Life As a Bartender
Job Description & Duties Mix and serve drinks to patrons, directly or through waitstaff.
Daily Life Of a Bartender
- Slice and pit fruit for garnishing drinks.
- Check identification of customers to verify age requirements for purchase of alcohol.
- Mix ingredients, such as liquor, soda, water, sugar, and bitters, to prepare cocktails and other drinks.
- Balance cash receipts.
- Serve snacks or food items to customers seated at the bar.
- Clean bars, work areas, and tables.
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What Skills Do You Need to Work as a Bartender?
When polled, Bartenders say the following skills are most frequently used in their jobs:
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Service Orientation: Actively looking for ways to help people.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others’ reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others’ actions.
Related Job Titles
- Mixologist
- Bar Supervisor
- Barman
- Bartender
- Drink Mixer
Job Opportunities for Bartenders
In 2016, there was an estimated number of 611,200 jobs in the United States for Bartender. New jobs are being produced at a rate of 2.5% which is below the national average. The Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts 15,100 new jobs for Bartender by 2026. The BLS estimates 102,300 yearly job openings in this field.
The states with the most job growth for Bartender are Colorado, Utah, and Washington. Watch out if you plan on working in Ohio, West Virginia, or Minnesota. These states have the worst job growth for this type of profession.
Bartender Average Salary
Bartenders make between $17,610 and $42,230 a year.
Bartenders who work in Hawaii, District of Columbia, or Vermont, make the highest salaries.
Below is a list of the median annual salaries for Bartenders in different U.S. states.
| State | Annual Mean Salary |
|---|---|
| Alabama | $21,840 |
| Alaska | $28,180 |
| Arizona | $31,320 |
| Arkansas | $21,140 |
| California | $30,850 |
| Colorado | $27,520 |
| Connecticut | $26,970 |
| Delaware | $25,310 |
| District of Columbia | $43,600 |
| Florida | $26,040 |
| Georgia | $21,590 |
| Hawaii | $55,060 |
| Idaho | $22,920 |
| Illinois | $24,280 |
| Indiana | $21,970 |
| Iowa | $21,220 |
| Kansas | $19,160 |
| Kentucky | $19,530 |
| Louisiana | $19,350 |
| Maine | $29,320 |
| Maryland | $23,500 |
| Massachusetts | $31,170 |
| Michigan | $24,070 |
| Minnesota | $23,560 |
| Mississippi | $20,100 |
| Missouri | $26,480 |
| Montana | $21,570 |
| Nebraska | $22,140 |
| Nevada | $27,590 |
| New Hampshire | $23,540 |
| New Jersey | $29,600 |
| New Mexico | $20,610 |
| New York | $34,800 |
| North Carolina | $25,510 |
| North Dakota | $20,880 |
| Ohio | $21,880 |
| Oklahoma | $21,630 |
| Oregon | $26,660 |
| Pennsylvania | $23,380 |
| Rhode Island | $27,100 |
| South Carolina | $22,010 |
| South Dakota | $22,300 |
| Tennessee | $21,180 |
| Texas | $27,240 |
| Utah | $26,380 |
| Vermont | $36,720 |
| Virginia | $26,420 |
| Washington | $35,390 |
| West Virginia | $21,740 |
| Wisconsin | $22,740 |
| Wyoming | $22,060 |
Tools & Technologies Used by Bartenders
Below is a list of the types of tools and technologies that Bartenders may use on a daily basis:
- Web browser software
- Point of sale POS software
- Intuit QuickBooks Point of Sale
- The General Store
- Compris software
- MICROS Systems HSI Profits Series
- NCR Advanced Checkout Solution
- NCR NeighborhoodPOS
How to Become a Bartender
Education needed to be a Bartender:
What work experience do I need to become a Bartender?
Bartenders Sector
The table below shows the approximate number of Bartenders employed by various industries.
You May Also Be Interested In…
Those thinking about becoming a Bartender might also be interested in the following careers:
References:
Image Credit: U.S. Army Europe Images via Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic
More about our data sources and methodologies.
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