Bartenders Salary in Pennsylvania
In Pennsylvania, bartenders earn a median $28,420 a year, well below the national median of $34,340 (−17%); the state ranks 33rd of 51 states by median. That is 43% less than the median across all occupations in Pennsylvania ($49,690). Every neighbouring state pays more: New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Delaware, Ohio and West Virginia range from $29,630 in West Virginia to $61,210 in New York. Pennsylvania employs 37,490 bartenders, 6.18 per 1,000 jobs, the 6th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 1.27 means the occupation is more concentrated in Pennsylvania than nationally.
Pennsylvania vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Pennsylvania | Hourly | $8.39 | $10.22 | $13.66 | $21.89 | $30.21 | $17.05 | 37,490 | 6.18 | 1.27 |
| Annual | $17,460 | $21,270 | $28,420 | $45,530 | $62,830 | $35,460 | ||||
| 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
- 33rd of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 6th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 1.27
- Jobs per 1,000
- 6.18
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Pennsylvania'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 Pennsylvania
16 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Pennsylvania 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | $17.33 | $36,040 | $21,480 | $69,910 | 14,210 | 4.91 | 1.01 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | $15.49 | $32,220 | $18,190 | $66,370 | 1,980 | 5.24 | 1.08 |
| Pittsburgh, PA | $14.30 | $29,750 | $17,300 | $61,680 | 8,370 | 7.51 | 1.54 |
| York-Hanover, PA | $13.85 | $28,810 | $17,590 | $67,800 | 960 | 5.24 | 1.08 |
| Lancaster, PA | $13.59 | $28,280 | $17,480 | $64,590 | 1,390 | 5.50 | 1.13 |
| Reading, PA | $13.59 | $28,260 | $17,890 | $62,280 | 1,100 | 6.29 | 1.29 |
| State College, PA | $13.51 | $28,100 | $17,260 | $62,280 | 570 | 8.24 | 1.69 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA | $13.47 | $28,010 | $16,730 | $64,240 | 1,530 | 5.98 | 1.23 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA | $13.23 | $27,520 | $17,490 | $62,640 | 1,860 | 5.55 | 1.14 |
| Gettysburg, PA | $12.69 | $26,400 | $17,010 | $60,390 | 290 | 9.05 | 1.86 |
| Chambersburg, PA | $12.69 | $26,390 | $17,200 | $62,430 | 360 | 6.00 | 1.23 |
| Lebanon, PA | $12.54 | $26,090 | $17,570 | $63,400 | 380 | 7.07 | 1.45 |
| Williamsport, PA | $12.46 | $25,910 | $16,470 | $57,570 | 420 | 8.52 | 1.75 |
| Erie, PA | $10.93 | $22,730 | $16,150 | $60,780 | 1,130 | 9.39 | 1.93 |
| Altoona, PA | $10.80 | $22,460 | $16,340 | $58,890 | 380 | 6.50 | 1.34 |
| Johnstown, PA | $10.54 | $21,930 | $16,010 | $45,650 | 650 | 13.66 | 2.81 |
| Northeastern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $11.18 | $23,250 | $16,390 | $57,810 | 1,220 | 9.47 | 1.95 |
| Central Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $10.73 | $22,320 | $16,520 | $58,850 | 1,260 | 6.71 | 1.38 |
| Northwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $10.62 | $22,080 | $16,610 | $51,090 | 1,690 | 11.31 | 2.33 |
| Southwestern Pennsylvania nonmetropolitan area | $10.28 | $21,380 | $16,690 | $50,630 | 1,260 | 8.98 | 1.85 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $13.66 | $28,420 | 37,490 | 1.27 |
| Delaware | $17.71 | $36,840 | 2,820 | 1.19 |
| Maryland | $18.07 | $37,580 | 13,020 | 0.97 |
| New Jersey | $21.16 | $44,020 | 16,260 | 0.78 |
| New York | $29.43 | $61,210 | 43,130 | 0.92 |
| Ohio | $14.84 | $30,880 | 27,420 | 1.02 |
| West Virginia | $14.24 | $29,630 | 3,340 | 0.98 |
See the national page for Bartenders (every state ranked) and the Pennsylvania 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 Pennsylvania 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.