Bartenders pay range in Knoxville
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $15,350 a year or less, while the top 10% make $54,360 or more. The middle half of bartenders in Knoxville earn between $18,770 and $44,640.
- $15K10th
- $19K25th
- $29KMedian
- $45K75th
- $54K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $32,530 | $2,711 | $15.64 |
| Median | $28,860 | $2,405 | $13.88 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $18,770 | $1,564 | $9.02 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $44,640 | $3,720 | $21.46 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Bartenders salary after taxes in Knoxville
On the average salary of $32,530, a single filer in Knoxville takes home about $28,318 a year, or $2,360 a month and $1,089 every two weeks. Taxes take 13% of gross pay.
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and no state income tax.
Is Knoxville a good place for bartenders? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the Knoxville area are 7% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 92.6), so the average $32,530 buys what about $35,141 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.6 times the median wage of all jobs in Knoxville ($47,080). A typical home costs $367,158, or 11.3 years of this average salary before tax.
Bartenders salary in other Tennessee cities
Knoxville ranks 3rd of 10 Tennessee metro areas for this job; Kingsport pays the most ($35,570).
- Kingsport$35,570
- Memphis$33,840
- Knoxville$32,530
- Nashville$32,090
- Chattanooga$31,360
- Morristown$31,270
- Cleveland$30,840
- Jackson$29,190
- Clarksville$28,100
- Johnson City$27,080
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 Knoxville: questions
How much do bartenders make an hour in Knoxville?
$15.64 an hour on average, and $13.87 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level bartenders salary in Knoxville?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $15,350 a year and the 25th percentile is $18,770, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the bartenders take-home pay in Knoxville?
About $28,318 a year ($2,360 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $32,530. Tennessee has no state income tax.
Do bartenders earn more in Knoxville than elsewhere?
The average here is 22% 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 Knoxville, TN (28940). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 5.2%.
- 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 no state income tax.
- Job concentration: location quotient 0.68, this job is less common than in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.68).
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