Bartenders Salary
In Rocky Mount, NC, bartenders earn $33,800 at the median, or about $16.25 an hour. The range runs from $15K at the entry level to $76K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.01), which stretches that salary to about $38,405 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,143/month, about 48.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $34K get you in Rocky Mount?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Rocky Mount’s Regional Price Parity (88.01). 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 Rocky Mount
Bartenders pay in Rocky Mount tracks closely to the national median, $34K locally vs. $34K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,143/month, which is 49.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.01 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for bartenders in metros near Rocky Mount, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $37K | $38K |
| Raleigh-Cary | $36K | $37K |
| Wilmington | $38K | $39K |
| Greensboro-High Point | $35K | $37K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Rocky Mount, NC
Entry-level bartenders (10th percentile) start around $15K. Mid-career wages sit at $34K. Top earners bring in $76K or more, a $61K 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
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Frequently asked questions
Can a bartender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Rocky Mount?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $34K, rent takes 49.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,143/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 Rocky Mount?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bartenders typically earn — is $15K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $905/month. At HUD’s $1,143/month FMR, rent would take 126% 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 Rocky Mount?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $34K locally vs. $34K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Rocky Mount compare to the national average for bartenders?
Rocky Mount pays $34K median vs. the U.S. average of $34K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.01), the purchasing-power equivalent is $38K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do bartenders make in Rocky Mount, NC?
The median is $33,800 a year, that works out to about $16 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $15,080, and experienced bartenders can clear $76,030. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $34K enough to live in Rocky Mount?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,306/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,143/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 Rocky Mount?
Rocky Mount has a Regional Price Parity of 88.01 (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 $38,405 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.