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What is a bar captain and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
2 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a bar captain. For example, did you know that they make an average of $16.6 an hour? That's $34,518 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 18% and produce 92,000 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreBar CaptainUS Average
Salary
2.7

Avg. Salary $34,518

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
9.1

Growth rate 18%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
5.3
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.76%

Asian 6.83%

Black or African American 11.14%

Hispanic or Latino 22.68%

Unknown 4.86%

White 53.73%

Gender

female 32.61%

male 67.39%

Age - 34
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 34
Stress level
9.1

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
5.0

Complexity level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work life balance
3.5

Work life balance is poor

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a bar captain

  1. Explore bar captain education requirements

    Most common bar captain degrees

    Bachelor's

    60.0 %

    Associate

    15.0 %

    High School Diploma

    15.0 %
  2. Start to develop specific bar captain skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Wine34.26%
    Bartending21.33%
    BARS11.90%
    Food Preparation10.28%
    Wine List6.86%
  3. Complete relevant bar captain training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New bar captains learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a bar captain based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real bar captain resumes.
  4. Research bar captain duties and responsibilities

    • Lead a platoon that earn numerous awards for jamming opposition force artillery nets and conducting counterattacks on opposition electronic warfare platoons.
    • Train new employees on all aspects of bartending, drink menu, customer service, and cash handling procedures.
    • Direct the installation, operation and maintenance of military radio and telecommunications assets for combat infantry units and fix telephone facilities.
    • Clean, prepare and re-stock stations in support of the restaurant and co-workers.
  5. Apply for bar captain jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a bar captain job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first bar captain job

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Average bar captain salary

The average bar captain salary in the United States is $34,518 per year or $17 per hour. Bar captain salaries range between $27,000 and $43,000 per year.

Average bar captain salary
$34,518 Yearly
$16.60 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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