### Bureau of Labor Statistics U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

Bartenders Summary
                        
            
                                                        
                                                                
                        
            
            
            
                            
                                                
                                                
                                                
                                                
            						
							
				                                                
                                            




            			bartenders imageBartenders mix drinks and serve them to customers.							
						Quick Facts:     Bartenders2023     Median Pay
            						$31,510     per year
										$15.15     per hourTypical Entry-Level Education
                                    No formal educational credentialWork Experience in a Related Occupation
                                    NoneOn-the-job Training
                                    Short-term on-the-job trainingNumber of Jobs, 2022
                                    641,300Job Outlook, 2022-32
                                    3% (As fast as average)Employment Change, 2022-32
                                    21,300What Bartenders Do
                                                
                        
                        
Bartenders mix drinks and serve them directly to customers or through wait staff.
            
                        Work Environment
                        
Bartenders work at restaurants, hotels, and other food service and drinking establishments. During busy hours, they are under pressure to serve customers quickly and efficiently. They often work late evenings, on weekends, and on holidays. Part-time work is common, and schedules may vary.
            
                                                How to Become a Bartender
                                                
                        
Bartenders typically do not need formal education credentials to enter the occupation. Most states require workers who serve alcoholic beverages to be at least 18 years old. They typically learn their skills on the job.
            
                        Pay
                        																																					    														The median hourly wage for bartenders was $15.15 in May 2023.									                                					
						
            
                        Job Outlook
                        						
												Employment							of bartenders is projected to grow							 3 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
						About 113,500 openings for bartenders are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
            			
            			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
						State & Area Data
                       Explore resources for employment and wages by state and area for bartenders.
            
            
						
                        Similar Occupations
                        
                                                    Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of bartenders with similar occupations.
            
            
                        More Information, Including Links to O*NET
                        
                                               
                        Learn more about bartenders by visiting additional resources, including O*NET, a source on key characteristics of workers and occupations.
 What Bartenders Do 
            

			BartendersBartenders mix drinks according to recipes.			
Bartenders mix drinks and serve them directly to customers or through wait staff.
Duties
Bartenders typically do the following:
Greet customers, offer menus, and inform them of specials
Take customers’ food and drink orders
Pour and serve wine, beer, and other drinks
Mix drinks according to recipes
Check customers’ identification to ensure that they are of legal drinking age
Clean bars, tables, and work areas
Collect payment from customers and return change
Engage with customers
Manage the operation of the bar and restock liquor and bar supplies
Monitor the level of intoxication of customersBartenders fill drink orders for customers either directly at the bar or through waiters and waitresses serving the dining room. Bartenders must know a wide range of drink recipes and be able to mix drinks quickly. When measuring and pouring beverages, they must avoid spillage or overpouring. They should be personable with customers at the bar and also work well with waiters and waitresses and kitchen staff to ensure prompt service.
In addition to mixing and serving drinks, bartenders stock and prepare beverage garnishes and maintain ice, glasses, and other bar supplies. They also wash glassware and utensils and serve food to customers who eat at the bar. Bartenders usually are responsible for stocking and maintaining an inventory of liquor, mixers, and other bar supplies.
Bartenders may collect payment from customers after each drink is served or open a tab for a customer and collect payment when closing it at the end of service. They also must monitor customers for intoxication, determine when to deny service and, in some cases, arrange for safe transportation.
 Work Environment
			BartendersBartenders usually work evenings and weekends.			

	    
				
	
	
	
	
	
	
	    					 Bartenders held about 641,300 jobs in 2022. The largest employers of bartenders were as follows:
        Restaurants and other eating places
                43%Drinking places (alcoholic beverages)
                28Traveler accommodation
                6Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries
                6Civic and social organizations
                5Bartenders typically work indoors, some work outdoors at pool or beach bars or at catered events.
During busy hours, bartenders are under pressure to serve customers quickly and efficiently while ensuring that no alcohol is served to minors or to overly intoxicated customers.
Bartenders do repetitive tasks, and sometimes they lift heavy kegs of beer and cases of liquor. In addition, the work may be stressful, particularly when they deal with intoxicated customers.
Work Schedules
Bartenders often work late evenings, on weekends, and on holidays. Part-time work is common, and schedules may vary.
 How to Become a Bartender

			BartendersBartenders should be friendly, tactful, and attentive when dealing with customers.			
Bartenders typically do not need formal education credentials to enter the occupation, although some employers require or prefer for candidates to have a high school diploma. They typically learn their skills through on-the-job training that lasts a few weeks. Some bartenders gain experience in other jobs or occupations.
Most states require workers who serve alcoholic beverages to be at least 18 years old. Bartenders must be familiar with state and local laws concerning the sale of alcoholic beverages.
Education
Bartenders typically need no formal education to enter the occupation, although employers may prefer or require candidates to have a high school diploma. Some aspiring bartenders acquire their skills by attending a school for bartending or taking courses at a community college. These programs usually include instruction on mixing cocktails, serving customers, and setting up a bar. Some schools help their graduates find jobs.
Training
Bartenders typically receive on-the-job training that lasts a few weeks. Under the guidance of an experienced bartender, trainees learn cocktail recipes, bar-setup procedures, and customer service, including how to handle unruly customers and other challenging situations. In establishments where bartenders serve food, training may cover teamwork and proper food-handling procedures.
Some employers teach bartending skills to new workers by providing self-study programs, which may include videos and instructional booklets, that explain service skills.
License and Certification
Depending on the state and locality, a server, owner, manager, or business may be required to maintain a license to sell alcohol. Most states require that bartenders be at least 18 years old.
Many states and localities require bartenders to complete a responsible-server course. This course typically covers topics such as laws related to the sale of alcoholic beverages, responsible serving practices, and conflict management.
Although optional, professional certification may demonstrate basic knowledge or competency in bartending practices. Certification is available upon successful completion of some courses or programs.
Work Experience in a Related Occupation
Bartenders typically do not need related work experience to enter the occupation. However, some employers prefer or require candidates to have food-service experience in occupations such as waiters and waitresses or food and beverage serving and related workers. Others start as bartender helpers and progress to become bartenders as they learn basic mixing procedures and recipes.
Important Qualities
***Communication skills.*** Bartenders must listen carefully to their customers’ orders, explain drink and food items, and make menu recommendations. They also should be able to converse with customers on a variety of subjects.
***Customer-service skills.*** By creating a friendly and welcoming environment, bartenders help to ensure repeat business.
***Decision-making**skills.*** Bartenders must observe customers, identify those who are intoxicated or underage, and deny them service.
***Multitasking skills.*** Bartenders must make drinks for and take orders from multiple customers, monitor customers at the bar, and receive payments in a fast, efficient manner.
***Physical stamina.*** Bartenders spend hours walking or standing while preparing drinks and serving customers.
***Physical strength.*** Bartenders should be able to lift and carry cases of liquor, beer, and other bar supplies that may weigh up to 50 pounds.
 Pay

			



	
 
                                                     
            
    
                BartendersMedian hourly wages, May 2023Total, all occupations$23.11   Bartenders$15.15   Food and beverage serving workers$14.50Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics
 

	
	



		
	
	
	
The median hourly wage for bartenders was $15.15 in May 2023. 


The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $9.55, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $29.43.





		
	    					 In May 2023, the median hourly wages for bartenders in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:	
        Traveler accommodation
                $16.49Restaurants and other eating places
                15.96Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries
                14.29Drinking places (alcoholic beverages)
                14.15Civic and social organizations
                12.59These wage data include tips. Tipped employees earn at least the federal minimum wage, which may be paid as a combination of direct wages and tips, depending on the state. The Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor maintains a website listing minimum wages for tipped employees, by state, although some localities have enacted minimum wages higher than their state requires.
Bartenders often work late evenings, on weekends, and on holidays. Part-time work is common, and schedules may vary.
 Job Outlook

   
        
    
          
        
    
               BartendersPercent change in employment, projected 2022-32Bartenders3%  Total, all occupations3%  Food and beverage serving workers0%Note: All Occupations includes all occupations in the U.S. Economy.Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program
            
            
			 
	
	
	

			Employment				of bartenders is projected to grow				 3 percent from 2022 to 2032, about as fast as the average for all occupations.
			
			About 113,500 openings for bartenders are projected each year, on average, over the decade.
			
			 Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
			Employment
	
			
Population and income growth are expected to result in increased demand for food, drinks, and entertainment. More bartenders will be needed to meet this demand, especially in full-service restaurants and breweries. Bartenders also will be needed in some entertainment venues as services expand.
			

                        Employment projections data for     bartenders, 2022-32
                Occupational Title
                        SOC Code
                        Employment, 2022
                        Projected Employment, 2032
                        Change, 2022-32
                        Employment by IndustryPercent
                        NumericSOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program**Bartenders**
			35-3011
			641,300
			662,600
			3
			21,300
			Get data
 State & Area Data **Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS)** The Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) program produces employment and wage estimates annually for over 800 occupations. These estimates are available for the nation as a whole, for individual states, and for metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas. The link(s) below go to OES data maps for employment and wages by state and area. Bartenders **Projections Central** Occupational employment projections are developed for all states by Labor Market Information (LMI) or individual state Employment Projections offices. All state projections data are available at www.projectionscentral.com. Information on this site allows projected employment growth for an occupation to be compared among states or to be compared within one state. In addition, states may produce projections for areas; there are links to each state’s websites where these data may be retrieved. **CareerOneStop** CareerOneStop includes hundreds of occupational profiles with data available by state and metro area. There are links in the left-hand side menu to compare occupational employment by state and occupational wages by local area or metro area. There is also a salary info tool to search for wages by zip code.
 Similar Occupations This table shows a list of occupations with job duties that are similar to those of bartenders. Occupation
                Job Duties
                ENTRY-LEVEL EDUCATION
                2023     MEDIAN PAY**Flight Attendants**
            Flight attendants provide routine services and respond to emergencies to ensure the safety and comfort of airline passengers.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $68,370**Food and Beverage Serving and Related Workers**
            Food and beverage serving and related workers take and prepare orders, clear tables, and do other tasks associated with providing food and drink to customers.
            No formal educational credential
            $29,710**Food Preparation Workers**
            Food preparation workers perform a variety of tasks other than cooking, such as slicing meat and brewing coffee.
            No formal educational credential
            $32,420**Waiters and Waitresses**
            Waiters and waitresses take orders and serve food and beverages to customers in dining establishments.
            No formal educational credential
            $31,940**Food Service Managers**
            Food service managers are responsible for the daily operation of restaurants or other establishments that prepare and serve food and beverages.
            High school diploma or equivalent
            $63,060
 Contacts for More Information
								
For more information about bartenders, visit
United States Bartenders Guild
Occupational Requirements Survey
For a profile highlighting selected BLS data on occupational requirements, see
Bartenders (PDF)

                                                
                                                        
                                                                                                    O*NET
                                        Bartenders
 Suggested citation: Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S.  Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Bartenders, 
        	 at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/food-preparation-and-serving/bartenders.htm (visited *May 21, 2024*).
 **Last Modified Date:**
                        Wednesday, April 17, 2024


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