GeraJobs / US Real Pay Index / Bartenders
Best States to Be a Bartenders
After 2025 state income tax and 2024 cost of living, a bartenders salary goes furthest in Hawaii — a $76,490 BLS median worth $65,672 in real terms (Gera US Real Pay Index 195.2).
Which US states are best for a bartenders after cost of living and tax?
For a bartenders, the Gera US Real Pay Index ranks Hawaii #1: a $76,490 BLS median becomes $65,672 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms (index 195.2). South Carolina ranks last ($20,636, index 61.4). Real BLS OEWS May 2025 across 51 states; re-dated annually.
Gera US Real Pay Index
Hawaii ranks #1 of 51 states for a bartenders. Index 100 = the average state; 195.2 means pay goes 95.2% further after tax and cost of living.
How this is calculatedBartenders — real pay by state (best first)
| # | State | BLS median | State tax | Cost (RPP) | Real pay | Index |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hawaii | $76,490 | $4,283 | 110.0 | $65,672 | 195.2 |
| 2 | New York | $61,210 | $2,762 | 107.9 | $54,159 | 161.0 |
| 3 | Washington | $55,830 | — | 107.0 | $52,171 | 155.1 |
| 4 | Maine | $48,920 | $1,687 | 97.0 | $48,668 | 144.7 |
| 5 | District of Columbia | $53,920 | $2,135 | 109.9 | $47,119 | 140.1 |
| 6 | Vermont | $45,450 | $1,104 | 98.0 | $45,271 | 134.6 |
| 7 | Virginia | $47,070 | $1,907 | 101.1 | $44,670 | 132.8 |
| 8 | Arizona | $45,070 | $652 | 100.7 | $44,120 | 131.2 |
| 9 | New Jersey | $44,020 | $884 | 108.8 | $39,645 | 117.9 |
| 10 | New Mexico | $36,980 | $670 | 92.2 | $39,377 | 117.1 |
| 11 | North Carolina | $36,470 | $1,008 | 94.3 | $37,595 | 111.8 |
| 12 | Michigan | $36,780 | $1,317 | 96.2 | $36,858 | 109.6 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $38,780 | $820 | 103.6 | $36,637 | 108.9 |
| 14 | Colorado | $38,170 | $1,019 | 103.1 | $36,050 | 107.2 |
| 15 | Delaware | $36,840 | $1,368 | 99.8 | $35,540 | 105.7 |
| 16 | Oregon | $38,900 | $2,600 | 103.4 | $35,120 | 104.4 |
| 17 | Rhode Island | $36,410 | $765 | 102.3 | $34,850 | 103.6 |
| 18 | Maryland | $37,580 | $1,452 | 105.0 | $34,421 | 102.3 |
| 19 | Florida | $35,150 | — | 103.4 | $33,990 | 101.1 |
| 20 | Massachusetts | $37,440 | $1,652 | 105.8 | $33,840 | 100.6 |
| 21 | Ohio | $30,880 | $67 | 92.8 | $33,213 | 98.7 |
| 22 | South Dakota | $29,400 | — | 88.6 | $33,188 | 98.7 |
| 23 | Nebraska | $30,180 | $544 | 90.1 | $32,891 | 97.8 |
| 24 | North Dakota | $29,040 | — | 89.0 | $32,644 | 97.1 |
| 25 | Missouri | $30,090 | $533 | 90.8 | $32,545 | 96.8 |
| 26 | California | $36,220 | $461 | 110.7 | $32,297 | 96.0 |
| 27 | West Virginia | $29,630 | $754 | 89.5 | $32,265 | 95.9 |
| 28 | Mississippi | $28,320 | $441 | 87.0 | $32,062 | 95.3 |
| 29 | Utah | $32,150 | $1,463 | 98.9 | $31,040 | 92.3 |
| 30 | Kentucky | $28,780 | $1,020 | 90.2 | $30,790 | 91.5 |
| 31 | Alabama | $27,980 | $1,134 | 88.8 | $30,224 | 89.9 |
| 32 | Kansas | $27,940 | $789 | 90.1 | $30,145 | 89.6 |
| 33 | Tennessee | $27,480 | — | 91.9 | $29,912 | 88.9 |
| 34 | Illinois | $31,200 | $1,403 | 100.0 | $29,809 | 88.6 |
| 35 | Alaska | $30,460 | — | 102.4 | $29,758 | 88.5 |
| 36 | Pennsylvania | $28,420 | $872 | 97.6 | $28,233 | 83.9 |
| 37 | Idaho | $27,240 | $431 | 95.5 | $28,074 | 83.5 |
| 38 | Arkansas | $25,090 | $770 | 86.9 | $27,974 | 83.2 |
| 39 | New Hampshire | $28,800 | — | 104.2 | $27,648 | 82.2 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $24,790 | $640 | 87.8 | $27,492 | 81.7 |
| 41 | Nevada | $27,460 | — | 100.0 | $27,466 | 81.7 |
| 42 | Montana | $26,010 | $517 | 94.6 | $26,935 | 80.1 |
| 43 | Minnesota | $26,900 | $639 | 98.6 | $26,628 | 79.2 |
| 44 | Wisconsin | $23,460 | $322 | 94.1 | $24,590 | 73.1 |
| 45 | Iowa | $21,720 | $785 | 87.8 | $23,854 | 70.9 |
| 46 | Wyoming | $22,030 | — | 92.7 | $23,767 | 70.7 |
| 47 | Indiana | $22,770 | $653 | 93.3 | $23,698 | 70.5 |
| 48 | Texas | $22,690 | — | 97.1 | $23,378 | 69.5 |
| 49 | Louisiana | $20,850 | $251 | 88.2 | $23,354 | 69.4 |
| 50 | Georgia | $22,830 | $584 | 96.3 | $23,103 | 68.7 |
| 51 | South Carolina | $19,370 | $24 | 93.7 | $20,636 | 61.4 |
"Real pay" = BLS median − 2025 state income tax, divided by the state's 2024 BEA cost of living (US = 100). Only the 51 states for which BLS publishes a median for this occupation are ranked; suppressed cells are excluded, never set to zero.
Where does your salary go furthest?
Enter a salary and a state. We adjust for 2025 state income tax and the 2024 BEA cost of living to show your real, purchasing-power-equivalent pay — then rank every state.
In Hawaii, a $76,490 salary is worth about $61,915 in cost-of-living-and-tax-adjusted terms.
State income tax $8,414 (≈ top marginal 11.00% (upper bound)) · take-home $68,076 · BEA cost of living 110.0 (US = 100).
The same salary goes furthest in South Dakota — worth $86,345, a $24,431 gain over Hawaii.
| # | State | Real value | Cost (RPP) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | South Dakota | $86,345 | 88.6 |
| 2 | Arkansas | $84,552 | 86.9 |
| 3 | Louisiana | $84,115 | 88.2 |
| 4 | Mississippi | $84,097 | 87.0 |
| 5 | Iowa | $83,844 | 87.8 |
| 6 | North Dakota | $83,834 | 89.0 |
| 7 | Tennessee | $83,259 | 91.9 |
| 8 | Oklahoma | $82,940 | 87.8 |
| 9 | Wyoming | $82,521 | 92.7 |
| 10 | Alabama | $81,809 | 88.8 |
| 11 | Kentucky | $81,445 | 90.2 |
| 12 | West Virginia | $81,347 | 89.5 |
Estimate only. State income tax is approximated from each state's 2025 flat rate (or top marginal rate as an upper bound for graduated states) and ignores federal tax, deductions and credits. The pre-published occupation and state pages use exact 2025 bracket math. Cost of living is the 2024 BEA Regional Price Parity (All Items).
Bartenders — real pay FAQ
- What is the best state to be a bartenders?
- By the Gera US Real Pay Index, Hawaii is the best state for a bartenders: a BLS median of $76,490 is worth $65,672 after the 2025 state income tax ($4,283) and the 2024 BEA cost-of-living adjustment (RPP 110.0), an index of 195.2 where the average state is 100.
- Does the highest-paying state also leave you best off?
- Not necessarily. Hawaii has the highest headline BLS median for a bartenders at $76,490, but after state tax and cost of living it ranks #1 of 51 on real pay (index 195.2). That gap is exactly what the Gera US Real Pay Index reveals.
- Where does a bartenders salary go least far?
- South Carolina ranks last of 51 states for a bartenders: a $19,370 BLS median is worth only $20,636 after tax and cost of living (index 61.4). Higher local prices and/or income tax less far than the national average erode the headline pay.
Compare other occupations
- Home Health and Personal Care AidesWashington
- Retail SalespersonsNorth Dakota
- Fast Food and Counter WorkersCalifornia
- General and Operations ManagersSouth Dakota
- Registered NursesCalifornia
- CashiersWashington
- Laborers and Freight, Stock, and Material Movers, HandNorth Dakota
- Stockers and Order FillersWyoming
- Customer Service RepresentativesIowa
- Office Clerks, GeneralNorth Dakota
- Waiters and WaitressesVermont
- Janitors and Cleaners, Except Maids and Housekeeping CleanersWashington
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Related on GeraJobs
- Gera US Real Pay Index — all states ranked — and how the index is calculated.
- Methodology — the exact BLS + BEA + tax computation.
- Browse US jobs with salary ranges — roles hiring now.
Sources: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) (May 2025 state estimates, US federal public domain); U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis — Regional Price Parities (All Items), by state (2024 (US = 100)); Tax Foundation — 2025 State Individual Income Tax Rates and Brackets. The Gera US Real Pay Index for a bartenders is computed by GeraJobs from these figures; no figure is modelled or interpolated.