Lincoln, NE metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a bartender make in Lincoln, NE?

In the Lincoln, NE metropolitan area, bartenders earned a median of $30,660 a year ($14.74 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 1,110 of these jobs there. That is 38% below the $49,800 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $28,080 and $58,880; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Nebraska tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $26,269 in take-home pay.

Bartender pay in Lincoln, NE at a glance

Median salary

$30,660$14.74 per hour · $2,555 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$28,080$13.50/hr
25th percentile$28,080$13.50/hr
75th percentile$46,310$22.26/hr
90th percentile$58,880$28.31/hr
Jobs in this metro1,110Location quotient 1.25 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here38% belowAll-jobs median $49,800
Against Nebraska2% aboveStatewide median $30,180
Against the U.S.11% 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 Lincoln, NE after taxes

$30,660
$15,000$65,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$30,660
Net 86%
Fed 5%
NE 2%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$26,269After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,189Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,010Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate14.3%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,499 / yr
Nebraska state income tax$546 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,345 / yr

Bartenders pay range in Lincoln, NE, hourly and yearly

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

What bartenders earned in the Lincoln, NE metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NE)
10th percentile$13.50/hr$2,340$28,080$24,278
25th percentile$13.50/hr$2,340$28,080$24,278
MedianMedian$14.74/hr$2,555$30,660$26,269
75th percentile$22.26/hr$3,859$46,310$38,163
90th percentile$28.31/hr$4,907$58,880$47,691

Is $30,660 a good salary in Lincoln, NE?

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

Median household income$75,049Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)91.68.4% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household40.9%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 Lincoln, NE: common questions

What is the median salary for bartenders in Lincoln, NE?

The BLS median annual wage for bartenders in the Lincoln, NE metro area was $30,660 in May 2025, about $2,555 a month or $14.74 an hour. Statewide, the Nebraska median for this job is $30,180, so the metro pays 2% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for bartenders in Lincoln, NE?

The median hourly wage for bartenders in Lincoln, NE was $14.74 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $13.50 an hour and one in ten earned more than $28.31.

How many bartenders work in Lincoln, NE?

BLS estimated 1,110 jobs for bartenders in the metro in May 2025, or 6.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.25 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for bartenders in Lincoln, NE?

BLS wage estimates for bartenders in Lincoln, NE run from $28,080 at the 10th percentile to $28,080 at the 25th, $46,310 at the 75th, and $58,880 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do bartenders take home after taxes in Lincoln, NE?

On a median gross salary of $30,660, an estimated $26,269 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,010 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Nebraska in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,391 (an effective rate of 14.3%).

How much do bartenders make per month in Lincoln, NE?

On the median annual salary of $30,660, gross monthly income is $2,555. After federal, FICA, and Nebraska state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,189 per month (or $1,010 every two weeks).

Is $30,660 a good salary in Lincoln, NE?

At $30,660, the median salary for bartenders is 40.9% of the Lincoln, NE median household income ($75,049). It is 38% below the $49,800 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 91.6, so prices here run 8.4% below the U.S. average.