Bartenders Salary in Illinois
Bartenders in Illinois have a median of $31,200 a year, below the national $34,340 (−9%); the state ranks 23rd of 51 states by median. That is 40% less than the median across all occupations in Illinois ($51,960). Illinois pays more than every neighbouring state: Missouri, Kentucky, Wisconsin, Indiana and Iowa range from $21,720 in Iowa to $30,090 in Missouri. Illinois employs 43,010 bartenders, 7.05 per 1,000 jobs, the 5th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.45 means the occupation is more concentrated in Illinois than nationally.
Illinois vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Illinois | Hourly | $15.00 | $15.00 | $15.00 | $15.28 | $22.37 | $17.09 | 43,010 | 7.05 | 1.45 |
| Annual | $31,200 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $31,780 | $46,520 | $35,550 | ||||
| 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
- 23rd of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 5th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.45
- Jobs per 1,000
- 7.05
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Illinois'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 Illinois
12 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Illinois 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bloomington, IL | $15.00 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $51,120 | 580 | 6.62 | 1.36 |
| Champaign-Urbana, IL | $15.00 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $51,430 | 1,070 | 10.17 | 2.09 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | $15.00 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $48,530 | 28,750 | 6.37 | 1.31 |
| Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL | $15.00 | $31,200 | $17,720 | $42,860 | 1,470 | 8.13 | 1.67 |
| Decatur, IL | $15.00 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $46,940 | 320 | 7.00 | 1.44 |
| Kankakee, IL | $15.00 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $59,520 | 290 | 6.86 | 1.41 |
| Peoria, IL | $15.00 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $46,180 | 1,330 | 8.00 | 1.64 |
| Rockford, IL | $15.00 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $40,520 | 1,220 | 8.87 | 1.82 |
| Springfield, IL | $15.00 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $54,170 | 870 | 8.66 | 1.78 |
| St. Louis, MO-IL | $15.00 | $31,200 | $28,600 | $59,180 | 8,340 | 6.22 | 1.28 |
| Cape Girardeau, MO-IL | $13.75 | $28,600 | $28,600 | $46,220 | 280 | 6.31 | 1.30 |
| Paducah, KY-IL | $12.67 | $26,350 | $15,080 | $57,030 | 180 | 3.61 | 0.74 |
| East Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $15.00 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $35,200 | 1,340 | 9.40 | 1.93 |
| Northwest Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $15.00 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $37,030 | 1,430 | 11.31 | 2.32 |
| South Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $15.00 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $37,230 | 1,080 | 7.62 | 1.57 |
| West Central Illinois nonmetropolitan area | $15.00 | $31,200 | $31,200 | $35,720 | 1,670 | 9.88 | 2.03 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Bartenders (every state ranked) and the Illinois 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 Illinois 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.