Bartenders pay in North Carolina
$41,200avg. a year
$19.81 an hour · 20,070 employed
Bartenders in North Carolina earn an average of $41,200 a year. That is about the same as the U.S. average of $40,790. The best-paying metro area is Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC at $52,310.
$36,470Median pay
$19.81Average hourly
+48%Avg. pay since 2020
#21Of 50 states + D.C.
Top-paying North Carolina metro areas
Average pay for bartenders by metro area. Swipe to see all 16.
12,860 jobs
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
$52,310
$25.15 an hour
21,460 jobs
Wilmington, NC
$43,400
$20.86 an hour
35,660 jobs
Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC
$43,270
$20.81 an hour
4280 jobs
Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC
$42,630
$20.49 an hour
51,180 jobs
Durham-Chapel Hill, NC
$42,080
$20.23 an hour
63,070 jobs
Raleigh-Cary, NC
$41,500
$19.95 an hour
71,020 jobs
Winston-Salem, NC
$40,710
$19.57 an hour
81,240 jobs
Asheville, NC
$40,220
$19.34 an hour
9140 jobs
Rocky Mount, NC
$39,290
$18.89 an hour
10260 jobs
Burlington, NC
$39,140
$18.82 an hour
111,310 jobs
Greensboro-High Point, NC
$38,740
$18.62 an hour
12530 jobs
Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC
$38,030
$18.28 an hour
13240 jobs
Jacksonville, NC
$37,880
$18.21 an hour
14500 jobs
Fayetteville, NC
$37,690
$18.12 an hour
15300 jobs
Greenville, NC
$36,760
$17.67 an hour
16130 jobs
Goldsboro, NC
$34,880
$16.77 an hour
Why people trust JobPayFacts
Official government dataEvery number comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics wage survey of employers, not self-reported salaries.
Every state and city830 jobs across all 50 states, D.C. and 199 large metro areas.
Updated every yearNew figures each spring when BLS releases them. This site uses May 2025 data.
Bartenders pay in North Carolina, charted
Pay over time
North Carolina, annual wage, May of each year
AverageMedian
Where North Carolina bartenders work
Employment by metro area, May 2025
Average pay by state
May 2025 · North Carolina highlighted · tap a state
AKMEWIVTNHWAIDMTNDMNILMINYMAORNVWYSDIAINOHPANJCTRICAUTCONEMOKYWVVAMDDEAZNMKSARTNNCSCDCOKLAMSALGAHITXFL
Under $32k$32k–$38k$38k–$46k$46k+North Carolina
North Carolina vs. neighbors
Average pay, May 2025
| Area | Avg. pay | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| United States | $40,790 | $19.61 |
| North Carolina | $41,200 | $19.81 |
| Virginia | $54,200 | $26.06 |
| Tennessee | $31,180 | $14.99 |
| Georgia | $30,330 | $14.58 |
| South Carolina | $28,440 | $13.67 |
Related jobs in North Carolina
Average pay, North Carolina, May 2025
Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS
Questions and answers
How much do bartenders make in North Carolina?
The average is $41,200 a year, and the median is $36,470. That is about the same as the U.S. average of $40,790.
What is the hourly wage in North Carolina?
$19.81 an hour on average; the median is $17.53.
Where in North Carolina do they earn the most?
Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC ($52,310), followed by Wilmington, NC ($43,400). The lowest average among 16 metro areas with data is Goldsboro, NC ($34,880).
How does North Carolina rank?
North Carolina ranks #21 of 51 states (including D.C.) with published data for this job, by average pay.
Sources and notes. U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 (trend: May 2020–May 2025), occupation code 35-3011. State rank compares average pay across states with published data. Metro figures cover metropolitan statistical areas; a metro area can cross state lines. See also the national bartenders page. Wages are gross pay before taxes and don't include overtime premiums, tips, bonuses or benefits; self-employed workers aren't included. Year-to-year changes can partly reflect survey method changes, so treat the trend as a guide. How we use the data. JobPayFacts isn't affiliated with BLS.