,890 |
| New Hampshire | $28K | -16% | 3,830 |
| Kansas | $28K | -17% | 5,740 |
| Texas | $28K | -17% | 57,990 |
| Pennsylvania | $27K | -19% | 34,740 |
| Missouri | $27K | -19% | 14,530 |
| Minnesota | $27K | -20% | 21,570 |
| Arkansas | $26K | -22% | 2,630 |
| Nevada | $26K | -23% | 17,090 |
| Mississippi | $25K | -26% | 2,800 |
| Georgia | $24K | -30% | 14,980 |
| Idaho | $23K | -32% | 3,990 |
| Montana | $23K | -32% | 5,130 |
| Indiana | $23K | -32% | 12,830 |
| Alabama | $23K | -32% | 5,850 |
| Tennessee | $23K | -32% | 10,380 |
| Wisconsin | $23K | -33% | 29,340 |
| Iowa | $23K | -33% | 8,740 |
| Wyoming | $22K | -34% | 2,740 |
| Oklahoma | $22K | -36% | 5,580 |
| Louisiana | $20K | -41% | 8,960 |
| South Carolina | $18K | -45% | 11,490 |
Showing 1–10 of 50 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track bartenders salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Kingsport-Bristol numbers change.
Related careers in Food Service
Frequently asked questions
How much do bartenders make in Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA?
The median is $28,880 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $17,010, and experienced bartenders can clear $60,120. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $29K enough to live in Kingsport-Bristol?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,104/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,044/month, which eats 49.6% 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 Kingsport-Bristol?
Kingsport-Bristol has a Regional Price Parity of 86.45 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median bartenders salary is worth about $33,407 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.