Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a bartender make in Allentown-Bethlehem, PA?

In the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan area, bartenders earned a median of $32,220 a year ($15.49 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,980 of these jobs there. That is 34% below the $48,990 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $18,190 and $66,370; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and New Jersey tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $27,592 in take-home pay.

Bartender pay in Allentown-Bethlehem, PA at a glance

Median salary

$32,220$15.49 per hour · $2,685 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$18,190$8.75/hr
25th percentile$22,380$10.76/hr
75th percentile$48,150$23.15/hr
90th percentile$66,370$31.91/hr
Jobs in this metro1,980Location quotient 1.08 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here34% belowAll-jobs median $48,990
Against New Jersey27% belowStatewide median $44,020
Against the U.S.6% belowNational median $34,340

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Same U.S. tax tables as the rest of the site. Change the salary, state, or filing status.

Bartender salary in Allentown-Bethlehem, PA after taxes

$32,220
$15,000$65,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$32,220
Net 86%
Fed 5%
NJ 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$27,592After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,299Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,061Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.4%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,686 / yr
New Jersey state income tax$476 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,465 / yr

Bartenders pay range in Allentown-Bethlehem, PA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What bartenders earned in the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NJ)
10th percentile$8.75/hr$1,516$18,190$16,349
25th percentile$10.76/hr$1,865$22,380$19,736
MedianMedian$15.49/hr$2,685$32,220$27,592
75th percentile$23.15/hr$4,013$48,150$39,756
90th percentile$31.91/hr$5,531$66,370$53,389

Is $32,220 a good salary in Allentown-Bethlehem, PA?

It depends on what else people there earn and what things cost. Here is the median for bartenders next to both.

Median household income$84,587Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)100.0Exact national baseline
One paycheck vs. a household38.1%of area median income

The same job statewide and nationally, and a calculator for your own paycheck.

Do bartenders pay tax on tips?

Yes, but less than before. This job is on the Treasury's list of tipped occupations, so from 2025 through 2028 up to $25,000 a year of reported tips comes off federal taxable income, shrinking above $150,000 of income ($300,000 joint). Social Security and Medicare are still owed on every tip, and most states still tax them. The BLS pay figures on this page already include tips as employers report them.

See what the tips deduction saves you →

Bartender pay in Allentown-Bethlehem, PA: common questions

What is the median salary for bartenders in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ?

The BLS median annual wage for bartenders in the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ metro area was $32,220 in May 2025, about $2,685 a month or $15.49 an hour. Statewide, the New Jersey median for this job is $44,020, so the metro pays 27% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for bartenders in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ?

The median hourly wage for bartenders in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ was $15.49 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $8.75 an hour and one in ten earned more than $31.91.

How many bartenders work in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ?

BLS estimated 1,980 jobs for bartenders in the metro in May 2025, or 5.2 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.08 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for bartenders in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ?

BLS wage estimates for bartenders in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ run from $18,190 at the 10th percentile to $22,380 at the 25th, $48,150 at the 75th, and $66,370 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do bartenders take home after taxes in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ?

On a median gross salary of $32,220, an estimated $27,592 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,061 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in New Jersey in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,628 (an effective rate of 14.4%).

How much do bartenders make per month in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ?

On the median annual salary of $32,220, gross monthly income is $2,685. After federal, FICA, and New Jersey state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,299 per month (or $1,061 every two weeks).

Is $32,220 a good salary in Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ?

At $32,220, the median salary for bartenders is 38.1% of the Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ median household income ($84,587). It is 34% below the $48,990 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 100.0, so prices here run 0% above the U.S. average.