Bartenders Salary in Charlotte, NC-SC

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC

Median annual salary $35,990 +7.3% vs national
Median hourly $17.30
10th percentile $16,900
90th percentile $75,860
Employed locally 5,880
National median $33,530

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Type a city below to see how Charlotte, NC-SC stacks up on salary and cost of living.

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Bartenders
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Charlotte, NC-SC
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    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $16,900
    25th
    $19,700
    50th (median)
    $35,990
    75th
    $50,990
    90th
    $75,860

    Charlotte economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.60% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $80,201 2023 • Census ACS
    Bartenders salary vs area income 45% Median Bartenders salary is 55% below the area median household income

    Top-paying metros for Bartenders

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Kahului-Wailuku, HI $80,040
    Urban Honolulu, HI $70,300
    Hawaii $68,820
    Burlington-South Burlington, VT $65,480
    New York $60,750
    Hawaii / Kauai nonmetropolitan area $59,390

    Nearby metros — Bartenders salary comparison

    Metro areaMedian salary
    Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC $45,220
    Trenton-Princeton, NJ $44,740
    Winchester, VA-WV $41,100
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $38,430
    Lynchburg, VA $37,940
    Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA $36,240

    Related occupations in Charlotte, NC-SC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $29,070
    Waiters and Waitresses $28,990
    Cooks, Fast Food $28,310
    Cooks, Restaurant $37,090
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $45,920
    Food Preparation Workers $30,580

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Bartenders make per hour in Charlotte?

    The median hourly wage for Bartenders in Charlotte, NC-SC is $17.30, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $37.87 or more per hour.

    Is Charlotte above or below average for Bartenders salaries?

    The median Bartenders salary in Charlotte, NC-SC is 7.3% above the national median of $33,530. The national figure is from BLS OEWS 2025 data covering all US metropolitan areas.

    What is the entry-level salary for Bartenders in Charlotte?

    Entry-level Bartenders (10th percentile) earn around $16,900 per year in Charlotte, NC-SC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $19,700.