Pay distribution $17,890 10th $21,340 25th $45,610 75th $62,280 90th
Half of Bartenders in the Reading metro area earn more than $28,260 per year, half earn less; the middle half earn between $21,340 and $45,610.
Wage percentiles (BLS OEWS) Wage 10th 25th Median 75th 90th Annual $17,890 $21,340 $28,260 $45,610 $62,280 Hourly $8.60 $10.26 $13.59 $21.93 $29.94
A percentile is a cut point: 25% of workers in this occupation and area earn less than the 25th-percentile wage. The median is the 50th percentile — half earn less, half earn more.
How this area compares Reading metro areathis metro area
$28,260 median for Reading metro area; middle half earns $21,340 to $45,610
$28,420 median for Pennsylvania; middle half earns $21,270 to $45,530
$34,340 median for United States; middle half earns $27,400 to $47,570
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
The median here is −1% vs Pennsylvania overall and −18% vs the U.S. median for this occupation.
Where this metro sits nationally $17,420 $40,373 $63,327 $86,280 Myrtle Beach-Conway-North Myrtle Beach, SC — $17,420 Alexandria, LA — $17,840 Sumter, SC — $18,040 Lake Charles, LA — $18,280 Brownsville-Harlingen, TX — $18,340 McAllen-Edinburg-Mission, TX — $18,940 Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA — $18,990 Lafayette, LA — $19,070 Columbia, SC — $19,230 Greenville-Anderson-Greer, SC — $19,600 Charleston-North Charleston, SC — $19,630 El Paso, TX — $19,680 Shreveport-Bossier City, LA — $19,770 Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA — $19,990 Hilton Head Island-Bluffton-Port Royal, SC — $20,030 Monroe, LA — $20,060 Spartanburg, SC — $20,090 Dalton, GA — $20,260 Odessa, TX — $20,370 Athens-Clarke County, GA — $20,400 Sherman-Denison, TX — $20,420 San Angelo, TX — $20,440 College Station-Bryan, TX — $20,460 Victoria, TX — $20,600 Baton Rouge, LA — $20,640 Hammond, LA — $20,650 Columbus, GA-AL — $20,940 Corpus Christi, TX — $20,970 Lubbock, TX — $20,990 Amarillo, TX — $21,050 Terre Haute, IN — $21,090 Augusta-Richmond County, GA-SC — $21,100 Longview, TX — $21,140 Tyler, TX — $21,170 Lawton, OK — $21,230 New Orleans-Metairie, LA — $21,230 Killeen-Temple, TX — $21,280 Laredo, TX — $21,380 Waco, TX — $21,420 Wichita Falls, TX — $21,460 Casper, WY — $21,490 Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA — $21,540 Ames, IA — $21,580 Cedar Rapids, IA — $21,600 Cheyenne, WY — $21,690 Johnson City, TN — $21,700 Dubuque, IA — $21,720 Muncie, IN — $21,780 Pocatello, ID — $21,800 Abilene, TX — $21,890 Arecibo, PR — $21,890 Iowa City, IA — $21,900 Albany, GA — $21,920 Johnstown, PA — $21,930 Ponce, PR — $21,970 Aguadilla, PR — $21,980 Midland, TX — $21,980 San Antonio-New Braunfels, TX — $21,980 Savannah, GA — $21,980 Jackson, TN — $22,030 Janesville-Beloit, WI — $22,090 Mayaguez, PR — $22,090 Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA — $22,340 Evansville, IN — $22,360 Bloomington, IN — $22,370 Michigan City-La Porte, IN — $22,430 Altoona, PA — $22,460 Warner Robins, GA — $22,580 Beaumont-Port Arthur, TX — $22,600 Wausau, WI — $22,640 Lafayette-West Lafayette, IN — $22,680 Erie, PA — $22,730 Brunswick-St. Simons, GA — $22,770 Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX — $22,770 Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood, IN — $22,880 San Juan-Bayamon-Caguas, PR — $22,880 Texarkana, TX-AR — $22,880 Racine-Mount Pleasant, WI — $22,960 Eau Claire, WI — $22,990 Florence, SC — $22,990 South Bend-Mishawaka, IN-MI — $23,000 Fort Wayne, IN — $23,010 Kokomo, IN — $23,060 Elkhart-Goshen, IN — $23,120 Oshkosh-Neenah, WI — $23,120 La Crosse-Onalaska, WI-MN — $23,130 Kenosha, WI — $23,140 Madison, WI — $23,210 Appleton, WI — $23,330 Fond du Lac, WI — $23,330 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA — $23,350 Hot Springs, AR — $23,350 Green Bay, WI — $23,380 Duluth, MN-WI — $23,540 Billings, MT — $23,550 Idaho Falls, ID — $23,660 Austin-Round Rock-San Marcos, TX — $23,670 Columbus, IN — $23,700 Gadsden, AL — $23,700 Morristown, TN — $23,730 Sioux City, IA-NE-SD — $23,750 Fort Smith, AR-OK — $23,830 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX — $24,170 Gainesville, GA — $24,180 Clarksville, TN-KY — $24,230 Macon-Bibb County, GA — $24,330 Jonesboro, AR — $24,460 Rome, GA — $24,490 Little Rock-North Little Rock-Conway, AR — $24,540 Mankato, MN — $24,710 Oklahoma City, OK — $24,790 Great Falls, MT — $25,310 Chattanooga, TN-GA — $25,650 Cleveland, TN — $25,710 Sheboygan, WI — $25,720 Anniston-Oxford, AL — $25,760 Reno, NV — $25,770 Williamsport, PA — $25,910 Valdosta, GA — $25,920 Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI — $25,970 St. Cloud, MN — $25,970 Missoula, MT — $25,990 Lebanon, PA — $26,090 Auburn-Opelika, AL — $26,210 Helena, MT — $26,210 Carson City, NV — $26,250 Paducah, KY-IL — $26,350 Hattiesburg, MS — $26,360 Chambersburg, PA — $26,390 Gettysburg, PA — $26,400 Twin Falls, ID — $26,530 Fayetteville-Springdale-Rogers, AR — $26,570 Elizabethtown, KY — $26,620 Gulfport-Biloxi, MS — $26,660 Bowling Green, KY — $26,800 Owensboro, KY — $26,810 Montgomery, AL — $26,830 Tuscaloosa, AL — $26,830 Rochester, MN — $27,000 Bozeman, MT — $27,040 Manhattan, KS — $27,160 Dothan, AL — $27,420 Tulsa, OK — $27,450 Harrisburg-Carlisle, PA — $27,520 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI — $27,600 Enid, OK — $27,700 Florence-Muscle Shoals, AL — $27,730 Goldsboro, NC — $27,740 Topeka, KS — $27,860 Logan, UT-ID — $27,980 Mobile, AL — $27,980 Scranton--Wilkes-Barre, PA — $28,010 State College, PA — $28,100 Nashville-Davidson--Murfreesboro--Franklin, TN — $28,190 Huntsville, AL — $28,210 Reading, PA — $28,260 Lancaster, PA — $28,280 Daphne-Fairhope-Foley, AL — $28,360 Fargo, ND-MN — $28,390 Coeur d'Alene, ID — $28,440 Springfield, OH — $28,440 Wheeling, WV-OH — $28,530 Wichita, KS — $28,540 Cape Girardeau, MO-IL — $28,600 Columbia, MO — $28,600 Joplin, MO-KS — $28,600 Minot, ND — $28,610 Jefferson City, MO — $28,630 Mansfield, OH — $28,640 Memphis, TN-MS-AR — $28,710 Grand Forks, ND-MN — $28,770 York-Hanover, PA — $28,810 Boise City, ID — $28,840 Knoxville, TN — $28,860 Grand Island, NE — $28,910 St. Joseph, MO-KS — $29,000 Manchester-Nashua, NH — $29,050 Beckley, WV — $29,060 Parkersburg-Vienna, WV — $29,100 Louisville/Jefferson County, KY-IN — $29,120 Springfield, MO — $29,120 Jackson, MS — $29,230 Huntington-Ashland, WV-KY-OH — $29,280 Lewiston, ID-WA — $29,290 Bismarck, ND — $29,350 Rapid City, SD — $29,500 Youngstown-Warren, OH — $29,520 Ocala, FL — $29,620 Sebring, FL — $29,680 Homosassa Springs, FL — $29,720 Pittsburgh, PA — $29,750 Salt Lake City-Murray, UT — $29,790 Dayton-Kettering-Beavercreek, OH — $29,830 Lawrence, KS — $29,980 Birmingham, AL — $30,010 Weirton-Steubenville, WV-OH — $30,010 Sandusky, OH — $30,130 Sioux Falls, SD-MN — $30,180 Greenville, NC — $30,190 Lima, OH — $30,270 Tallahassee, FL — $30,270 Kansas City, MO-KS — $30,300 Morgantown, WV — $30,310 Canton-Massillon, OH — $30,450 Decatur, AL — $30,540 Lexington-Fayette, KY — $30,640 Lincoln, NE — $30,660 Toledo, OH — $30,820 Charleston, WV — $30,900 Jacksonville, NC — $31,000 Farmington, NM — $31,030 Akron, OH — $31,120 Burlington, NC — $31,170 Pensacola-Ferry Pass-Brent, FL — $31,170 Anchorage, AK — $31,200 Bloomington, IL — $31,200 Champaign-Urbana, IL — $31,200 Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN — $31,200 Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL — $31,200 Decatur, IL — $31,200 Kankakee, IL — $31,200 Peoria, IL — $31,200 Rockford, IL — $31,200 St. Louis, MO-IL — $31,200 Springfield, IL — $31,200 Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA — $31,240 Panama City-Panama City Beach, FL — $31,650 Hinesville, GA — $31,760 Fairbanks-College, AK — $31,840 Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC — $31,860 Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ — $32,220 Cleveland, OH — $33,470 Hagerstown-Martinsburg, MD-WV — $33,620 Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, FL — $33,650 Port St. Lucie, FL — $33,720 Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV — $33,750 Rocky Mount, NC — $33,800 Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL — $33,920 Cincinnati, OH-KY-IN — $34,240 Bakersfield-Delano, CA — $34,320 Chico, CA — $34,320 Fresno, CA — $34,320 Redding, CA — $34,320 Visalia, CA — $34,320 Yuba City, CA — $34,320 Wildwood-The Villages, FL — $34,350 Las Cruces, NM — $34,470 North Port-Bradenton-Sarasota, FL — $34,500 Greensboro-High Point, NC — $34,550 El Centro, CA — $34,620 Omaha, NE-IA — $34,630 Palm Bay-Melbourne-Titusville, FL — $34,670 Merced, CA — $34,680 Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL — $34,700 Bay City, MI — $34,720 Stockton-Lodi, CA — $34,770 Albany, OR — $34,790 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA — $34,840 Fayetteville, NC — $34,880 Salisbury, MD — $34,890 Winston-Salem, NC — $34,920 Sebastian-Vero Beach-West Vero Corridor, FL — $35,040 Gainesville, FL — $35,050 Modesto, CA — $35,100 Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL — $35,210 Dover, DE — $35,210 Hanford-Corcoran, CA — $35,240 Amherst Town-Northampton, MA — $35,300 Asheville, NC — $35,380 Pittsfield, MA — $35,390 Jacksonville, FL — $35,450 Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA — $35,510 Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA — $35,510 Crestview-Fort Walton Beach-Destin, FL — $35,570 Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA — $35,590 Vineland, NJ — $35,590 Springfield, MA — $35,610 San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA — $35,630 Providence-Warwick, RI-MA — $35,680 Punta Gorda, FL — $35,690 Jackson, MI — $35,740 Sierra Vista-Douglas, AZ — $35,790 Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA — $35,810 Deltona-Daytona Beach-Ormond Beach, FL — $35,940 Worcester, MA — $35,950 Lake Havasu City-Kingman, AZ — $35,960 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD — $36,040 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA — $36,100 Raleigh-Cary, NC — $36,120 Flint, MI — $36,130 Watertown-Fort Drum, NY — $36,170 Grand Junction, CO — $36,180 San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA — $36,260 Flagstaff, AZ — $36,270 Naples-Marco Island, FL — $36,310 Salinas, CA — $36,350 Tucson, AZ — $36,450 Saginaw, MI — $36,550 Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI — $36,780 Vallejo, CA — $36,870 Grants Pass, OR — $36,920 Lexington Park, MD — $36,950 Muskegon-Norton Shores, MI — $36,960 Columbus, OH — $37,000 Durham-Chapel Hill, NC — $37,110 Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO — $37,180 Hartford-West Hartford-East Hartford, CT — $37,290 Waterbury-Shelton, CT — $37,290 Traverse City, MI — $37,300 Ogden, UT — $37,330 Baltimore-Columbia-Towson, MD — $37,360 Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC — $37,390 Albuquerque, NM — $37,400 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL — $37,460 Pueblo, CO — $37,630 Kalamazoo-Portage, MI — $37,660 Greeley, CO — $37,680 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA — $37,680 St. George, UT — $37,690 Colorado Springs, CO — $37,700 Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC — $37,700 Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH — $37,760 Napa, CA — $37,790 Monroe, MI — $37,800 Wilmington, NC — $37,890 Midland, MI — $38,170 New Haven, CT — $38,260 Ann Arbor, MI — $38,300 Salem, OR — $38,410 Grand Rapids-Wyoming-Kentwood, MI — $38,430 Trenton-Princeton, NJ — $38,800 Utica-Rome, NY — $38,860 Niles, MI — $38,970 Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ — $39,300 Battle Creek, MI — $39,430 Eugene-Springfield, OR — $39,580 San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA — $39,670 Provo-Orem-Lehi, UT — $39,730 Medford, OR — $40,190 Lansing-East Lansing, MI — $40,230 Elmira, NY — $41,110 Winchester, VA-WV — $41,640 Corvallis, OR — $41,840 Yuma, AZ — $42,210 San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA — $42,270 Prescott Valley-Prescott, AZ — $42,340 Boulder, CO — $42,520 Bend, OR — $42,670 Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA — $43,070 Barnstable Town, MA — $43,530 Bangor, ME — $43,880 Norwich-New London-Willimantic, CT — $43,950 Ithaca, NY — $44,040 Santa Fe, NM — $44,250 Lynchburg, VA — $44,350 Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA — $44,620 Harrisonburg, VA — $44,940 Lewiston-Auburn, ME — $45,040 Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT — $45,150 Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA — $45,590 Rochester, NY — $45,920 Richmond, VA — $46,070 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO — $46,290 Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY — $46,320 Glens Falls, NY — $46,470 Roanoke, VA — $46,530 Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC — $46,700 Syracuse, NY — $46,710 Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY — $46,920 Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ — $46,940 Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY — $47,370 Kingston, NY — $47,760 Binghamton, NY — $47,950 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV — $48,030 Charlottesville, VA — $48,210 Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA — $48,220 Burlington-South Burlington, VT — $49,070 Yakima, WA — $49,700 Longview-Kelso, WA — $49,930 Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA — $50,180 Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA — $50,210 Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA — $53,810 Walla Walla, WA — $54,030 Portland-South Portland, ME — $54,170 Kennewick-Richland, WA — $55,820 Bellingham, WA — $56,110 Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA — $56,640 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA — $58,180 New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ — $61,220 Urban Honolulu, HI — $75,340 Kahului-Wailuku, HI — $86,280 Reading metro area Each dot is one metro area with a published median — hover any dot for the name and figure. Metros without published estimates are not drawn.
The Reading metro area has the 236th-highest published median for this occupation among the 391 metro areas where BLS publishes it. Higher medians often track higher living costs — this is a pay comparison, not a ranking of where the job is “best”.
Other metro areas in Pennsylvania Metro areas in the same state with published May 2025 medians for bartenders, highest first. Areas without published estimates are not listed.
Reading metro areathis page
$28,260 median for Reading metro area; middle half earns $21,340 to $45,610
$36,040 median for Philadelphia metro area; middle half earns $27,020 to $47,420
$32,220 median for Allentown metro area; middle half earns $22,380 to $48,150
$29,750 median for Pittsburgh metro area; middle half earns $20,740 to $44,560
$28,810 median for York metro area; middle half earns $21,250 to $45,950
$28,280 median for Lancaster metro area; middle half earns $21,280 to $46,510
$28,100 median for State College metro area; middle half earns $21,530 to $44,720
Bars span the 25th–75th percentile (the middle half of workers); the tick marks the median.
About this estimate These figures are survey estimates from the BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics program — modeled from employer reports collected over three years and benchmarked to May 2025. They describe what employers in this area currently pay across all industries, not what any individual worker will be offered.
Employment counts wage-and-salary jobs in the occupation (self-employed workers are excluded). Estimates carry sampling error; percentile wages are rounded by BLS. Some values are suppressed by BLS for confidentiality or quality — suppressed values appear here as “not published”, never as zero. Read the full methodology .