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Bartender salary in California

Updated November 2, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$36,220median pay per year in California, or $17.41 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $34,320lowest 10% earn less
  2. $34,66025th percentile
  3. $36,220median
  4. $40,99075th percentile
  5. $75,130top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $34,340[3]

Bartenders in California had a median wage of $36,220 a year[1]. That was 5.5% above the US median[6].

Jobs in CA
71,470[4]
Rank by median pay
20 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
+5.5%[6]

How much do bartenders make in California?

The median wage for bartenders in California was $36,220 a year, or $17.41 an hour[1]. Half of them earned more and half earned less. The average was higher at $44,780 a year[7]. Across the US, the median was $34,340[3], so California was $1,880 (5.5%) higher[6]. California had the 20th highest median among the states and DC with a published figure[5].

All jobs in California had a median of $58,240 a year[8]. Bartenders earned $22,020 less than that[9].

The lowest-paid 10% of bartenders in California earned less than $34,320 a year[2]. The highest-paid 10% earned more than $75,130[2]. Among metro areas, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the highest median at $42,270[10]. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont was at $39,670[11].

OEWS counts wage and salary workers, and it leaves out the self-employed and business owners. It also leaves out nonproduction bonuses and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[12].

California vs US pay

Pay for bartenders in California next to the national figures[1][3].

CAUS
Median per year$36,220[1]$34,340[3]
Median per hour$17.41[1]$16.51[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$34,320[2]$20,110[13]
Top 10% earn more than$75,130[2]$73,770[13]
Jobs71,470[4]756,390[3]

Pay by metro area in California

Metro areas in California with the most jobs for bartenders, and the median pay in each[11].

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA[11]$35,51025,260
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA$39,67010,260
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA$36,2608,740
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA$34,8406,360
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA$35,5104,060
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA$42,2702,790
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA$37,6801,310
Fresno, CA$34,3201,270

Pay in nearby states

Median pay for bartenders in the states that border California, highest first[14].

StateMedian per yearJobs
Arizona[14]$45,07014,840
Oregon$38,90011,950
Nevada$27,46016,830

Median pay for bartenders in every state

Job outlook and training

Across the US, jobs for bartenders are projected to grow 5% from 2025 to 2035[15]. BLS does not publish this projection by state. The typical education for entry is: no formal educational credential[16].

How to become one: steps, training and duties

Frequently asked questions

How much does a bartender make in California?
The median was $36,220 a year in May 2025, and the average was $44,780[1][7]. The middle half earned between $34,660 and $40,990[2].
How much does a bartender make an hour in California?
The median was $17.41 an hour[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $16.50 an hour, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $36.12[17][2].
Which city in California pays bartenders the most?
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara had the highest median of the metro areas with a published figure, at $42,270 a year[10].
Is California a good state for bartenders?
California had the 20th highest median annual wage among the states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median was 5.5% above the US median[6].
What do you need to become a bartender in California?
This is a US figure and not a California one. Across the US, the typical path has no formal educational credential, no related work experience and short-term on-the-job training[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Bartenders in California was $36,220 per year and $17.41 per hour. Half of these workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  2. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Bartenders in California: 10th percentile $34,320, 25th percentile $34,660, 75th percentile $40,990, 90th percentile $75,130. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less, the 90th means 10% earned more. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  3. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Bartenders in the US as a whole was $34,340 per year and $16.51 per hour, with about 756,390 jobs nationwide. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  4. BLS OEWS, May 2025: about 71,470 people worked as Bartenders in California (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: California had the 20th highest median annual wage for Bartenders out of the 50 states and DC with a published median. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  6. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Bartenders in California ($36,220) was $1,880 (5.5%) higher than the US median ($34,340). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Bartenders in California was $44,780 per year and $21.53 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in California was $58,240. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Bartenders in California was $22,020 lower than the median for all occupations in the state ($58,240). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 25 metro areas in or partly in California with a published median for Bartenders, San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA had the highest median annual wage, $42,270. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  11. Metro areas with the most jobs in this occupation, with median annual wage, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  12. BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  13. BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Bartenders in the US: 10th percentile $20,110, 25th percentile $27,400, 75th percentile $47,570, 90th percentile $73,770. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  14. BLS OEWS, May 2025, median annual wage for Bartenders in states that border California (highest first): Arizona $45,070; Oregon $38,900; Nevada $27,460. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  15. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state): employment of Bartenders is projected to grow 5% nationwide from 2025 to 2035, with about 121,200 openings a year on average. All occupations are projected to grow 3.5%. BLS Employment Projections
  16. BLS Employment Projections (US, not by state), typical path into Bartenders: education needed for entry: No formal educational credential; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: Short-term on-the-job training. BLS Employment Projections
  17. BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Bartenders in California: 10th percentile $16.50, 25th percentile $16.66, 75th percentile $19.71, 90th percentile $36.12. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only California. Job outlook and entry requirements are national (US) figures: BLS does not publish them by state in our sources. Figures labelled “CareerFacts calculation” are simple differences between the BLS numbers shown.