Bartenders Salary in California
The median for bartenders in California is $36,220 a year, somewhat above the national $34,340 (+5%); the state ranks 20th of 51 states by median. That is 38% less than the median across all occupations in California ($58,240). Among neighbouring states, Arizona and Oregon pay more (up to $45,070 in Arizona) and Nevada pays less (down to $27,460 in Nevada). California employs 71,470 bartenders, 3.92 per 1,000 jobs, the 1st largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.81 is close to the national share.
California vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| California | Hourly | $16.50 | $16.66 | $17.41 | $19.71 | $36.12 | $21.53 | 71,470 | 3.92 | 0.81 |
| Annual | $34,320 | $34,660 | $36,220 | $40,990 | $75,130 | $44,780 | ||||
| United States | Hourly | $9.67 | $13.17 | $16.51 | $22.87 | $35.47 | $19.61 | 756,390 | – | – |
| Annual | $20,110 | $27,400 | $34,340 | $47,570 | $73,770 | $40,790 | ||||
- Rank by median
- 20th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 1st of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.81
- Jobs per 1,000
- 3.92
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of California's employment divided by its national share; 1.00 means the same share as the nation. Take-home pay at these wages: FastCalc's take-home pay calculator.
Metropolitan areas in California
25 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching California publish a row for bartenders, sorted by median. Areas crossing a state line are listed under every state they touch; a linked metro has its own profile.
| Area | Median hourly | Median annual | 10th pct (annual) | 90th pct (annual) | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $20.32 | $42,270 | $38,550 | $80,170 | 2,790 | 2.45 | 0.50 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $19.07 | $39,670 | $36,000 | $90,520 | 10,260 | 4.32 | 0.89 |
| Napa, CA | $18.17 | $37,790 | $34,810 | $73,590 | 580 | 7.48 | 1.54 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $18.11 | $37,680 | $34,870 | $78,400 | 1,310 | 6.38 | 1.31 |
| Vallejo, CA | $17.73 | $36,870 | $34,320 | $66,560 | 450 | 3.10 | 0.64 |
| Salinas, CA | $17.48 | $36,350 | $34,350 | $64,490 | 830 | 4.44 | 0.91 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $17.43 | $36,260 | $34,370 | $82,100 | 8,740 | 5.68 | 1.17 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $17.36 | $36,100 | $34,320 | $70,940 | 560 | 5.73 | 1.18 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $17.22 | $35,810 | $34,320 | $64,640 | 1,160 | 5.79 | 1.19 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $17.13 | $35,630 | $34,320 | $85,430 | 730 | 5.97 | 1.23 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $17.11 | $35,590 | $34,320 | $77,080 | 1,270 | 3.93 | 0.81 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $17.07 | $35,510 | $34,320 | $52,770 | 25,260 | 4.03 | 0.83 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $17.07 | $35,510 | $34,320 | $81,480 | 4,060 | 3.76 | 0.77 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $16.94 | $35,240 | $34,320 | $62,860 | 130 | 2.68 | 0.55 |
| Modesto, CA | $16.88 | $35,100 | $34,320 | $70,270 | 600 | 3.09 | 0.63 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $16.75 | $34,840 | $34,320 | $65,660 | 6,360 | 3.71 | 0.76 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $16.72 | $34,770 | $34,320 | $74,240 | 740 | 2.56 | 0.53 |
| Merced, CA | $16.67 | $34,680 | $34,320 | $64,880 | 180 | 2.21 | 0.45 |
| El Centro, CA | $16.64 | $34,620 | $34,320 | $60,750 | 130 | 2.01 | 0.41 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $16.50 | $34,320 | $34,320 | $61,240 | 830 | 2.47 | 0.51 |
| Chico, CA | $16.50 | $34,320 | $34,320 | $48,990 | 390 | 5.02 | 1.03 |
| Fresno, CA | $16.50 | $34,320 | $34,320 | $74,540 | 1,270 | 2.67 | 0.55 |
| Redding, CA | $16.50 | $34,320 | $34,320 | $45,130 | 250 | 3.49 | 0.72 |
| Visalia, CA | $16.50 | $34,320 | $34,320 | $59,940 | 420 | 2.46 | 0.51 |
| Yuba City, CA | $16.50 | $34,320 | $34,320 | $62,040 | 170 | 3.28 | 0.67 |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $17.29 | $35,970 | $34,320 | $66,790 | 410 | 6.48 | 1.33 |
| North Valley-Northern Mountains Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $17.15 | $35,670 | $34,320 | $58,060 | 530 | 5.03 | 1.03 |
| North Coast Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $17.15 | $35,660 | $34,320 | $67,340 | 560 | 5.12 | 1.05 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Bartenders (every state ranked) and the California wage profile (every occupation in the state).
Source and notes
Data: BLS OEWS May 2025, released 2026-05-15. Cross-industry estimates, all ownerships. BLS page: OEWS California estimates.
- Annual wages assume 2,080 hours a year at the hourly rate; occupations BLS publishes on one basis only show an en dash (–) on the other.
- Employment is rounded to the nearest 10 by BLS. Where BLS withholds a cell, nothing is estimated in its place.