Bartenders Salary in Wisconsin
In Wisconsin, bartenders earn a median $23,460 a year, well below the national median of $34,340 (−32%); the state ranks 44th of 51 states by median. That is 53% less than the median across all occupations in Wisconsin ($50,270). Among neighbouring states, Michigan, Illinois and Minnesota pay more (up to $36,780 in Michigan) and Iowa pays less (down to $21,720 in Iowa). Wisconsin employs 29,520 bartenders, 10.0 per 1,000 jobs, the 7th largest count of any state. A location quotient of 2.06 means the occupation is more concentrated in Wisconsin than nationally.
Wisconsin vs the United States, May 2025
| Area | Basis | Percentile wage | Mean | Employment | Jobs per 1,000 | Location quotient | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | ||||||
| Wisconsin | Hourly | $8.27 | $10.06 | $11.28 | $14.36 | $18.77 | $12.97 | 29,520 | 10.04 | 2.06 |
| Annual | $17,200 | $20,910 | $23,460 | $29,860 | $39,040 | $26,970 | ||||
| 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
- 44th of 51 states
- Rank by employment
- 7th of 51 states
- Location quotient
- 2.06
- Jobs per 1,000
- 10.04
Ranks count the 50 states and DC with a published value. The location quotient is the occupation's share of Wisconsin'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 Wisconsin
15 metropolitan areas and 4 nonmetropolitan areas touching Wisconsin 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | $13.27 | $27,600 | $23,150 | $43,460 | 15,370 | 7.87 | 1.62 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | $12.49 | $25,970 | $16,930 | $40,250 | 7,330 | 8.93 | 1.84 |
| Sheboygan, WI | $12.37 | $25,720 | $17,170 | $42,560 | 500 | 8.18 | 1.68 |
| Duluth, MN-WI | $11.32 | $23,540 | $21,740 | $37,340 | 1,630 | 13.11 | 2.70 |
| Green Bay, WI | $11.24 | $23,380 | $17,160 | $41,600 | 1,620 | 9.27 | 1.91 |
| Appleton, WI | $11.21 | $23,330 | $17,270 | $42,000 | 1,230 | 9.91 | 2.04 |
| Fond du Lac, WI | $11.21 | $23,330 | $16,700 | $38,520 | 380 | 8.75 | 1.80 |
| Madison, WI | $11.16 | $23,210 | $18,200 | $39,170 | 3,810 | 9.34 | 1.92 |
| Kenosha, WI | $11.12 | $23,140 | $17,250 | $41,930 | 650 | 8.62 | 1.77 |
| La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN | $11.12 | $23,130 | $16,070 | $39,650 | 1,200 | 14.17 | 2.91 |
| Oshkosh-Neenah, WI | $11.11 | $23,120 | $16,790 | $39,620 | 960 | 10.24 | 2.11 |
| Eau Claire, WI | $11.05 | $22,990 | $16,890 | $41,450 | 920 | 10.72 | 2.20 |
| Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI | $11.04 | $22,960 | $16,820 | $41,620 | 700 | 9.11 | 1.87 |
| Wausau, WI | $10.88 | $22,640 | $16,850 | $36,360 | 610 | 8.80 | 1.81 |
| Janesville-Beloit, WI | $10.62 | $22,090 | $17,080 | $36,770 | 800 | 11.38 | 2.34 |
| Northwestern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $12.00 | $24,960 | $16,880 | $36,550 | 750 | 15.47 | 3.18 |
| Northeastern Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $10.97 | $22,820 | $17,660 | $35,940 | 2,650 | 13.50 | 2.77 |
| Western Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $10.96 | $22,800 | $17,510 | $36,080 | 1,580 | 12.42 | 2.55 |
| South Central Wisconsin nonmetropolitan area | $10.88 | $22,630 | $17,010 | $35,940 | 2,700 | 12.80 | 2.63 |
Neighbouring states
See the national page for Bartenders (every state ranked) and the Wisconsin 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 Wisconsin 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.