Bartenders mix drinks and serve them directly to customers or through wait staff.
Bartenders typically do the following:
Bartenders fill drink orders for customers either directly at the bar or through waiters and waitresses serving the dining room. Bartenders must know a wide range of drink recipes and be able to mix drinks quickly. When measuring and pouring beverages, they must avoid spillage or overpouring. They should be personable with customers at the bar and also work well with waiters and waitresses and kitchen staff to ensure prompt service.
In addition to mixing and serving drinks, bartenders stock and prepare beverage garnishes and maintain ice, glasses, and other bar supplies. They also wash glassware and utensils and serve food to customers who eat at the bar. Bartenders usually are responsible for stocking and maintaining an inventory of liquor, mixers, and other bar supplies.
Bartenders may collect payment from customers after each drink is served or open a tab for a customer and collect payment when closing it at the end of service. They also must monitor customers for intoxication, determine when to deny service and, in some cases, arrange for safe transportation.
Bartenders held about 514,000 jobs in 2021. The largest employers of bartenders were as follows:
| Restaurants and other eating places | 44% |
| Drinking places (alcoholic beverages) | 28 |
| Civic and social organizations | 6 |
| Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries | 6 |
| Traveler accommodation | 5 |
Bartenders typically work indoors, some work outdoors at pool or beach bars or at catered events.
During busy hours, bartenders are under pressure to serve customers quickly and efficiently while ensuring that no alcohol is served to minors or to overly intoxicated customers.
Bartenders do repetitive tasks, and sometimes they lift heavy kegs of beer and cases of liquor. In addition, the work may be stressful, particularly when they deal with intoxicated customers.
Bartenders often work late evenings, on weekends, and on holidays. Part-time work is common, and schedules may vary.
Bartenders typically do not need formal education credentials to enter the occupation, although some employers require or prefer for candidates to have a high school diploma. They typically learn their skills through on-the-job training that lasts a few weeks. Some bartenders gain experience in other jobs or occupations.
Most states require workers who serve alcoholic beverages to be at least 18 years old. Bartenders must be familiar with state and local laws concerning the sale of alcoholic beverages.
Bartenders typically need no formal education to enter the occupation, although employers may prefer or require candidates to have a high school diploma. Some aspiring bartenders acquire their skills by attending a school for bartending or taking courses at a community college. These programs usually include instruction on mixing cocktails, serving customers, and setting up a bar. Some schools help their graduates find jobs.
Bartenders typically receive on-the-job training that lasts a few weeks. Under the guidance of an experienced bartender, trainees learn cocktail recipes, bar-setup procedures, and customer service, including how to handle unruly customers and other challenging situations. In establishments where bartenders serve food, training may cover teamwork and proper food-handling procedures.
Some employers teach bartending skills to new workers by providing self-study programs, which may include videos and instructional booklets, that explain service skills.
Depending on the state and locality, a server, owner, manager, or business may be required to maintain a license to sell alcohol. Most states require that bartenders be at least 18 years old.
Many states and localities require bartenders to complete a responsible-server course. This course typically covers topics such as laws related to the sale of alcoholic beverages, responsible serving practices, and conflict management.
Although optional, professional certification may demonstrate basic knowledge or competency in bartending practices. Certification is available upon successful completion of some courses or programs.
Bartenders typically do not need related work experience to enter the occupation. However, some employers prefer or require candidates to have food-service experience in occupations such as waiters and waitresses or food and beverage serving and related workers. Others start as bartender helpers and progress to become bartenders as they learn basic mixing procedures and recipes.
Communication skills. Bartenders must listen carefully to their customers’ orders, explain drink and food items, and make menu recommendations. They also should be able to converse with customers on a variety of subjects.
Customer-service skills. By creating a friendly and welcoming environment, bartenders help to ensure repeat business.
Decision-making skills. Bartenders must observe customers, identify those who are intoxicated or underage, and deny them service.
Multitasking skills. Bartenders must make drinks for and take orders from multiple customers, monitor customers at the bar, and receive payments in a fast, efficient manner.
Physical stamina. Bartenders spend hours walking or standing while preparing drinks and serving customers.
Physical strength. Bartenders should be able to lift and carry cases of liquor, beer, and other bar supplies that may weigh up to 50 pounds.
Median hourly wages, May 2021
The median hourly wage for bartenders was $12.67 in May 2021. The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $8.59, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $22.94.
In May 2021, the median hourly wages for bartenders in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
| Restaurants and other eating places | $13.61 |
| Traveler accommodation | 13.54 |
| Amusement, gambling, and recreation industries | 11.49 |
| Drinking places (alcoholic beverages) | 11.23 |
| Civic and social organizations | 10.93 |
These wage data include tips. Tipped employees earn at least the federal minimum wage, which may be paid as a combination of direct wages and tips, depending on the state. The Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor maintains a website listing minimum wages for tipped employees, by state, although some localities have enacted minimum wages higher than their state requires.
Bartenders often work late evenings, on weekends, and on holidays. Part-time work is common, and schedules may vary.
Percent change in employment, projected 2021-31
Employment of bartenders is projected to grow 18 percent from 2021 to 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations.
About 105,300 openings for bartenders are projected each year, on average, over the decade. Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Much of the projected employment growth in this occupation is due to recovery from the COVID-19 recession of 2020.
Population and income growth are expected to result in increased demand for food, drinks, and entertainment. More bartenders are expected to be needed to meet this demand, especially in full-service restaurants and drinking places. Bartenders also will be needed in a wide variety of entertainment venues as services expand.
| Occupational Title | SOC Code | Employment, 2021 | Projected Employment, 2031 | Change, 2021-31 | Employment by Industry | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Percent | Numeric | ||||||
SOURCE: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Employment Projections program |
|||||||
Bartenders |
35-3011 | 514,000 | 606,000 | 18 | 92,000 | Get data | |
For more information about bartenders, visit
United States Bartenders Guild
For a profile highlighting selected BLS data on occupational requirements, see
Bartenders (PDF)