Bartender Salary in California
Median annual pay in California
$36,220
$17.41/hour
BLS OEWS, May 2025
Adjusted for cost of living in California
$32,713
Regional Price Parity: 110.720 (U.S. = 100)
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Difference from the U.S. median ($34,340): +$1,880 (+5.5%)
California ranks 20th of 51 states by median pay, and 26th of 51 after adjusting for cost of living.
Pay
| Annual | Hourly | |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $34,320 | $16.50 |
| 25th percentile | $34,660 | $16.66 |
| Median | $36,220 | $17.41 |
| 75th percentile | $40,990 | $19.71 |
| 90th percentile | $75,130 | $36.12 |
Employment
- Employment in California
- 71,470
Advertisements
Comparison
Compared with the U.S.
- Median annual pay in California
- $36,220
- Median annual pay in the U.S.
- $34,340
- Difference
- +$1,880 (+5.5%)
Cost of living
$36,220 ÷ 110.720 × 100 = $32,713
Wages: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
Ranking
| Rank | Median annual pay | Adjusted for cost of living (annual) |
|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | ||
| 18th | $36,470 | $38,664 11th |
| Rhode Island | ||
| 19th | $36,410 | $35,598 18th |
| California This page | ||
| 20th | $36,220 | $32,713 26th |
| Florida | ||
| 21st | $35,150 | $33,990 20th |
| Utah | ||
| 22nd | $32,150 | $32,519 29th |
Similar occupations
Related occupations from O*NET, in O*NET's order, with their BLS median pay. Each figure shows the place it is for.
- Waiter and Waitress salary in the U.S.
$35,230/year U.S.
- Fast Food and Counter Worker salary in the U.S.
$31,200/year U.S.
- Food Preparation Worker salary in the U.S.
$35,320/year U.S.
- Chef and Head Cook salary in California
$64,500/year California
- Food Service Manager salary in the U.S.
$69,390/year U.S.
- Maid and Housekeeping Cleaner salary in the U.S.
$35,510/year U.S.
Outlook
- Projected employment change, 2025–35 (U.S.)
- +5.0%
- Typical education needed for entry (U.S.)
- No formal educational credential
BLS publishes employment projections only for the U.S. as a whole. BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35
Advertisements
Bartender salary in nearby places
- Bartender salary in Arizona
$45,070/year Arizona
- Bartender salary in Nevada
$27,460/year Nevada
- Bartender salary in Oregon
$38,900/year Oregon
- Bartender salary in the U.S.
$34,340/year U.S.
Sources and update
- Wages and employment: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025.
- Cost of living: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.
- Related occupations: O*NET® 31.0 Database, CC BY 4.0. Attributions
- Employment projections and typical education: BLS Employment Projections, 2025–35.
- Neighboring states: U.S. Census Bureau, County Adjacency File, 2024.
Last updated