Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a bartender make in Seattle-Tacoma, WA?

In the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metropolitan area, bartenders earned a median of $58,180 a year ($27.97 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 9,640 of these jobs there. That is 20% below the $72,610 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $40,340 and $96,230; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Washington tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $48,928 in take-home pay.

Bartender pay in Seattle-Tacoma, WA at a glance

Median salary

$58,180$27.97 per hour · $4,848 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$40,340$19.39/hr
25th percentile$49,470$23.79/hr
75th percentile$70,140$33.72/hr
90th percentile$96,230$46.26/hr
Jobs in this metro9,640Location quotient 0.95 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here20% belowAll-jobs median $72,610
Against Washington4% aboveStatewide median $55,830
Against the U.S.69% 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 Seattle-Tacoma, WA after taxes

$58,180
$20,000$120,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$58,180
Net 84%
Fed 8%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$48,928After all taxes
Monthly deposit$4,077Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$1,882Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15.9%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$4,802 / yr
Washington state income taxNo state wage tax$0
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$4,451 / yr

Bartenders pay range in Seattle-Tacoma, WA, hourly and yearly

BLS May 2025 estimates for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metropolitan statistical area. Monthly and take-home figures are ours, computed from the annual wage.

What bartenders earned in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (WA)
10th percentile$19.39/hr$3,362$40,340$34,593
25th percentile$23.79/hr$4,123$49,470$41,929
MedianMedian$27.97/hr$4,848$58,180$48,928
75th percentile$33.72/hr$5,845$70,140$58,173
90th percentile$46.26/hr$8,019$96,230$76,528

Is $58,180 a good salary in Seattle-Tacoma, WA?

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

Median household income$115,177Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)111.111.1% above national average
One paycheck vs. a household50.5%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 Seattle-Tacoma, WA: common questions

What is the median salary for bartenders in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?

The BLS median annual wage for bartenders in the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA metro area was $58,180 in May 2025, about $4,848 a month or $27.97 an hour. Statewide, the Washington median for this job is $55,830, so the metro pays 4% above the state.

What is the hourly pay for bartenders in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?

The median hourly wage for bartenders in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA was $27.97 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $19.39 an hour and one in ten earned more than $46.26.

How many bartenders work in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?

BLS estimated 9,640 jobs for bartenders in the metro in May 2025, or 4.6 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 0.95 means the job is less concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for bartenders in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?

BLS wage estimates for bartenders in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA run from $40,340 at the 10th percentile to $49,470 at the 25th, $70,140 at the 75th, and $96,230 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do bartenders take home after taxes in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?

On a median gross salary of $58,180, an estimated $48,928 lands in net take-home pay per year ($1,882 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Washington in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $9,252 (an effective rate of 15.9%).

How much do bartenders make per month in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?

On the median annual salary of $58,180, gross monthly income is $4,848. After federal, FICA, and Washington state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $4,077 per month (or $1,882 every two weeks).

Is $58,180 a good salary in Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA?

At $58,180, the median salary for bartenders is 50.5% of the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA median household income ($115,177). It is 20% below the $72,610 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 111.1, so prices here run 11.1% above the U.S. average.