Bartenders salary
in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
- Middle 50%
- $35,130–$37,450
- vs U.S. median
- +5%
- Metro rank
- #119 of 453
Bartenders in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro earn a median of $36,100 a year, based on BLS estimates for 560 jobs (May 2025). That is 5% above the U.S. median of $34,340 and in line with the CA statewide median of $36,220. It ranks #119 of 453 metros with published figures for this job.
- SOURCEBLS OEWS, May 2025
- SAMPLE560 jobs (estimate)
- SCOPEall employers, all experience levels
- PERIODMay 2025 estimates
Full percentile breakdown
BLS · metro vs U.S.
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Bartenders pay in other CA metros
8 metros · BLS
| Metro | Median |
|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $42,270 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $39,670 |
| Napa, CA | $37,790 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $37,680 |
| Vallejo, CA | $36,870 |
| Salinas, CA | $36,350 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $36,260 |
| Eastern Sierra-Mother Lode Region of California nonmetropolitan area | $35,970 |
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RELATED JOBS IN SANTA CRUZ
Questions
What is the average Bartenders salary in Santa Cruz?
The BLS median is $36,100 a year (May 2025). Half of the 560 jobs pay between $35,130 and $37,450. The 10th percentile is $34,320 and the 90th is $70,940.
Is Santa Cruz a high-paying metro for Bartenders?
That is 5% above the U.S. median of $34,340 and in line with the CA statewide median of $36,220. It ranks #119 of 453 U.S. metros with published BLS figures for this job.
How much do Bartenders make an hour in Santa Cruz?
About $17.36 an hour at the median (the BLS annual figure of $36,100 divided by 2,080 hours, the conversion BLS uses). The middle half earn about $16.89–$18.00 an hour. Straight-time pay, before overtime and shift differentials.
Does this include experience levels?
BLS figures cover all experience levels together. Employer filings carry a DOL wage level, which the free checker can filter by (approximate).
Sources: U.S. BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 (national + state) (metro area estimates, all employers); employer rows from U.S. DOL OFLC LCA Disclosure Data, FY2026 Q3 (LCA_Disclosure_Data_FY2026_Q3.xlsx). Base pay only. Estimates can have sampling error, especially for smaller metros.