Bartenders pay range in Rockford
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $31,200 a year or less, while the top 10% make $40,520 or more. The middle half of bartenders in Rockford earn between $31,200 and $31,200.
- $31K10th
- $31K25th
- $31KMedian
- $31K75th
- $41K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $34,450 | $2,871 | $16.56 |
| Median | $31,200 | $2,600 | $15.00 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $31,200 | $2,600 | $15.00 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $31,200 | $2,600 | $15.00 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Bartenders salary after taxes in Rockford
On the average salary of $34,450, a single filer in Rockford takes home about $28,296 a year, or $2,358 a month and $1,088 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 (2025 rules).
Is Rockford a good place for bartenders? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Rockford area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.2), so the average $34,450 buys what about $37,383 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.7 times the median wage of all jobs in Rockford ($47,120). A typical home costs $221,368, or 6.4 years of this average salary before tax.
Bartenders salary in other Illinois cities
Rockford ranks 8th 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 Rockford: questions
How much do bartenders make an hour in Rockford?
$16.56 an hour on average, and $15.00 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level bartenders salary in Rockford?
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 Rockford?
About $28,296 a year ($2,358 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $34,450.
Do bartenders earn more in Rockford than elsewhere?
The average here is 17% 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 Rockford, IL (40420). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 1.4%.
- 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 1.82, this job is 1.8 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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