Bartenders Salary in Durham, NC

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Durham-Chapel Hill, NC

Median annual salary $31,980 -4.6% vs national
Median hourly $15.38
10th percentile $16,680
90th percentile $63,910
Employed locally 1,160
National median $33,530

Compare Bartenders salary & buying power

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

Full tool →
Bartenders
in
Durham, NC
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $16,680
    25th
    $18,670
    50th (median)
    $31,980
    75th
    $53,480
    90th
    $63,910

    Durham economic context

    Unemployment rate 3.20% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $81,017 2023 • Census ACS
    Bartenders salary vs area income 39% Median Bartenders salary is 61% 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 Durham, NC

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $29,580
    Cooks, Fast Food $28,760
    Waiters and Waitresses $29,780
    Cooks, Restaurant $36,500
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $45,100
    Food Preparation Workers $31,330

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Bartenders make per hour in Durham?

    The median hourly wage for Bartenders in Durham, NC is $15.38, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $34.79 or more per hour.

    Is Durham above or below average for Bartenders salaries?

    The median Bartenders salary in Durham, NC is 4.6% below 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 Durham?

    Entry-level Bartenders (10th percentile) earn around $16,680 per year in Durham, NC. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $18,670.