Bartenders pay range in Chicago
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,200 a year or less, while the top 10% make $48,530 or more. The middle half of bartenders in Chicago earn between $31,200 and $33,500.
- $31K10th
- $31K25th
- $31KMedian
- $34K75th
- $49K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $35,740 | $2,978 | $17.18 |
| Median | $31,200 | $2,600 | $15.00 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $31,200 | $2,600 | $15.00 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $33,500 | $2,792 | $16.11 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Bartenders salary after taxes in Chicago
On the average salary of $35,740, a single filer in Chicago takes home about $29,269 a year, or $2,439 a month and $1,126 every two weeks. Taxes take 18% of gross pay.
The Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in IN | $29,855 | $2,488 |
| Working in IL | $29,269 | $2,439 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2025 rules).
Is Chicago a good place for bartenders? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Chicago area are 4% above the U.S. average (BEA price parity 103.6), so the average $35,740 buys what about $34,500 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Chicago ($54,720). A typical home costs $353,998, or 9.9 years of this average salary before tax.
Bartenders salary in other Illinois cities
Chicago ranks 4th of 8 Illinois metro areas for this job; Champaign pays the most ($36,260).
- Champaign$36,260
- Kankakee$35,970
- Bloomington$35,960
- Chicago$35,740
- Springfield$35,620
- Peoria$35,140
- Decatur$35,020
- Rockford$34,450
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 Chicago: questions
How much do bartenders make an hour in Chicago?
$17.18 an hour on average, and $15.00 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level bartenders salary in Chicago?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,200 a year and the 25th percentile is $31,200, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the bartenders take-home pay in Chicago?
About $29,269 a year ($2,439 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $35,740.
Do bartenders earn more in Chicago than elsewhere?
The average here is 14% less 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 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN (16980). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 3.8%.
- 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).
- Job concentration: location quotient 1.31, this job is 1.3 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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