Bartenders Salary in Santa Cruz, CA

BLS Occupational Employment & Wage Statistics • May 2025 • Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA

Median annual salary $35,440 +5.7% vs national
Median hourly $17.04
10th percentile $33,310
90th percentile $72,740
Employed locally 590
National median $33,530

Compare Bartenders salary & buying power

Type a city below to see how Santa Cruz, CA stacks up on salary and cost of living.

Full tool →
Bartenders
in
Santa Cruz, CA
vs

    Salary percentile breakdown

    10th
    $33,310
    25th
    $34,300
    50th (median)
    $35,440
    75th
    $38,400
    90th
    $72,740

    Santa Cruz economic context

    Unemployment rate 5.90% 2024 annual avg • BLS LAUS
    Median household income $109,266 2023 • Census ACS
    Bartenders salary vs area income 32% Median Bartenders salary is 68% 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
    Ithaca, NY $49,940
    San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $39,650
    Capital/Northern New York nonmetropolitan area $39,410
    Utica-Rome, NY $38,630
    Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA $38,620
    San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA $38,430

    Related occupations in Santa Cruz, CA

    OccupationMedian salary
    Fast Food and Counter Workers $37,300
    Waiters and Waitresses $35,270
    Cooks, Restaurant $42,460
    First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers $46,980
    Cooks, Fast Food $37,670
    Food Preparation Workers $37,010

    Frequently asked questions

    How much do Bartenders make per hour in Santa Cruz?

    The median hourly wage for Bartenders in Santa Cruz, CA is $17.04, based on BLS OEWS 2025 data. Top earners (90th percentile) make $34.11 or more per hour.

    Is Santa Cruz above or below average for Bartenders salaries?

    The median Bartenders salary in Santa Cruz, CA is 5.7% 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 Santa Cruz?

    Entry-level Bartenders (10th percentile) earn around $33,310 per year in Santa Cruz, CA. The 25th percentile — typically workers with 1–3 years of experience — earn approximately $34,300.