Bartenders pay range in Los Angeles
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $34,320 a year or less, while the top 10% make $52,770 or more. The middle half of bartenders in Los Angeles earn between $34,490 and $38,210.
- $34K10th
- $34K25th
- $36KMedian
- $38K75th
- $53K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers · how to read it
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $41,510 | $3,459 | $19.96 |
| Median | $35,510 | $2,959 | $17.07 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $34,490 | $2,874 | $16.58 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $38,210 | $3,184 | $18.37 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year. Hourly to annual salary.
Bartenders pay in Los Angeles vs. California and the U.S.
Bartenders in Los Angeles earn 7% less than the California average ($44,780) and about the same as the U.S. average ($40,790). At the median the gap is +3% against the U.S. median of $34,340.
| Area | Average | Median | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $41,510 | $35,510 | $34,320 | $52,770 | 25,260 |
| California | $44,780 | $36,220 | $34,320 | $75,130 | 71,470 |
| United States | $40,790 | $34,340 | $20,110 | $73,770 | 756,390 |
State and U.S. rows: BLS statewide and national estimates, May 2025, which include rural areas.
Bartenders salary after taxes in Los Angeles
On the average salary of $41,510, a single filer in Los Angeles takes home about $34,737 a year, or $2,895 a month and $1,336 every two weeks. Taxes take 16% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Is Los Angeles a good place for bartenders? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Los Angeles area are 14% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 113.6), so the average $41,510 buys what about $36,551 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Los Angeles ($55,850). A typical home costs $968,608, or 23.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Bartenders salary in other California cities
Los Angeles ranks 18th of 25 California metro areas for this job; San Francisco pays the most ($50,970).
- San Francisco$50,970
- San Jose$50,890
- San Luis Obispo$47,350
- San Diego$46,900
- Napa$46,780
- Santa Rosa$46,650
- Salinas$46,550
- Sacramento$46,320
- Oxnard$45,270
- Los Angeles$41,510
Highest-paying cities for bartenders
Kahului, HI pays this job the most of the metro areas we cover ($91,360).
- Kahului, HI$91,360
- Honolulu, HI$72,660
- New York, NY$63,630
- Seattle, WA$62,090
- Portland, ME$60,600
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Bartenders salary in Los Angeles: questions
How much do bartenders make an hour in Los Angeles?
$19.96 an hour on average, and $17.07 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level bartenders salary in Los Angeles?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $34,320 a year and the 25th percentile is $34,490, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the bartenders take-home pay in Los Angeles?
About $34,737 a year ($2,895 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $41,510. California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
Do bartenders earn more in Los Angeles than elsewhere?
The average here is about the same as the U.S. average for this job ($40,790).
Sources and how to read this page
- Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates for metropolitan areas. SOC code 35-3011; area Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA (31080). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.7%.
- U.S. and statewide figures: BLS OEWS national and state estimates, May 2025, every employer including rural areas.
- Cost of living: Bureau of Economic Analysis regional price parities (RPP), 2024; 100 = U.S. average.
- Home value: Zillow Home Value Index. Typical-wage figure: OEWS all occupations, same metro.
- Take-home pay: Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules). California State Disability Insurance (1.3% of wages, paid by employees) is not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.83, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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