Bartender salary
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What a bartender does
Bartenders mix and serve drinks and manage the bar. Like serving, tips dominate earnings, and venue type matters more than the advertised rate.
Day-to-day duties
- Mix and serve drinks to order
- Manage bar stock and prep
- Check identification and serve responsibly
- Handle payments and tabs
- Maintain a clean, safe bar
Skills employers look for
- Drink knowledge and speed
- Reading and managing a room
- Cash and tab handling
- Defusing difficult situations
Requirements
- Minimum age for alcohol service in your state
- Alcohol server certification in many states
- Late-night and weekend availability
- Standing for long shifts
How to get started
- 1 Start as a barback or server
- 2 Learn the drink repertoire and speed
- 3 Obtain your alcohol service certification
- 4 Move to higher-volume or higher-end venues
Job outlook: Steady demand in hospitality and entertainment districts. Earnings vary enormously between a neighbourhood bar and a high-volume venue.
Common questions about bartenders
What does a bartender do?
Bartenders mix and serve drinks and manage the bar. Like serving, tips dominate earnings, and venue type matters more than the advertised rate. Day to day, that means mix and serve drinks to order, manage bar stock and prep, check identification and serve responsibly and handle payments and tabs.
How do you become a bartender?
The usual route is: (1) start as a barback or server, (2) learn the drink repertoire and speed, (3) obtain your alcohol service certification, (4) move to higher-volume or higher-end venues. Employers typically look for minimum age for alcohol service in your state, alcohol server certification in many states and late-night and weekend availability.
Do you need a certification to work as a bartender?
Usually not. Most employers hire bartenders without a specific licence, though alcohol server certification in many states will widen your options and often your pay.
Are bartenders in demand?
Steady demand in hospitality and entertainment districts. Earnings vary enormously between a neighbourhood bar and a high-volume venue.
Where are bartenders most in demand?
See the metro and rural areas with the highest concentration of this work, ranked from Bureau of Labor Statistics employment data.
Similar roles
Pay figures are estimates for guidance only, not an offer or guarantee. Advertised ranges come from job postings on LocalWork; government figures come from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Actual pay depends on experience, certifications, shift and employer.