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Bartender salary in New York

Updated October 30, 2026. Based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Published by Humblebee.

$61,210median pay per year in New York, or $29.43 an hour, May 2025[1]
  1. $33,640lowest 10% earn less
  2. $37,09025th percentile
  3. $61,210median
  4. $77,75075th percentile
  5. $93,530top 10% earn more
Middle half of workers in the inner band[2]US median for this job, $34,340[3]

The median pay for bartenders in New York was $61,210 a year[1]. That was the 2nd highest median for bartenders among the states with a published median[5].

Jobs in NY
43,130[4]
Rank by median pay
2 of 51[5]
Compared with US median
+78.2%[6]

How much do bartenders make in New York?

Half of the bartenders in New York earned more than $61,210 a year, and half earned less[1]. That works out to $29.43 an hour[1]. The average was close, at $61,670 a year[7]. About 43,130 people worked as bartenders in the state in wage and salary jobs[4].

Across the US, the median for bartenders was $34,340 a year[3]. New York's median was $26,870 (78.2%) higher[6]. Compared with all jobs in the state, where the median was $59,670[8], bartenders in New York earned $1,540 more[9]. The lowest-paid 10% of bartenders in the state earned less than $33,640, and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $93,530[2].

By metro area, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ had the highest median for bartenders, at $61,220[10]. Buffalo-Cheektowaga had a median of $46,920 and Rochester had $45,920[11]. These figures cover wage and salary workers only. They leave out the self-employed and owners of unincorporated firms. They also leave out bonuses that are not tied to production and the cost of benefits such as health insurance[12].

New York vs US pay

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

NYUS
Median per year$61,210[1]$34,340[3]
Median per hour$29.43[1]$16.51[3]
Lowest 10% earn less than$33,640[2]$20,110[13]
Top 10% earn more than$93,530[2]$73,770[13]
Jobs43,130[4]756,390[3]

Pay by metro area in New York

Metro areas in New York with the most jobs for bartenders, and the median pay in each[11]. A metro area that crosses state lines is counted as a whole.

Metro areaMedian per yearJobs
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ[11]$61,22038,510
Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY$46,9202,890
Rochester, NY$45,9202,140
Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY$47,3701,970
Syracuse, NY$46,7101,540
Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY$46,3201,180
Utica-Rome, NY$38,860760
Binghamton, NY$47,950640

Pay in nearby states

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

StateMedian per yearJobs
Vermont[14]$45,4502,080
New Jersey$44,02016,260
Connecticut$38,7807,680
Massachusetts$37,44019,850
Pennsylvania$28,42037,490

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 New York?
The median pay for bartenders in New York was $61,210 a year in May 2025[1]. The average was $61,670 a year[7].
How much does a bartender make an hour in New York?
The median hourly wage for bartenders in New York was $29.43[1]. The 10th percentile wage was $16.18 an hour[17]. The 90th percentile wage was $44.96 an hour[17].
Which city in New York pays bartenders the highest?
New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ had the highest median for bartenders among the metro areas with a published median, at $61,220 a year[10]. This metro area crosses state lines and is counted as a whole[11].
Is New York a good state for bartenders?
New York had the 2nd highest median annual wage for bartenders among the 50 states and DC with a published median[5]. Its median of $61,210 was $26,870 (78.2%) higher than the US median[6].
What do you need to become a bartender in New York?
These are US figures, not New York figures. Across the US, the typical path into bartending needs no formal educational credential and no related work experience, with short-term on-the-job training[16].

Facts and sources

  1. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Bartenders in New York was $61,210 per year and $29.43 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 New York: 10th percentile $33,640, 25th percentile $37,090, 75th percentile $77,750, 90th percentile $93,530. 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 43,130 people worked as Bartenders in New York (wage and salary jobs, not counting self-employed workers). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  5. BLS OEWS, May 2025: New York had the 2nd 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 New York ($61,210) was $26,870 (78.2%) higher than the US median ($34,340). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  7. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Bartenders in New York was $61,670 per year and $29.65 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  8. BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in New York was $59,670. BLS OEWS, May 2025
  9. CareerFacts calculation from BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for Bartenders in New York was $1,540 higher than the median for all occupations in the state ($59,670). BLS OEWS, May 2025
  10. BLS OEWS, May 2025: of the 13 metro areas in or partly in New York with a published median for Bartenders, New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ had the highest median annual wage, $61,220. 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 New York (highest first): Vermont $45,450; New Jersey $44,020; Connecticut $38,780; Massachusetts $37,440; Pennsylvania $28,420. 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 New York: 10th percentile $16.18, 25th percentile $17.83, 75th percentile $37.38, 90th percentile $44.96. BLS OEWS, May 2025

State figures cover only New York. 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.