Bartenders salary · North Carolina
Bartenders Salary in North Carolina
Bartenders in North Carolina earn a median of $36,470 a year, which is $17.53 an hour. That is $2,130 above the national median of $34,340, a difference of 6 percent. The state employs 20,070.
North Carolina against the US May 2025
| Figure | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|
| Median annual | $36,470 | $34,340 |
| Median hourly | $17.53 | $16.51 |
| Mean annual | $41,200 | $40,790 |
| 10th percentile | $16,180 | $20,110 |
| 90th percentile | $74,450 | $73,770 |
| Employment | 20,070 | 756,390 |
How North Carolina compares
By median pay, North Carolina ranks 4 of the 12 states this site reports for bartenders. Ranking is on the published median only. It says nothing about how far that salary goes once housing, state income tax and commuting are paid, and those differences between states are frequently larger than the pay gap itself.
Other states for bartenders May 2025
| State | Median | Hourly | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|
| New York | $61,210 | $29.43 | 43,130 |
| Massachusetts | $37,440 | $18.00 | 19,850 |
| Michigan | $36,780 | $17.68 | 21,100 |
| California | $36,220 | $17.41 | 71,470 |
| Florida | $35,150 | $16.90 | 55,170 |
| Illinois | $31,200 | $15.00 | 43,010 |
| Ohio | $30,880 | $14.84 | 27,420 |
| Pennsylvania | $28,420 | $13.66 | 37,490 |
| Minnesota | $26,900 | $12.93 | 24,420 |
| Wisconsin | $23,460 | $11.28 | 29,520 |
| Texas | $22,690 | $10.91 | 59,000 |
Common questions
How much do bartenders make in North Carolina?
The median salary for bartenders in North Carolina is $36,470 a year, or $17.53 an hour. That is $2,130 above the national median of $34,340, a difference of 6 percent. North Carolina employs 20,070 of them.
Is North Carolina a good state to work as a bartender?
On pay alone, North Carolina ranks 4 of the 12 states this site reports for the occupation, by median salary. Pay is only half the question though: a state with a higher median can still leave you with less once housing and taxes are counted, and this site does not adjust for cost of living.
What is the pay range for bartenders in North Carolina?
The lowest-paid 10 percent earn $16,180 or less and the highest-paid 10 percent earn $74,450 or more. The middle half falls between $21,740 and $57,010.
Where these numbers come from
Published by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 release, for SOC code 35-3011 in North Carolina. Nothing on this page is interpolated or averaged by this site. See the national bartenders salary page for the full picture, or how to read these figures for what the survey covers.