Bartenders pay range in Denver
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,080 a year or less, while the top 10% make $97,950 or more. The middle half of bartenders in Denver earn between $32,600 and $63,390.
- $31K10th
- $33K25th
- $37KMedian
- $63K75th
- $98K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $51,920 | $4,327 | $24.96 |
| Median | $37,180 | $3,098 | $17.88 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $32,600 | $2,717 | $15.67 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $63,390 | $5,282 | $30.48 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Bartenders salary after taxes in Denver
On the average salary of $51,920, a single filer in Denver takes home about $42,322 a year, or $3,527 a month and $1,628 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Is Denver a good place for bartenders? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Denver area are 6% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 105.8), so the average $51,920 buys what about $49,082 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Denver ($62,320). A typical home costs $573,221, or 11.0 years of this average salary before tax.
Bartenders salary in other Colorado cities
Denver ranks 2nd of 7 Colorado metro areas for this job; Boulder pays the most ($53,010).
- Boulder$53,010
- Denver$51,920
- Fort Collins$51,060
- Greeley$49,270
- Colorado Springs$48,940
- Grand Junction$47,330
- Pueblo$46,570
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 Denver: questions
How much do bartenders make an hour in Denver?
$24.96 an hour on average, and $17.88 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level bartenders salary in Denver?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,080 a year and the 25th percentile is $32,600, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the bartenders take-home pay in Denver?
About $42,322 a year ($3,527 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $51,920. Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
Do bartenders earn more in Denver than elsewhere?
The average here is 25% more than the U.S. metro average for this job ($41,635).
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 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO (19740). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 8.1%.
- 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 (2026 rules). Colorado's FAMLI premium and the flat monthly occupational privilege taxes of Denver, Aurora and a few other cities are not included.
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.20, this job is about as common as in the U.S. overall.
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