Bartenders Salary in West Virginia
Bartenders in West Virginia have a median of $29,630 a year, below the national $34,340 (−14%); the state ranks 28th of 51 states by median. That is 35% less than the median across all occupations in West Virginia ($45,300). Among neighbouring states, Virginia, Maryland and Ohio pay more (up to $47,070 in Virginia) and Kentucky and Pennsylvania pay less (down to $28,420 in Pennsylvania). West Virginia employs 3,340 bartenders, 4.75 per 1,000 jobs, the 43rd largest count of any state. A location quotient of 0.98 is close to the national share.
West Virginia vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| West Virginia | Hourly | $9.57 | $11.20 | $14.24 | $22.05 | $30.91 | $18.22 | 3,340 | 4.75 | 0.98 |
| Annual | $19,900 | $23,290 | $29,630 | $45,850 | $64,280 | $37,910 | ||||
| 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
- 28th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 43rd of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 0.98
- Jobs per 1,000
- 4.75
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of West Virginia'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 West Virginia
10 metropolitan areas and 2 nonmetropolitan areas touching West Virginia 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $23.09 | $48,030 | $34,480 | $91,510 | 14,560 | 4.64 | 0.95 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | $20.02 | $41,640 | $26,480 | $77,540 | 240 | 3.57 | 0.73 |
| Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV | $16.17 | $33,620 | $22,210 | $61,120 | 670 | 6.21 | 1.28 |
| Charleston, WV | $14.86 | $30,900 | $18,980 | $64,920 | 350 | 3.42 | 0.70 |
| Morgantown, WV | $14.57 | $30,310 | $19,950 | $64,460 | 420 | 6.28 | 1.29 |
| Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH | $14.43 | $30,010 | $21,340 | $61,950 | 240 | 6.70 | 1.38 |
| Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH | $14.08 | $29,280 | $18,200 | $63,330 | 570 | 4.07 | 0.84 |
| Parkersburg-Vienna, WV | $13.99 | $29,100 | $19,120 | $64,140 | 190 | 5.22 | 1.07 |
| Beckley, WV | $13.97 | $29,060 | $19,220 | $71,410 | 170 | 3.91 | 0.80 |
| Wheeling, WV-OH | $13.71 | $28,530 | $21,100 | $59,230 | 370 | 6.29 | 1.29 |
| Southern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $14.64 | $30,440 | $19,830 | $64,050 | 280 | 3.62 | 0.74 |
| Northern West Virginia nonmetropolitan area | $13.53 | $28,150 | $19,400 | $63,630 | 620 | 4.25 | 0.87 |
Neighbouring states
| State | Median hourly | Median annual | Employment | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| West Virginia | $14.24 | $29,630 | 3,340 | 0.98 |
| Kentucky | $13.84 | $28,780 | 6,870 | 0.71 |
| Maryland | $18.07 | $37,580 | 13,020 | 0.97 |
| Ohio | $14.84 | $30,880 | 27,420 | 1.02 |
| Pennsylvania | $13.66 | $28,420 | 37,490 | 1.27 |
| Virginia | $22.63 | $47,070 | 13,370 | 0.67 |
See the national page for Bartenders (every state ranked) and the West Virginia 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 West Virginia 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.