Bartender salary in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
Bartenders in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area earn a median of $46,700 a year ($22.45 an hour), based on BLS data for 2,860 workers.
Pay ranges from $26,910 for the lowest-paid 10% to $78,840 for the top 10%. That is 36% higher than the national median of $34,340. Pay here is 1% lower than the Virginia statewide median of $47,070. There are 3.7 bartenders per 1,000 jobs here — the job is less common than nationally (location quotient 0.77). The average (mean) salary is $52,310, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for bartenders in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $26,910 | $12.94 |
| 25th percentile | $31,840 | $15.31 |
| Median | $46,700 | $22.45 |
| 75th percentile | $71,920 | $34.58 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $78,840 | $37.91 |
| Average (mean) | $52,310 | $25.15 |
Half of bartenders earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $3,891.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,945.83 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,796.15 |
| Weekly | $898.08 |
| Hourly | $22.45 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Buying a home? On a $46,700 salary, see how much house you can afford in Virginia at today's mortgage rates, or work out a payment with the mortgage calculator.
Bartender salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville, VA | $48,210 | 650 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $48,030 | 14,560 |
| Roanoke, VA | $46,530 | 520 |
| Richmond, VA | $46,070 | 2,110 |
| Harrisonburg, VA | $44,940 | 280 |
| Staunton-Stuarts Draft, VA | $44,620 | 180 |
| Lynchburg, VA | $44,350 | 290 |
| Blacksburg-Christiansburg-Radford, VA | $43,070 | 270 |
| Winchester, VA-WV | $41,640 | 240 |
| Wilmington, NC | $37,890 | 1,460 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines, NC | $37,700 | 280 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $37,390 | 5,660 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill, NC | $37,110 | 1,180 |
| Raleigh-Cary, NC | $36,120 | 3,070 |
| Asheville, NC | $35,380 | 1,240 |
| Winston-Salem, NC | $34,920 | 1,020 |
| Fayetteville, NC | $34,880 | 500 |
| Greensboro-High Point, NC | $34,550 | 1,310 |
| Rocky Mount, NC | $33,800 | 140 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton, NC | $31,860 | 530 |
| Kingsport-Bristol, TN-VA | $31,240 | 280 |
| Burlington, NC | $31,170 | 260 |
| Jacksonville, NC | $31,000 | 240 |
| Greenville, NC | $30,190 | 300 |
| Goldsboro, NC | $27,740 | 130 |
Highest-paying states for bartenders
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $76,490 |
| New York | $61,210 |
| Washington | $55,830 |
| District of Columbia | $53,920 |
| Maine | $48,920 |
| Virginia | $47,070 |
| Vermont | $45,450 |
| Arizona | $45,070 |
| New Jersey | $44,020 |
| Oregon | $38,900 |
See Bartender pay in every state or the Virginia statewide figures.
Related jobs in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Fast Food and Counter Workers | $28,780 | $13.84 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | $39,020 | $18.76 |
| Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | $34,710 | $16.69 |
| Cooks, Restaurant | $36,280 | $17.44 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers | $41,800 | $20.09 |
| Cooks, Fast Food | $28,380 | $13.64 |
| Food Preparation Worker | $32,580 | $15.66 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | $29,330 | $14.10 |
| Hosts and Hostesses, Restaurant, Lounge, and Coffee Shop | $28,670 | $13.79 |
| Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | $38,440 | $18.48 |
| Dishwasher | $29,770 | $14.31 |
| Cooks, Short Order | $27,830 | $13.38 |
| Chefs and Head Cooks | $57,730 | $27.75 |
| Food Preparation and Serving Related Workers, All Other | $36,780 | $17.68 |
More: Food Preparation and Serving Related Occupations · all salaries in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 35-3011. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a bartender make in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
The median salary for bartenders in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area is $46,700 a year, or $22.45 an hour. Pay ranges from $26,910 for the lowest-paid 10% to $78,840 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid bartenders make in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
The top 10% of bartenders in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area earn at least $78,840 a year. The top 25% earn $71,920 or more.
What is the starting pay for bartenders in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $26,910 a year, and a quarter of bartenders earn $31,840 or less.
How many bartenders work in Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC?
About 2,860 bartenders are employed in the Virginia Beach-Chesapeake-Norfolk, VA-NC metro area, not counting the self-employed.