Bartenders Salary in North Carolina
The median for bartenders in North Carolina is $36,470 a year, somewhat above the national $34,340 (+6%); the state ranks 18th of 51 states by median. That is 24% less than the median across all occupations in North Carolina ($47,970). Among neighbouring states, Virginia pays more (up to $47,070 in Virginia) and Tennessee, Georgia and South Carolina pay less (down to $19,370 in South Carolina). North Carolina employs 20,070 bartenders, 4.06 per 1,000 jobs, the 11th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.83 is close to the national share.
North Carolina vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| North Carolina | Hourly | $7.78 | $10.45 | $17.53 | $27.41 | $35.79 | $19.81 | 20,070 | 4.06 | 0.83 |
| Annual | $16,180 | $21,740 | $36,470 | $57,010 | $74,450 | $41,200 | ||||
| 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
- 18th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 11th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.83
- Jobs per 1,000
- 4.06
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of North Carolina'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 North Carolina
16 metropolitan areas and 3 nonmetropolitan areas touching North Carolina 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC | $22.45 | $46,700 | $26,910 | $78,840 | 2,860 | 3.74 | 0.77 |
| Wilmington, NC | $18.22 | $37,890 | $15,990 | $76,630 | 1,460 | 7.64 | 1.57 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $18.13 | $37,700 | $16,050 | $76,330 | 280 | 6.61 | 1.36 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $17.97 | $37,390 | $17,300 | $78,780 | 5,660 | 4.17 | 0.86 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $17.84 | $37,110 | $16,770 | $72,350 | 1,180 | 3.44 | 0.71 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $17.37 | $36,120 | $16,290 | $73,880 | 3,070 | 4.13 | 0.85 |
| Asheville, NC | $17.01 | $35,380 | $15,790 | $76,300 | 1,240 | 6.84 | 1.41 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $16.79 | $34,920 | $15,870 | $74,740 | 1,020 | 3.73 | 0.77 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $16.77 | $34,880 | $15,260 | $61,560 | 500 | 3.80 | 0.78 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $16.61 | $34,550 | $15,810 | $70,560 | 1,310 | 3.59 | 0.74 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $16.25 | $33,800 | $15,080 | $76,030 | 140 | 2.55 | 0.52 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $15.32 | $31,860 | $15,780 | $62,570 | 530 | 3.42 | 0.70 |
| Burlington, NC | $14.98 | $31,170 | $15,080 | $74,060 | 260 | 3.79 | 0.78 |
| Jacksonville, NC | $14.90 | $31,000 | $15,490 | $67,190 | 240 | 4.64 | 0.95 |
| Greenville, NC | $14.51 | $30,190 | $15,090 | $62,010 | 300 | 3.66 | 0.75 |
| Goldsboro, NC | $13.34 | $27,740 | $15,080 | $61,610 | 130 | 3.32 | 0.68 |
| Central North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $18.14 | $37,720 | $15,080 | $68,760 | 570 | 2.41 | 0.49 |
| Western North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $16.63 | $34,580 | $15,790 | $61,620 | 1,390 | 5.51 | 1.13 |
| Eastern North Carolina nonmetropolitan area | $14.22 | $29,580 | $15,320 | $65,800 | 970 | 3.66 | 0.75 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North Carolina | $17.53 | $36,470 | 20,070 | 0.83 |
| Georgia | $10.98 | $22,830 | 14,600 | 0.61 |
| South Carolina | $9.31 | $19,370 | 10,680 | 0.95 |
| Tennessee | $13.21 | $27,480 | 10,330 | 0.65 |
| Virginia | $22.63 | $47,070 | 13,370 | 0.67 |
See the national page for Bartenders (every state ranked) and the North Carolina 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 North Carolina 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.