Bartenders Salary
In Vallejo, CA, bartenders earn $36,870 at the median, or about $17.73 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $67K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.48), so that salary is closer to $33,988 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,178/month, about 85.6% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $37K get you in Vallejo?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Vallejo’s Regional Price Parity (108.48). 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 Vallejo
Bartenders pay in Vallejo tracks closely to the national median, $37K locally vs. $34K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,178/month, which is 84.3% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 8% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.48), so groceries and services cost more too. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for bartenders in metros near Vallejo, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $36K | $31K |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $40K | $34K |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $36K | $32K |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $35K | $33K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Vallejo, CA
Entry-level bartenders (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $37K. Top earners bring in $67K or more, a $32K 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 Vallejo numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a bartender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Vallejo?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $37K, rent takes 84.3% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,178/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for bartenders in Vallejo?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bartenders typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,059/month. At HUD’s $2,178/month FMR, rent would take 106% 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 Vallejo?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $37K locally vs. $34K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does Vallejo compare to the national average for bartenders?
Vallejo pays $37K median vs. the U.S. average of $34K — that’s +7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.48), the purchasing-power equivalent is $34K — below the national median.
How much do bartenders make in Vallejo, CA?
The median is $36,870 a year, that works out to about $18 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,320, and experienced bartenders can clear $66,560. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $37K enough to live in Vallejo?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,584/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,178/month, which eats 84.3% 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 Vallejo?
Vallejo has a Regional Price Parity of 108.48 (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 $33,988 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.