Bartenders Salary in Salinas, CA
In Salinas, CA, bartenders earn $35,570 at the median, or about $17.1 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $78K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 109.04), so that salary is closer to $32,621 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,684/month — about 109.3% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $36K get you in Salinas?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Salinas’s Regional Price Parity (109.04). 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, Salinas, CA
Entry-level bartenders (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $78K or more, a $44K 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 Salinas numbers change.
Related careers in Food Service
Frequently asked questions
How much do bartenders make in Salinas, CA?
The median is $35,570 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $33,930, and experienced bartenders can clear $78,020. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in Salinas?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,501/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,684/month, which eats 107.3% 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 Salinas?
Salinas has a Regional Price Parity of 109.04 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median bartenders salary is worth about $32,621 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.