Bartenders pay range in La Crosse
New workers and the lowest-paid 10% earn about $16,070 a year or less, while the top 10% make $39,650 or more. The middle half of bartenders in La Crosse earn between $20,930 and $29,110.
- $16K10th
- $21K25th
- $23KMedian
- $29K75th
- $40K90th
median average · bar = middle 50% of workers
| Pay level | Per year | Per month | Per hour* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Average | $26,550 | $2,212 | $12.76 |
| Median | $23,130 | $1,928 | $11.12 |
| Entry level (25th percentile) | $20,930 | $1,744 | $10.06 |
| Experienced (75th percentile) | $29,110 | $2,426 | $14.00 |
*Hourly figures assume 2,080 paid hours a year.
Bartenders salary after taxes in La Crosse
On the average salary of $26,550, a single filer in La Crosse takes home about $23,031 a year, or $1,919 a month and $886 every two weeks. Taxes take 13% of gross pay.
The La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN metro area crosses state lines, so take-home pay depends on the state where you work:
| State | Per year | Per month |
|---|---|---|
| Working in WI | $23,031 | $1,919 |
| Working in MN | $22,872 | $1,906 |
Single filer, standard deduction: federal income tax (2026 brackets), Social Security, Medicare and state income tax (2026 rules).
Is La Crosse a good place for bartenders? Pay vs. cost of living
Prices in the La Crosse area are 8% below the U.S. average (BEA price parity 91.8), so the average $26,550 buys what about $28,931 would buy in a typical U.S. metro. This job pays 0.5 times the median wage of all jobs in La Crosse ($48,260). A typical home costs $335,330, or 12.6 years of this average salary before tax.
Bartenders salary in other Wisconsin cities
La Crosse ranks 10th of 13 Wisconsin metro areas for this job; Sheboygan pays the most ($28,250).
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 La Crosse: questions
How much do bartenders make an hour in La Crosse?
$12.77 an hour on average, and $11.12 at the median (BLS, May 2025).
What is the entry-level bartenders salary in La Crosse?
The lowest-paid 10% earn about $16,070 a year and the 25th percentile is $20,930, a fair guide to starting pay.
What is the bartenders take-home pay in La Crosse?
About $23,031 a year ($1,919 a month) for a single filer on the average salary of $26,550.
Do bartenders earn more in La Crosse than elsewhere?
The average here is 36% 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 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN (29100). Relative standard error of the mean wage: 2.4%.
- 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 (2026 rules).
- Job concentration: location quotient 2.91, this job is 2.9 times as concentrated as in the U.S. overall.
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