Bartenders Salary
In North Carolina, bartenders earn $36,470 at the median, or about $17.53 an hour. The range runs from $16K at the entry level to $74K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $39,359 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,284/month, about 50.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $36K get you in North Carolina?
About bartenders
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Bartenders pay in North Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $36K locally vs. $34K nationwide, a 6% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,284/month, which is 51.9% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, North Carolina
Entry-level bartenders (10th percentile) start around $16K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $74K or more, a $58K spread from bottom to top.
Bartenders salary by metro in North Carolina
15 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wilmington | $38K | +4% | 1,460 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines | $38K | +3% | 280 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $37K | +3% | 5,660 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $37K | +2% | 1,180 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $36K | -1% | 3,070 |
| Asheville | $35K | -3% | 1,240 |
| Winston-Salem | $35K | -4% | 1,020 |
| Fayetteville | $35K | -4% | 500 |
| Greensboro-High Point | $35K | -5% | 1,310 |
| Rocky Mount | $34K | -7% | 140 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $32K | -13% | 530 |
| Burlington | $31K | -15% | 260 |
| Jacksonville | $31K | -15% | 240 |
| Greenville | $30K | -17% | 300 |
| Goldsboro | $28K | -24% | 130 |
Showing 1–10 of 15 metros
Compare to other states
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BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a bartender afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $36K, rent takes 51.9% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for bartenders in North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bartenders typically earn — is $16K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $971/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 132% 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 North Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $36K locally vs. $34K nationally, a 6% difference.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for bartenders?
North Carolina pays $36K median vs. the U.S. average of $34K — that’s +6%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do bartenders make in North Carolina?
The median is $36,470 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $16,180, and experienced bartenders can clear $74,450. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,475/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 51.9% 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 North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (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 $39,359 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.