Appleton, WI metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a bartender make in Appleton, WI?

In the Appleton, WI metropolitan area, bartenders earned a median of $23,330 a year ($11.21 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,230 of these jobs there. That is 53% below the $49,910 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $17,270 and $42,000; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Wisconsin tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $20,505 in take-home pay.

Bartender pay in Appleton, WI at a glance

Median salary

$23,330$11.21 per hour · $1,944 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$17,270$8.30/hr
25th percentile$21,370$10.28/hr
75th percentile$29,500$14.19/hr
90th percentile$42,000$20.19/hr
Jobs in this metro1,230Location quotient 2.04 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here53% belowAll-jobs median $49,910
Against Wisconsin1% belowStatewide median $23,460
Against the U.S.32% belowNational median $34,340

Run the numbers on your own pay

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

Bartender salary in Appleton, WI after taxes

$23,330
$15,000$50,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$23,330
Net 88%
Fed 3%
WI 1%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$20,505After all taxes
Monthly deposit$1,709Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$789Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate12.1%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$723 / yr
Wisconsin state income tax$317 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$1,785 / yr

Bartenders pay range in Appleton, WI, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Appleton, WI metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What bartenders earned in the Appleton, WI metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (WI)
10th percentile$8.30/hr$1,439$17,270$15,741
25th percentile$10.28/hr$1,781$21,370$18,968
MedianMedian$11.21/hr$1,944$23,330$20,505
75th percentile$14.19/hr$2,458$29,500$25,317
90th percentile$20.19/hr$3,500$42,000$34,745

Is $23,330 a good salary in Appleton, WI?

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

Median household income$85,825Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)92.47.6% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household27.2%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 Appleton, WI: common questions

What is the median salary for bartenders in Appleton, WI?

The BLS median annual wage for bartenders in the Appleton, WI metro area was $23,330 in May 2025, about $1,944 a month or $11.21 an hour. Statewide, the Wisconsin median for this job is $23,460, so the metro pays 1% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for bartenders in Appleton, WI?

The median hourly wage for bartenders in Appleton, WI was $11.21 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $8.30 an hour and one in ten earned more than $20.19.

How many bartenders work in Appleton, WI?

BLS estimated 1,230 jobs for bartenders in the metro in May 2025, or 9.9 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 2.04 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for bartenders in Appleton, WI?

BLS wage estimates for bartenders in Appleton, WI run from $17,270 at the 10th percentile to $21,370 at the 25th, $29,500 at the 75th, and $42,000 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do bartenders take home after taxes in Appleton, WI?

On a median gross salary of $23,330, an estimated $20,505 lands in net take-home pay per year ($789 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Wisconsin in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $2,825 (an effective rate of 12.1%).

How much do bartenders make per month in Appleton, WI?

On the median annual salary of $23,330, gross monthly income is $1,944. After federal, FICA, and Wisconsin state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $1,709 per month (or $789 every two weeks).

Is $23,330 a good salary in Appleton, WI?

At $23,330, the median salary for bartenders is 27.2% of the Appleton, WI median household income ($85,825). It is 53% below the $49,910 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 92.4, so prices here run 7.6% below the U.S. average.