Bartenders pay in Tennessee
$31,180avg. a year
$14.99 an hour · 10,330 employed
Bartenders in Tennessee earn an average of $31,180 a year. That is $9,610 (24%) less than the U.S. average of $40,790. The best-paying metro area is Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA at $35,570.
$27,480Median pay
$14.99Average hourly
+33%Avg. pay since 2020
#41Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying Tennessee metro areas
Average pay for bartenders by metro area. Swipe to see all 10.
1280 jobs
Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA
$35,570
$17.10 an hour
21,380 jobs
Memphis, TN-MS-AR
$33,840
$16.27 an hour
31,400 jobs
Knoxville, TN
$32,530
$15.64 an hour
44,540 jobs
Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN
$32,090
$15.43 an hour
5890 jobs
Chattanooga, TN-GA
$31,360
$15.08 an hour
670 jobs
Morristown, TN
$31,270
$15.04 an hour
7110 jobs
Cleveland, TN
$30,840
$14.83 an hour
8180 jobs
Jackson, TN
$29,190
$14.03 an hour
9290 jobs
Clarksville, TN-KY
$28,100
$13.51 an hour
10270 jobs
Johnson City, TN
$27,080
$13.02 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 Tennessee, charted
Pay over time
Tennessee, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where Tennessee bartenders work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · Tennessee highlighted · tap a state
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Under $32k$32k–$38k$38k–$46k$46k+Tennessee
Tennessee vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $40,790 | $19.61 |
| Tennessee | $31,180 | $14.99 |
| Virginia | $54,200 | $26.06 |
| North Carolina | $41,200 | $19.81 |
| Missouri | $38,170 | $18.35 |
| Mississippi | $36,510 | $17.55 |
| Kentucky | $34,970 | $16.81 |
Related jobs in Tennessee
Average pay, Tennessee, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do bartenders make in Tennessee?
The average is $31,180 a year, and the median is $27,480. That is $9,610 (24%) less than the U.S. average of $40,790.
What is the hourly wage in Tennessee?
$14.99 an hour on average; the median is $13.21.
Where in Tennessee do they earn the most?
Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA ($35,570), followed by Memphis, TN-MS-AR ($33,840). The lowest average among 10 metro areas with data is Johnson City, TN ($27,080).
How does Tennessee rank?
Tennessee ranks #41 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.