State College, PA metro area · BLS May 2025 · Updated

How much does a bartender make in State College, PA?

In the State College, PA metropolitan area, bartenders earned a median of $28,100 a year ($13.51 an hour) in May 2025, according to the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics survey for the metro. BLS counted 570 of these jobs there. That is 43% below the $49,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The middle 80% earned between $17,260 and $62,280; these percentiles do not measure years of experience. Applying 2026 federal and Pennsylvania tax rules to the median leaves an estimated $23,888 in take-home pay.

Bartender pay in State College, PA at a glance

Median salary

$28,100$13.51 per hour · $2,342 monthly · BLS May 2025
10th percentile$17,260$8.30/hr
25th percentile$21,530$10.35/hr
75th percentile$44,720$21.50/hr
90th percentile$62,280$29.94/hr
Jobs in this metro570Location quotient 1.69 (U.S. = 1.00)
Against all jobs here43% belowAll-jobs median $49,220
Against Pennsylvania1% belowStatewide median $28,420
Against the U.S.18% 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 State College, PA after taxes

$28,100
$15,000$60,000
Filing status:
Gross salary breakdown$28,100
Net 85%
Fed 4%
PA 3%
FICA 8%
Annual take-home$23,888After all taxes
Monthly deposit$1,991Estimated per month
Biweekly paycheck$919Every 2 weeks (26/yr)
Effective tax rate15%Total tax burden
Federal income tax$1,200 / yr
Pennsylvania state income tax$863 / yr
FICA (Social Security & Medicare)$2,150 / yr

Bartenders pay range in State College, PA, hourly and yearly

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

What bartenders earned in the State College, PA metro area, May 2025
PercentileHourlyMonthlyYearlyAfter tax a year (PA)
10th percentile$8.30/hr$1,438$17,260$15,294
25th percentile$10.35/hr$1,794$21,530$18,679
MedianMedian$13.51/hr$2,342$28,100$23,888
75th percentile$21.50/hr$3,727$44,720$36,740
90th percentile$29.94/hr$5,190$62,280$50,310

Is $28,100 a good salary in State College, 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$74,291Census Bureau ACS
Local price level (U.S. = 100)96.83.2% below national average
One paycheck vs. a household37.8%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 State College, PA: common questions

What is the median salary for bartenders in State College, PA?

The BLS median annual wage for bartenders in the State College, PA metro area was $28,100 in May 2025, about $2,342 a month or $13.51 an hour. Statewide, the Pennsylvania median for this job is $28,420, so the metro pays 1% below the state.

What is the hourly pay for bartenders in State College, PA?

The median hourly wage for bartenders in State College, PA was $13.51 in the BLS survey. One in ten earned less than $8.30 an hour and one in ten earned more than $29.94.

How many bartenders work in State College, PA?

BLS estimated 570 jobs for bartenders in the metro in May 2025, or 8.2 of every 1,000 jobs. Its location quotient of 1.69 means the job is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole.

What is the pay range for bartenders in State College, PA?

BLS wage estimates for bartenders in State College, PA run from $17,260 at the 10th percentile to $21,530 at the 25th, $44,720 at the 75th, and $62,280 at the 90th. These are points in the wage distribution, not experience levels.

How much do bartenders take home after taxes in State College, PA?

On a median gross salary of $28,100, an estimated $23,888 lands in net take-home pay per year ($919 biweekly) for a single filer claiming the standard deduction in Pennsylvania in 2026. Total tax withholding equals $4,212 (an effective rate of 15%).

How much do bartenders make per month in State College, PA?

On the median annual salary of $28,100, gross monthly income is $2,342. After federal, FICA, and Pennsylvania state income taxes, estimated net take-home pay is $1,991 per month (or $919 every two weeks).

Is $28,100 a good salary in State College, PA?

At $28,100, the median salary for bartenders is 37.8% of the State College, PA median household income ($74,291). It is 43% below the $49,220 median for all jobs in the metro. The BEA regional price parity is 96.8, so prices here run 3.2% below the U.S. average.