Bartenders pay in California
$44,780avg. a year
$21.53 an hour · 71,470 employed
Bartenders in California earn an average of $44,780 a year. That is $3,990 (10%) more than the U.S. average of $40,790. The best-paying metro area is San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA at $50,970.
$36,220Median pay
$21.53Average hourly
+32%Avg. pay since 2020
#16Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying California metro areas
Average pay for bartenders by metro area. Swipe to see all 25.
110,260 jobs
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$50,970
$24.51 an hour
22,790 jobs
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$50,890
$24.47 an hour
3730 jobs
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA
$47,350
$22.76 an hour
48,740 jobs
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA
$46,900
$22.55 an hour
5580 jobs
Napa, CA
$46,780
$22.49 an hour
61,310 jobs
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$46,650
$22.43 an hour
7830 jobs
Salinas, CA
$46,550
$22.38 an hour
84,060 jobs
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$46,320
$22.27 an hour
91,270 jobs
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA
$45,270
$21.77 an hour
10450 jobs
Vallejo, CA
$44,310
$21.30 an hour
11740 jobs
Stockton-Lodi, CA
$43,820
$21.07 an hour
121,270 jobs
Fresno, CA
$43,690
$21.01 an hour
136,360 jobs
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA
$43,480
$20.90 an hour
14560 jobs
Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
$43,240
$20.79 an hour
151,160 jobs
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA
$43,160
$20.75 an hour
16600 jobs
Modesto, CA
$42,390
$20.38 an hour
17180 jobs
Merced, CA
$41,670
$20.04 an hour
1825,260 jobs
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA
$41,510
$19.96 an hour
19130 jobs
El Centro, CA
$41,410
$19.91 an hour
20130 jobs
Hanford-Corcoran, CA
$41,220
$19.82 an hour
21830 jobs
Bakersfield-Delano, CA
$41,070
$19.74 an hour
22170 jobs
Yuba City, CA
$40,660
$19.55 an hour
23420 jobs
Visalia, CA
$39,560
$19.02 an hour
24390 jobs
Chico, CA
$38,930
$18.72 an hour
25250 jobs
Redding, CA
$38,700
$18.61 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Bartenders pay in California, charted
Pay over time
California, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where California bartenders work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · California highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $32k$32k–$38k$38k–$46k$46k+California
California vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $40,790 | $19.61 |
| California | $44,780 | $21.53 |
| Arizona | $54,030 | $25.98 |
| Oregon | $46,080 | $22.15 |
| Nevada | $36,210 | $17.41 |
Related jobs in California
Average pay, California, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do bartenders make in California?
The average is $44,780 a year, and the median is $36,220. That is $3,990 (10%) more than the U.S. average of $40,790.
What is the hourly wage in California?
$21.53 an hour on average; the median is $17.41.
Where in California do they earn the most?
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA ($50,970), followed by San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA ($50,890). The lowest average among 25 metro areas with data is Redding, CA ($38,700).
How does California rank?
California ranks #16 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 35-3011. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national bartenders page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.