Head bartender vs drink mixer

The differences between head bartenders and drink mixers 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 drink mixer. Additionally, a head bartender has an average salary of $89,366, which is higher than the $33,073 average annual salary of a drink mixer.

Head bartender vs drink mixer overview

	Head Bartender	Drink Mixer
Yearly salary	$89,366	$33,073
Hourly rate	$42.96	$15.90
Growth rate	18%	18%
Number of jobs	34,561	1,025
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 50%	High School Diploma, 43%
Average age	34	34
Years of experience	2	2

Head bartender vs drink mixer salary

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

	Head Bartender	Drink Mixer
Average salary	$89,366	$33,073
Salary range	Between $47,000 And $168,000	Between $24,000 And $45,000
Highest paying City	-	-
Highest paying state	-	-
Best paying company	-	-
Best paying industry	-	-

Differences between head bartender and drink mixer education

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

	Head Bartender	Drink Mixer
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 50%	High School Diploma, 43%
Most common major	Business	Journalism
Most common college	-	-

Head bartender vs drink mixer demographics

Here are the differences between head bartenders' and drink mixers' demographics:

	Head Bartender	Drink Mixer
Average age	34	34
Gender ratio	Male, 49.5% Female, 50.5%	Male, 47.4% Female, 52.6%
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, 4.0% Unknown, 6.2% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 3.2% White, 71.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between head bartender and drink mixer 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.

Drink mixer example responsibilities.

Have excellent math skills to gatherrequir ingredients to set specifications.
Assist QC with known product errors.

Head bartender vs drink mixer skills

Common head bartender skills

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

Common drink mixer skills

Head Bartender vs. similar jobs

Head Bartender related careers

Head Bartender related jobs

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Food Preparation and Restaurant Industry
Head Bartender
Head Bartender vs Drink Mixer

Updated January 8, 2025

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