---
title: "Server vs Bartender Pay"
url: https://www.tipmaxapp.com/answers/server-vs-bartender-pay
language: en
publisher: TipMax (Entermaurs Incorporated)
date_published: 2026-09-23
last_verified: 2026-09-23
---

# Who makes more, servers or bartenders?

Estimates only: BLS (US, May 2025) and Job Bank (Canada, Labour Force Survey 2023–2024) figures are employer- or survey-estimated hourly pay that includes reported tips. They aren’t averages of tips and don’t rank places.

## United States (BLS, hourly, includes reported tips)

| Job | Median | Middle half |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Waiters and waitresses | $16.94 | $13.34–$22.65 |
| Bartenders | $16.51 | $13.17–$22.87 |

| State (alphabetical, not ranked) | Server median | Bartender median |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Alabama | $12.91 | $13.45 |
| Alaska | — | $14.65 |
| Arizona | $21.13 | $21.67 |
| Arkansas | $11.86 | $12.06 |
| California | $17.35 | $17.41 |
| Colorado | $21.57 | $18.35 |
| Connecticut | — | — |
| Delaware | $17.73 | $17.71 |
| District of Columbia | $23.01 | $25.92 |
| Florida | $17.38 | $16.90 |
| Georgia | $8.99 | $10.98 |
| Hawaii | $29.99 | $36.78 |
| Idaho | $14.45 | $13.10 |
| Illinois | — | — |
| Indiana | $13.69 | $10.95 |
| Iowa | $10.10 | $10.44 |
| Kansas | $17.36 | $13.43 |
| Kentucky | $14.26 | $13.84 |
| Louisiana | — | $10.02 |
| Maine | $20.85 | $23.52 |
| Maryland | $17.67 | $18.07 |
| Massachusetts | $18.49 | $18.00 |
| Michigan | $18.16 | $17.68 |
| Minnesota | $12.25 | $12.93 |
| Mississippi | $10.27 | $13.62 |
| Missouri | — | — |
| Montana | — | — |
| Nebraska | $16.24 | — |
| Nevada | $12.70 | $13.20 |
| New Hampshire | $18.48 | $13.85 |
| New Jersey | — | — |
| New Mexico | $17.75 | $17.78 |
| New York | — | — |
| North Carolina | $15.46 | $17.53 |
| North Dakota | $14.85 | $13.96 |
| Ohio | — | — |
| Oklahoma | — | — |
| Oregon | — | — |
| Pennsylvania | $16.68 | $13.66 |
| Rhode Island | $17.03 | $17.51 |
| South Carolina | $8.83 | $9.31 |
| South Dakota | $13.94 | $14.14 |
| Tennessee | $13.35 | $13.21 |
| Texas | $11.18 | $10.91 |
| Utah | $14.98 | $15.46 |
| Vermont | $28.43 | $21.85 |
| Virginia | $21.52 | $22.63 |
| Washington | $26.98 | $26.84 |
| West Virginia | $17.01 | $14.24 |
| Wisconsin | $14.26 | $11.28 |
| Wyoming | $11.50 | $10.59 |

## Canada (Job Bank, hourly, includes tips)

| Job | Median | Middle half |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Food and beverage servers (65200) | $18.50 | $16.00–$24.00 |
| Bartenders (64301) | $20.00 | $16.75–$25.00 |

| Province | Server median | Bartender median |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Ontario | — | $20.00 |
| British Columbia | $20.00 | $20.00 |
| Quebec | $20.00 | $22.44 |
| Alberta | $18.00 | $20.00 |
| Saskatchewan | — | $17.00 |
| Manitoba | — | $17.00 |
| Nova Scotia | — | $18.00 |
| New Brunswick | $17.00 | $16.23 |
| Newfoundland and Labrador | $16.50 | $17.00 |

A “—” means the estimate sits at or below the legal minimum, so it likely doesn’t capture tips.

## Official sources

- [BLS OEWS: Waiters and waitresses](https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes353031.htm)
- [BLS OEWS: Bartenders](https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes353011.htm)
- [Job Bank Wages 2025 (open data CSV)](https://open.canada.ca/data/dataset/adad580f-76b0-4502-bd05-20c125de9116)

---

TipMax Answers explains public government guidance on pay and workplace rules in plain English for tipped workers. It is **not legal, tax, or accounting advice**. Rules change and local rules can add to them. Confirm with the agency linked on this page or a qualified professional. TipMax the app helps you track tips and pay; it doesn’t enforce wage law or decide disputes.