Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a bartender make in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

In the Raleigh-Cary, NC metropolitan area, bartenders earned a median of $36,120 a year ($17.37 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 3,070 of these jobs there. That is 31% below the $51,990 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $16,290 and $73,880; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and North Carolina tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $30,270 in take-home pay.

Bartender pay in Raleigh-Cary, NC at a glance

Median salary

$36,120$17.37 per hour · $3,010 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$16,290$7.83/hr
25th percentile$22,310$10.73/hr
75th percentile$59,460$28.59/hr
90th percentile$73,880$35.52/hr
Jobs in this metro3,070Location quotient 0.85 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here31% belowAll-jobs median $51,990
Against North Carolina1% belowStatewide median $36,470
Against the U.S.5% aboveNational 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 Raleigh-Cary, NC after taxes

$36,120
$15,000$75,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$36,120
Net 84%
Fed 6%
NC 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$30,270After all taxes
Monthly deposit$2,523Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,164Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate16.2%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$2,154 / yr
North Carolina state income tax$932 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,763 / yr

Bartenders pay range in Raleigh-Cary, NC, hourly and yearly

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

What bartenders earned in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (NC)
10th percentile$7.83/hr$1,358$16,290$14,884
25th percentile$10.73/hr$1,859$22,310$19,601
MedianMedian$17.37/hr$3,010$36,120$30,270
75th percentile$28.59/hr$4,955$59,460$48,092
90th percentile$35.52/hr$6,157$73,880$58,365

Is $36,120 a good salary in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

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

Median household income$100,103Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)98.21.8% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household36.1%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 Raleigh-Cary, NC: common questions

What is the median salary for bartenders in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

The BLS median annual wage for bartenders in the Raleigh-Cary, NC metro area was $36,120 in May 2025, about $3,010 a month or $17.37 an hour. Statewide, the North Carolina median for this job is $36,470, so the metro pays 1% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for bartenders in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

The median hourly wage for bartenders in Raleigh-Cary, NC was $17.37 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $7.83 an hour and one in ten earned more than $35.52.

How many bartenders work in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

BLS estimated 3,070 jobs for bartenders in the metro in May 2025, or 4.1 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.85 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for bartenders in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

BLS wage estimates for bartenders in Raleigh-Cary, NC run from $16,290 at the 10th percentile to $22,310 at the 25th, $59,460 at the 75th, and $73,880 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do bartenders take home after taxes in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

On a median gross salary of $36,120, an estimated $30,270 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,164 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in North Carolina in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $5,850 (an effective rate of 16.2%).

How much do bartenders make per month in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

On the median annual salary of $36,120, gross monthly income is $3,010. After federal, FICA, and North Carolina state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $2,523 per month (or $1,164 every two weeks).

Is $36,120 a good salary in Raleigh-Cary, NC?

At $36,120, the median salary for bartenders is 36.1% of the Raleigh-Cary, NC median household income ($100,103). It is 31% below the $51,990 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 98.2, so prices here run 1.8% below the U.S. average.