Bartenders Salary in Portland, OR (2024)
Bartenders in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area earn a median of $36,240 per year ($17.42 per hour) based on 6,900 jobs counted by the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2024. That is +8.1% against the national median of $33,530 for this occupation.
Pay distribution
The median is a single point on a wide curve. The table below shows where bartenders actually sit across the pay range in Portland, OR, from the bottom decile to the top.
| Percentile | Hourly | Annual | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $15.45 | $32,130 | |
| 25th percentile | $15.89 | $33,050 | |
| Median | $17.42 | $36,240 | half earn more, half earn less |
| 75th percentile | $22.03 | $45,830 | |
| 90th percentile | $30.40 | $63,240 | |
| Average (mean) | $21.24 | $44,170 |
How Portland, OR compares
The local median of $36,240 runs +8.1% above the US median of $33,530 for this occupation; it pays 38.6% less than the metro-wide median across all jobs ($59,040); within the metro it ranks 649th of 664 detailed occupations by median pay.
| Benchmark | Median annual | Difference |
|---|---|---|
| Portland, OR — this occupation | $36,240 | — |
| US median, same occupation (all areas) | $33,530 | +8.1% |
| Portland, OR — all occupations | $59,040 | -38.6% |
| Highest metro in the US for this job | $59,030 | -38.6% |
The location quotient of 1.18 is close to 1.0: the occupation's share of local employment tracks the national average.
High confidence The relative standard error on this estimate is 4.2%, which is a tight margin — the figure is stable enough to plan around.
Ranked 649th of 664 detailed occupations in the metro by median annual wage.
Highest-paying jobs in Portland, OR
To put $36,240 in context, these are the best-paid detailed occupations in the same metro area. This occupation sits 649th.
| Occupation | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| Dentists, General | $184,420 | 760 |
| Pediatricians, General | $181,990 | 600 |
| Computer and Information Systems Managers | $178,210 | — |
| Judges, Magistrate Judges, and Magistrates | $174,100 | 130 |
| Architectural and Engineering Managers | $170,410 | — |
| Medical Dosimetrists | $170,220 | 30 |
| Pharmacists | $169,520 | 2,420 |
| Computer and Information Research Scientists | $169,510 | 650 |
| Marketing Managers | $165,000 | 4,440 |
| Lawyers | $161,420 | 5,600 |
Where bartenders earn the most
Across the 25 metro areas with released data for this occupation, medians run from $24,930 to $59,030. These are the top markets.
| Metro area | Median annual | Employment |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | $59,030 | 37,530 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | $50,070 | 15,110 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $49,490 | 10,870 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | $45,390 | 9,530 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | $38,730 | 7,190 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $38,430 | 11,590 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $36,260 | 15,700 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | $36,240 | 6,900 |
| Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL | $36,140 | 9,360 |
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia, NC-SC | $35,990 | 5,880 |
See the full national picture on the Bartenders salary by metro page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the median salary for bartenders in Portland, OR?
The median annual wage is $36,240, or $17 per hour. That means half of the bartenders working in the Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA metro area earn more than this figure and half earn less. The average is $44,170.
What do the highest and lowest paid bartenders in Portland, OR earn?
The bottom 10% earn $32,130 or less, while the top 10% earn $63,240 or more — a spread of $31,110 between the two ends of the distribution. The middle half of workers sit between $33,050 and $45,830.
Is bartenders pay in Portland, OR above the local average?
Yes, it is 38.6% below the all-occupation median for the metro, which is $59,040. That comparison is the fairer one for judging local purchasing power, because it holds the metro's overall cost and wage level constant.
How does Portland, OR pay compare with the rest of the US for this job?
At $36,240 the metro median is 8.1% higher than the US median of $33,530 for bartenders. Across the 25 metro areas covered here, this occupation ranges from $24,930 to $59,030.
How many bartenders work in Portland, OR?
BLS counts about 6,900 people in this occupation in the metro area, or 5.68 jobs per 1,000 total jobs. The location quotient of 1.18 is close to 1.0: the occupation's share of local employment tracks the national average.
About these figures
Figures come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) survey for 2024 (employment relative standard error 8.4%). OEWS measures what employers pay, not what any individual earns; it excludes self-employed workers, and it does not adjust for local cost of living.
Read the full methodology, or the original data at bls.gov/oes.