Bartenders Salary
In Missouri, bartenders earn $30,090 at the median, or about $14.47 an hour. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $55K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.97), which stretches that salary to about $33,820 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,097/month, about 53.4% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Missouri. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $30K get you in Missouri?
About bartenders
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What this looks like in Missouri
Pay for bartenders in Missouri runs about 12% below the U.S. median of $34K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,097/month, which is 51.5% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 11% 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.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Missouri
Entry-level bartenders (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $30K. Top earners bring in $55K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.
Bartenders salary by metro in Missouri
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $31K | +4% | 8,340 |
| Kansas City | $30K | +1% | 4,890 |
| Springfield | $29K | -3% | 950 |
| St. Joseph | $29K | -4% | 210 |
| Jefferson City | $29K | -5% | 250 |
| Joplin | $29K | -5% | 310 |
| Columbia | $29K | -5% | 680 |
| Cape Girardeau | $29K | -5% | 280 |
Compare to other states
Track bartenders salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Missouri numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a bartender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Missouri?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $30K, rent takes 51.5% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,097/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $600/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for bartenders in Missouri?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bartenders typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,716/month. At HUD’s $1,097/month FMR, rent would take 64% 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 Missouri?
Local pay runs 12% below the national median — $30K here vs. $34K nationally. Cost of living is 11% below the national average, which narrows that gap in real purchasing power.
How does Missouri compare to the national average for bartenders?
Missouri pays $30K median vs. the U.S. average of $34K — that’s -12%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $34K — below the national median.
How much do bartenders make in Missouri?
The median is $30,090 a year, that works out to about $14 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $28,600, and experienced bartenders can clear $54,900. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $30K enough to live in Missouri?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,132/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,097/month, which eats 51.5% 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 Missouri?
Missouri has a Regional Price Parity of 88.97 (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 $33,820 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.