Head bartender vs barkeep

The differences between head bartenders and barkeeps can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a head bartender and a barkeep. Additionally, a head bartender has an average salary of $89,366, which is higher than the $28,654 average annual salary of a barkeep.

The top three skills for a head bartender include customer service, wine and bartending. The most important skills for a barkeep are professional customer service, POS, and bartending.

Head bartender vs barkeep overview

	Head Bartender	Barkeep
Yearly salary	$89,366	$28,654
Hourly rate	$42.96	$13.78
Growth rate	18%	18%
Number of jobs	34,561	25,046
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 50%	Bachelor's Degree, 50%
Average age	34	34
Years of experience	2	2

Head bartender vs barkeep salary

Head bartenders and barkeeps have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Head Bartender	Barkeep
Average salary	$89,366	$28,654
Salary range	Between $47,000 And $168,000	Between $21,000 And $37,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between head bartender and barkeep education

There are a few differences between a head bartender and a barkeep in terms of educational background:

	Head Bartender	Barkeep
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 50%	Bachelor's Degree, 50%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Head bartender vs barkeep demographics

Here are the differences between head bartenders' and barkeeps' demographics:

	Head Bartender	Barkeep
Average age	34	34
Gender ratio	Male, 49.5% Female, 50.5%	Male, 71.0% Female, 29.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 6.1% Hispanic or Latino, 19.9% Asian, 3.7% White, 64.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 5.8% Unknown, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 18.2% Asian, 3.7% White, 65.2% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between head bartender and barkeep duties and responsibilities

Head bartender example responsibilities.

Direct bartending operations and manage inventory for the bar area.
Manage payroll and timekeeping including completion of proper paperwork for new hires and terminations.
Input data for POS systems, including monthly inventory, and maintaining all POS systems.
Certify trainer, responsible for weekly bar inventory for restaurant purchases, highly focuse on upselling.
Handle all POS operations, including starting tabs, handling cash, closing the drawer, and accounting for all transactions.
Boost revenue significantly by upselling signature drinks.

Barkeep example responsibilities.

Provide seamless beverage service, managing inventory and operating POS terminal.
Perform all duties of bartending.
Direct bartending operations, overseeing seamless beverage service inventory management, and customer service.
Hire and train new employees in reservation management, facility cleanliness, and bookkeeping supporting daily routine operations.
Clean, prepare and re-stock stations in support of the restaurant and co-workers.

Head bartender vs barkeep skills

Common head bartender skills

Customer Service, 19%
Wine, 18%
Bartending, 10%
Non-Alcoholic Beverages, 6%
Craft Beer, 6%
POS, 6%

Common barkeep skills

Professional Customer Service, 49%
POS, 26%
Bartending, 25%

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Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Head Bartender
Head Bartender vs Barkeep

Updated January 8, 2025

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