Bartenders pay in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara

In Santa Maria-Santa Barbara (CA), the median pay for bartenders is $17.22 an hour ($35,810 a year). About 1,160 people work in this job there.

$17.22Median hourly pay
$34,660–$37,050Middle half of workers, yearly
1,160People in this job in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara (CA)

That is 4% higher than the U.S. median ($34,340). It is about the same as the California median ($36,220).

Pay range for bartenders in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara (CA)

Earns more thanHourlyYearly
10% of workers$16.50$34,320
25% of workers$16.66$34,660
Half of workers (median)$17.22$35,810
75% of workers$17.81$37,050
90% of workers$31.08$64,640

Bartenders pay in California metro areas

Metro areaMedian yearly payPeople in this job
San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara$42,2702,790
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont$39,67010,260
Napa$37,790580
Santa Rosa-Petaluma$37,6801,310
Vallejo$36,870450
Salinas$36,350830
San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad$36,2608,740
Santa Cruz-Watsonville$36,100560
Santa Maria-Santa Barbara (this page)$35,8101,160
San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles$35,630730
Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura$35,5901,270
Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim$35,51025,260
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom$35,5104,060
Hanford-Corcoran$35,240130
Modesto$35,100600
Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario$34,8406,360
Stockton-Lodi$34,770740
Merced$34,680180
El Centro$34,620130
Bakersfield-Delano$34,320830
Chico$34,320390
Fresno$34,3201,270
Redding$34,320250
Visalia$34,320420
Yuba City$34,320170

California unemployment rate: 5.1% (August 2026), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Education, experience and outlook for bartenders

  • Typical education to start: No formal educational credential (BLS)
  • Related work experience most have: 6 months to 1 year (O*NET)
  • Training on the job: Short-term on-the-job training (BLS)
  • Job outlook: +5% over ten years, faster than average · about 121,200 openings a year (BLS)

Related jobs in Santa Maria-Santa Barbara (CA)

JobMedian yearly pay
Fast Food and Counter Workers$42,940
Waiters and Waitresses$35,260
Cooks, Restaurant$43,340
First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers$47,320
Food Preparation Workers$38,470
Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers$35,110

Other job titles for this job

Banquet BartenderBar AttendantBar CaptainBar TenderBarkeepBarkeeperBarmaidBarmanBartenderCatering BartenderDrink MixerEvent Bartender

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Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates. Figures are for wage and salary workers and do not include the self-employed. The median is the middle wage: half earn more, half earn less. Other job titles: O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. JAI Bot has modified this information; USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.