Bartenders Salary
In Lubbock, TX, bartenders earn $20,990 at the median, or about $10.09 an hour. The range runs from $15K at the entry level to $62K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.32), which stretches that salary to about $22,985 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $973/month, about 62.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $21K get you in Lubbock?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Lubbock’s Regional Price Parity (91.32). 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 Lubbock
Pay for bartenders in Lubbock runs about 39% below the U.S. median of $34K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $973/month, which is 62.1% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.32 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 9% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. That combination, below-market pay with high housing costs, makes this a financially demanding market for bartenderss.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for bartenders in metros near Lubbock, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington | $24K | $23K |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands | $23K | $23K |
| Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos | $24K | $24K |
| San Antonio-New Braunfels | $22K | $23K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Lubbock, TX
Entry-level bartenders (10th percentile) start around $15K. Mid-career wages sit at $21K. Top earners bring in $62K or more, a $47K 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 Lubbock numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a bartender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Lubbock?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $21K, rent takes 62.1% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $973/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $500/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for bartenders in Lubbock?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bartenders typically earn — is $15K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $923/month. At HUD’s $973/month FMR, rent would take 105% 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 Lubbock?
Local pay runs 39% below the national median — $21K here vs. $34K nationally. Cost of living is 9% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Lubbock compare to the national average for bartenders?
Lubbock pays $21K median vs. the U.S. average of $34K — that’s -39%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.32), the purchasing-power equivalent is $23K — below the national median.
How much do bartenders make in Lubbock, TX?
The median is $20,990 a year, that works out to about $10 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $15,390, and experienced bartenders can clear $62,090. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $21K enough to live in Lubbock?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $1,566/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $973/month, which eats 62.1% 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 Lubbock?
Lubbock has a Regional Price Parity of 91.32 (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 $22,985 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.