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Cocktail server salary
Average cocktail server salary
$12.59
Understanding Cocktail Server Salaries
The average salary for a cocktail server in the United States is approximately $26,178 per year, which translates to about $13 per hour. However, this figure can vary significantly based on factors such as location, experience, and the establishment type. For instance, cocktail servers in upscale venues often earn higher tips, boosting their overall income.
State-by-State Salary Breakdown
In states like California and New York, cocktail servers can earn considerably more than the national average due to higher demand and cost of living. Understanding these regional differences is crucial for those considering a career in this field. For example, in California, the average salary can exceed $30,000, while in lower-demand states, it may fall below the national average.
Career Advancement Opportunities
As cocktail servers gain experience, they may have the opportunity to transition into supervisory roles or management positions, which typically offer higher salaries. Additionally, networking within the industry can lead to job openings in renowned establishments, further enhancing earning potential.
Overall, becoming a cocktail server can be a rewarding entry point into the hospitality industry, with ample opportunities for growth and increased earnings.
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Where can a Cocktail Server earn more?
Cocktail server salary estimates from across the web
Average cocktail server salary by state
The highest-paying states for cocktail servers are Washington, California, and Massachusetts. The lowest average cocktail server salary states are Alabama, Louisiana, and Indiana.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for cocktail servers
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arizona | $27,583 | $13.26 |
| 2 | Colorado | $27,219 | $13.09 |
| 3 | California | $32,843 | $15.79 |
| 4 | Washington | $35,490 | $17.06 |
| 5 | Massachusetts | $31,266 | $15.03 |
| 6 | Connecticut | $29,193 | $14.04 |
| 7 | Maryland | $28,786 | $13.84 |
| 8 | District of Columbia | $34,728 | $16.70 |
| 9 | Vermont | $29,546 | $14.20 |
| 10 | Texas | $24,781 | $11.91 |
| 11 | New York | $28,991 | $13.94 |
| 12 | Michigan | $23,467 | $11.28 |
| 13 | Maine | $26,175 | $12.58 |
| 14 | Minnesota | $26,293 | $12.64 |
| 15 | Kansas | $23,486 | $11.29 |
| 16 | Missouri | $23,396 | $11.25 |
| 17 | West Virginia | $22,680 | $10.90 |
| 18 | Illinois | $24,777 | $11.91 |
| 19 | Oregon | $26,921 | $12.94 |
| 20 | Rhode Island | $25,828 | $12.42 |
| 21 | Kentucky | $22,392 | $10.77 |
| 22 | South Carolina | $22,947 | $11.03 |
| 23 | Ohio | $22,697 | $10.91 |
| 24 | Delaware | $25,042 | $12.04 |
| 25 | Florida | $23,359 | $11.23 |
| 26 | Pennsylvania | $23,505 | $11.30 |
| 27 | Georgia | $23,199 | $11.15 |
| 28 | New Hampshire | $23,674 | $11.38 |
| 29 | North Carolina | $22,786 | $10.95 |
| 30 | Wyoming | $21,744 | $10.45 |
| 31 | Nevada | $21,958 | $10.56 |
| 32 | Virginia | $23,299 | $11.20 |
| 33 | North Dakota | $23,368 | $11.23 |
| 34 | Idaho | $22,239 | $10.69 |
| 35 | New Mexico | $22,427 | $10.78 |
| 36 | Hawaii | $28,049 | $13.49 |
| 37 | New Jersey | $22,402 | $10.77 |
| 38 | Wisconsin | $21,639 | $10.40 |
| 39 | Iowa | $21,046 | $10.12 |
| 40 | Arkansas | $21,060 | $10.13 |
| 41 | Indiana | $19,578 | $9.41 |
| 42 | Oklahoma | $20,260 | $9.74 |
| 43 | Alaska | $23,036 | $11.07 |
| 44 | Louisiana | $19,584 | $9.42 |
| 45 | Montana | $19,377 | $9.32 |
| 46 | Alabama | $19,869 | $9.55 |
| 47 | Mississippi | $19,129 | $9.20 |
| 48 | South Dakota | $21,127 | $10.16 |
| 49 | Tennessee | $18,112 | $8.71 |
| 50 | Utah | $20,533 | $9.87 |
| 51 | Nebraska | $20,594 | $9.90 |
Highest paying cities for cocktail servers
The highest-paying cities for cocktail servers are Seattle, WA, Washington, DC, and San Francisco, CA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $35,439 | $17.04 |
| 2 | Washington, DC | $34,719 | $16.69 |
| 3 | San Francisco, CA | $32,932 | $15.83 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $31,261 | $15.03 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $29,041 | $13.96 |
| 6 | Phoenix, AZ | $27,666 | $13.30 |
| 7 | Colorado Springs, CO | $27,263 | $13.11 |
| 8 | Portland, OR | $26,801 | $12.89 |
| 9 | Minneapolis, MN | $26,256 | $12.62 |
| 10 | Portland, ME | $26,118 | $12.56 |
| 11 | San Antonio, TX | $24,882 | $11.96 |
| 12 | Chicago, IL | $24,716 | $11.88 |
| 13 | Philadelphia, PA | $23,551 | $11.32 |
| 14 | Saint Louis, MO | $23,446 | $11.27 |
| 15 | Arlington, VA | $23,390 | $11.25 |
| 16 | Orlando, FL | $23,376 | $11.24 |
| 17 | Atlanta, GA | $23,216 | $11.16 |
| 18 | Chapel Hill, NC | $22,846 | $10.98 |
| 19 | Cleveland, OH | $22,726 | $10.93 |
| 20 | Santa Fe, NM | $22,354 | $10.75 |
Cocktail server salary details
A cocktail server's salary ranges from $16,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $42,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a cocktail server's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $42,000 | $3,500 | $20 |
| 75th Percentile | $33,000 | $2,750 | $16 |
| Average | $26,178 | $2,182 | $13 |
| 25th Percentile | $20,000 | $1,667 | $10 |
| 10th Percentile | $16,000 | $1,333 | $8 |
Highest paying cocktail server jobs
The highest paying types of cocktail servers are caterer/server, bartender server, and fine dining server.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waitress | $24,770 | $2,064 | $11.91 | 87,315 |
| Server And Hostess | $28,020 | $2,335 | $13.47 | 97,109 |
| Server/Barista | $30,749 | $2,562 | $14.78 | 173,073 |
| Fine Dining Server | $32,140 | $2,678 | $15.45 | 77,549 |
| Dining Room Server | $29,540 | $2,462 | $14.20 | 99,079 |
| Bartender Server | $32,591 | $2,716 | $15.67 | 106,784 |
Top companies hiring cocktail servers now:
Which companies pay cocktail servers the most?
Cocktail server salaries at Aspen Snowmass and Spectrum are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average cocktail server salary at companies like Jeff Ruby and TravelCenters of America are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Aspen Snowmass | $46,495 | $22.35 |
| 2 | Spectrum | $38,941 | $18.72 |
| 3 | Jeff Ruby | $37,613 | $18.08 |
| 4 | TravelCenters of America | $33,415 | $16.06 |
| 5 | Nomad Health | $32,950 | $15.84 |
| 6 | The Magazi Inc | $32,455 | $15.60 |
| 7 | Cypress | $31,586 | $15.19 |
| 8 | Erickson Senior Living | $31,568 | $15.18 |
| 9 | Columbia Country Club | $30,356 | $14.59 |
| 10 | Glenwood Oaks | $29,950 | $14.40 |
| 11 | Cherokee Nation Businesses | $27,881 | $13.40 |
| 12 | Bertucci's | $27,873 | $13.40 |
| 13 | HEI Hotels & Resorts | $27,679 | $13.31 |
| 14 | Rochambeau | $27,464 | $13.20 |
| 15 | Mexican Restaurants | $27,317 | $13.13 |
| 16 | The Point Casino & Hotel | $27,281 | $13.12 |
| 17 | Black Angus Steakhouse | $27,252 | $13.10 |
| 18 | Feather Falls Casino | $27,160 | $13.06 |
| 19 | Benchmark Hospitally | $27,125 | $13.04 |
| 20 | Suquamish Clearwater Casino Resort | $26,766 | $12.87 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Cocktail server salary trends
The average cocktail server salary has risen by $5,701 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average cocktail server earned $20,477 annually, but today, they earn $26,178 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for cocktail servers over the last decade.
Compare cocktail server salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average cocktail server salary over time
Compare cocktail server salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Cocktail server salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $26,200 | $12.59 | +3.6% |
| 2024 | $25,200 | $12.13 | +4.8% |
| 2023 | $24,000 | $11.55 | +4.4% |
| 2022 | $23,000 | $11.04 | +4.0% |
| 2021 | $22,000 | $10.60 | +3.7% |
Recently added cocktail server salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma | Cocktail Server Center Bar Choctaw Landing | Broken Bow, OK | 06/29/2025 | $14,609 |
| Hilton | Cocktail Server, John T's Lounge-Hilton Orlando Lake Buena Vista | Orlando, FL | 06/27/2025 | $18,783 |
| Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino | Cocktail Server-SVC Bar-Seasonal | Atlantic City, NJ | 06/26/2025 | $24,001 |
| Landry's | Cocktail Server (Upscale/Fine Dining) | Thousand Oaks, CA | 06/26/2025 | $34,436 |
| Landry's | Cocktail Server (Seasonal) | Atlantic City, NJ | 06/26/2025 | $24,001 |
| Landry's | Cocktail Server SAN Luis Hotel | Galveston, TX | 06/26/2025 | $12,522 |
| Live Nation Entertainment Inc. | Cocktail Server | Sacramento, CA | 06/25/2025 | $34,436 |
| Compass Group USA Inc. | Loft Cocktail Server | Chicago, IL | 06/25/2025 | $24,209 |
| Legends Bay Casino | Cocktail Server | Sparks, NV | 06/24/2025 | $25,044 |
| Hilton Worldwide | Cocktail Server, AJI Bar and Robata-Signia By Hilton SAN Jose | San Jose, CA | 06/21/2025 | $39,027 |
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