Bartenders Salary
In Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV, bartenders earn $48,030 at the median, or about $23.09 an hour. The range runs from $34K at the entry level to $92K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 108.88), so that salary is closer to $44,113 in real purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $2,246/month, about 67.7% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $48K get you in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Washington-Arlington-Alexandria’s Regional Price Parity (108.88). 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria sits well above the national pay line for bartenders, local pay runs about 40% higher than the U.S. median of $34K. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $2,246/month, which is 69.4% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost-of-living overall is 9% above the national average (BEA RPP 108.88), so groceries and services cost more too. The pay premium is real, but so are the offsets.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for bartenders in metros near Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Baltimore-Columbia-Towson | $37K | $36K |
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk | $47K | $48K |
| Richmond | $46K | $47K |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg | $34K | $36K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV
Entry-level bartenders (10th percentile) start around $34K. Mid-career wages sit at $48K. Top earners bring in $92K or more, a $57K 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a bartender afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $48K, rent takes 69.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,246/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $1,000/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for bartenders in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bartenders typically earn — is $34K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $2,069/month. At HUD’s $2,246/month FMR, rent would take 109% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Local pay is 40% above the national median — $48K here vs. $34K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 9% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does Washington-Arlington-Alexandria compare to the national average for bartenders?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria pays $48K median vs. the U.S. average of $34K — that’s +40%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 108.88), the purchasing-power equivalent is $44K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do bartenders make in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV?
The median is $48,030 a year, that works out to about $23 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $34,480, and experienced bartenders can clear $91,510. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $48K enough to live in Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $3,235/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,246/month, which eats 69.4% 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 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria?
Washington-Arlington-Alexandria has a Regional Price Parity of 108.88 (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 $44,113 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.