Bartenders

Career Overview

Mix and serve drinks to patrons, directly or through waitstaff.

Also Known As

• Banquet Bartender
• Bar Captain
• Bartender
• Mixologist

Alternate Job Titles

• Banquet Bartender
• Bar Attendant
• Bar Captain
• Bar Tender
• Barkeep
• Barkeeper
• Barmaid
• Barman
• Bartender
• Catering Bartender
• Drink Mixer
• Event Bartender
• Mixologist
• Restaurant Bartender
• Service Bartender

What You'll Do

In this role, your typical responsibilities include:

• Clean glasses, utensils, and bar equipment.
• Collect money for drinks served.
• Balance cash receipts.
• Check identification of customers to verify age requirements for purchase of alcohol.
• Clean bars, work areas, and tables.
• Attempt to limit problems and liability related to customers' excessive drinking by taking steps such as persuading customers to stop drinking, or ordering taxis or other transportation for intoxicated patrons.
• Take beverage orders from serving staff or directly from patrons.

Emerging Responsibilities

As this field evolves, you may also:

• Provide customers with directions or answers to questions.

Knowledge You'll Use

You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:

• Customer and Personal Service
• English Language

Essential Skills

Success in this career requires strong skills in:

1. Active Listening
2. Service Orientation

Key Abilities

This career requires key abilities in:

• Oral Expression
• Oral Comprehension
• Information Ordering
• Speech Recognition
• Near Vision
• Manual Dexterity
• Arm-Hand Steadiness
• Speech Clarity
• Inductive Reasoning
• Trunk Strength

Work Style

People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:

• Social Orientation
• Dependability
• Self-Control
• Stress Tolerance
• Optimism

What Matters in This Career

This career tends to satisfy these work values:

• Relationships
• Independence
• Support
• Recognition
• Achievement

Education & Preparation

Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)

Related Work Experience Needed: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years

On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month

Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.

Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.

Technology You'll Use

Popular Technologies & Software

• Facebook
• Microsoft Outlook

Tools & Equipment

• 2-prong strainers
• 3-piece cocktail shakers
• 4-piece cocktail shakers
• 4-prong strainers
• Bar spoons
• Barcode scanners
• Beverage machines
• Blenders
• Breathalyzers
• Cash registers
• Cocktail shakers
• Cocktail strainers
• Credit card processing machines
• Desktop computers
• Draught foam control devices

Work Environment

• Contact With Others
• Spend Time Standing
• Deal With External Customers or the Public in General
• Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
• Physical Proximity

Salary & Job Market

Salary Percentile	Annual Wage
Entry-Level (10th percentile)	$19,930
Median	$33,530
Top Earners (90th percentile)	$71,920

Workers Employed Nationally: 745,610

Related Careers

If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:

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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.