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The differences between bartenders and bartender servers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a bartender and a bartender server. Additionally, a bartender server has an average salary of $32,591, which is higher than the $26,362 average annual salary of a bartender.
The top three skills for a bartender include wine, bartending and exceptional guest. The most important skills for a bartender server are bartending, POS, and non-alcoholic beverages.
| Bartender | Bartender Server | |
| Yearly salary | $26,362 | $32,591 |
| Hourly rate | $12.67 | $15.67 |
| Growth rate | 18% | 18% |
| Number of jobs | 57,518 | 106,784 |
| Job satisfaction | 4.67 | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Average age | 34 | 34 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A bartender is an expert in mixing and serving alcoholic or non-alcoholic beverages, either directly to customers at the bar or through waitstaff who place drink orders for dine-in or room customers. Bartenders should have a wide range of knowledge of drink recipes and be able to assess customers' needs and preferences to make recommendations. They should mix drinks accurately, quickly, and without waste. They are also responsible for checking the customers' identification to ensure they are of legal drinking age and monitor the level of their intoxication.
Bartender servers are employees who work in the restaurant's bar area. They are responsible for assembling customers' drink orders and serving these to customers. They should be sound drink mixers and must be familiar with cocktail combinations and other mixes. They should also know the ingredients of the restaurant's drinks and should be able to use alternatives should specific components be unavailable. Some bartender servers engage in flairtending, a way of mixing drinks that entertains the guests waiting for their drinks.
Bartenders and bartender servers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Bartender | Bartender Server | |
| Average salary | $26,362 | $32,591 |
| Salary range | Between $16,000 And $43,000 | Between $23,000 And $46,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Edmonds, WA |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | OTTO | Earth Fare |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a bartender and a bartender server in terms of educational background:
| Bartender | Bartender Server | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 45% | Bachelor's Degree, 44% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between bartenders' and bartender servers' demographics:
| Bartender | Bartender Server | |
| Average age | 34 | 34 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 39.7% Female, 60.3% | Male, 33.8% Female, 66.2% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 5.6% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 19.0% Asian, 3.7% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 5.9% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 18.4% Asian, 3.8% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |