Best states for a restaurant/bar manager

Q: What is the best state for restaurant/bar managers?

The best state to be a restaurant/bar manager is New Jersey based on restaurant/bar manager salaries and job opportunities.

Q: What is the highest paying state for restaurant/bar managers?

The highest paying state for restaurant/bar managers is Tennessee based on Zippia’s salary database.

Q: What is the worst state for restaurant/bar managers?

The worst state for restaurant/bar managers is South Dakota, due to a combination of low salaries and few job opportunities.

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It seems like restaurant/bar managers are becoming more and more common across America. But working conditions and demand for restaurant/bar managers aren't the same everywhere in the U.S. Our research shows that New Jersey is the best state in the country for restaurant/bar managers.

To do that, we looked at the most recent data we have available for the following criteria -- average annual wages, and availability of jobs for restaurant/bar managers.If you are currently seeking employment as a restaurant/bar manager, you can find open job positions using Zippia's search tools.

10 best states for restaurant/bar managers in 2026

1. New Jersey
Total restaurant/bar manager jobs: 1,693
Average annual salary: $66,416
Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $94,000
Location Quotient:
0.8
Restaurant/bar manager jobs in New Jersey
2. Pennsylvania
Total restaurant/bar manager jobs: 3,558
Average annual salary: $55,520
Lowest 10 percent earn: $39,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $78,000
Location Quotient:
1.15
Restaurant/bar manager jobs in Pennsylvania
3. Rhode Island
Total restaurant/bar manager jobs: 210
Average annual salary: $66,635
Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $94,000
Location Quotient:
0.65
Restaurant/bar manager jobs in Rhode Island
4. New Hampshire
Total restaurant/bar manager jobs: 227
Average annual salary: $66,043
Lowest 10 percent earn: $46,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $93,000
Location Quotient:
0.49
Restaurant/bar manager jobs in New Hampshire
5. Maine
Total restaurant/bar manager jobs: 215
Average annual salary: $64,221
Lowest 10 percent earn: $45,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $90,000
Location Quotient:
0.61
Restaurant/bar manager jobs in Maine
6. Connecticut
Total restaurant/bar manager jobs: 604
Average annual salary: $60,511
Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $86,000
Location Quotient:
0.68
Restaurant/bar manager jobs in Connecticut
7. Alabama
Total restaurant/bar manager jobs: 1,184
Average annual salary: $52,956
Lowest 10 percent earn: $37,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $73,000
Location Quotient:
1.01
Restaurant/bar manager jobs in Alabama
8. New York
Total restaurant/bar manager jobs: 2,841
Average annual salary: $59,328
Lowest 10 percent earn: $41,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000
Location Quotient:
0.83
Restaurant/bar manager jobs in New York
9. Washington
Total restaurant/bar manager jobs: 1,483
Average annual salary: $58,695
Lowest 10 percent earn: $43,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $79,000
Location Quotient:
0.76
Restaurant/bar manager jobs in Washington
10. Massachusetts
Total restaurant/bar manager jobs: 1,685
Average annual salary: $59,860
Lowest 10 percent earn: $42,000
Highest 10 percent earn: $84,000
Location Quotient:
0.69
Restaurant/bar manager jobs in Massachusetts

Restaurant/bar manager jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a restaurant/bar manager

You can read about how the best state rankings are calculated here.

Detailed list of the best states for a restaurant/bar manager

Rank	State	Average salary	Lowest 10% earn	Population	Job count
1	New Jersey	$66,416	$46,000	9,005,644	1,693
2	Pennsylvania	$55,520	$39,000	12,805,537	3,558
3	Rhode Island	$66,635	$46,000	1,059,639	210
4	New Hampshire	$66,043	$46,000	1,342,795	227
5	Maine	$64,221	$45,000	1,335,907	215
6	Connecticut	$60,511	$42,000	3,588,184	604
7	Alabama	$52,956	$37,000	4,874,747	1,184
8	New York	$59,328	$41,000	19,849,399	2,841
9	Washington	$58,695	$43,000	7,405,743	1,483
10	Massachusetts	$59,860	$42,000	6,859,819	1,685
11	Nevada	$56,081	$40,000	2,998,039	403
12	Minnesota	$55,116	$40,000	5,576,606	1,624
13	Indiana	$52,827	$38,000	6,666,818	1,653
14	California	$59,098	$42,000	39,536,653	6,601
15	Delaware	$56,796	$39,000	961,939	247
16	Vermont	$58,518	$41,000	623,657	61
17	West Virginia	$49,646	$35,000	1,815,857	460
18	Maryland	$56,662	$39,000	6,052,177	1,691
19	Wisconsin	$54,061	$39,000	5,795,483	1,032
20	Virginia	$53,394	$37,000	8,470,020	2,782
21	Wyoming	$48,122	$36,000	579,315	234
22	Illinois	$50,995	$37,000	12,802,023	3,613
23	Michigan	$49,043	$35,000	9,962,311	2,126
24	Ohio	$48,131	$34,000	11,658,609	3,085
25	Arizona	$50,426	$36,000	7,016,270	1,478
26	Missouri	$48,828	$35,000	6,113,532	1,844
27	Utah	$49,451	$36,000	3,101,833	845
28	Louisiana	$50,156	$35,000	4,684,333	753
29	Idaho	$50,211	$37,000	1,716,943	376
30	Alaska	$53,493	$44,000	739,795	159
31	Georgia	$48,191	$34,000	10,429,379	3,172
32	Hawaii	$56,672	$45,000	1,427,538	165
33	Texas	$47,023	$33,000	28,304,596	6,998
34	Iowa	$46,453	$34,000	3,145,711	978
35	Oregon	$50,379	$36,000	4,142,776	804
36	Colorado	$48,983	$36,000	5,607,154	1,582
37	District of Columbia	$55,763	$39,000	693,972	217
38	Oklahoma	$45,872	$33,000	3,930,864	834
39	New Mexico	$49,023	$35,000	2,088,070	352
40	North Carolina	$44,072	$31,000	10,273,419	3,189
41	Arkansas	$42,817	$31,000	3,004,279	835
42	South Carolina	$42,981	$30,000	5,024,369	1,653
43	Florida	$43,749	$30,000	20,984,400	5,540
44	Kentucky	$42,838	$31,000	4,454,189	1,109
45	Nebraska	$46,273	$34,000	1,920,076	438
46	Montana	$44,116	$33,000	1,050,493	335
47	Kansas	$40,328	$29,000	2,913,123	937
48	Mississippi	$44,476	$31,000	2,984,100	368
49	North Dakota	$44,095	$33,000	755,393	163
50	Tennessee	$39,913	$29,000	6,715,984	1,532
51	South Dakota	$41,203	$31,000	869,666	154

Highest paying states for restaurant/bar managers

Rank	State	Avg. Restaurant/BAR Manager Salary
1	New Jersey	$66,416
2	Pennsylvania	$55,520
3	Rhode Island	$66,635
4	New Hampshire	$66,043
5	Maine	$64,221
6	Connecticut	$60,511
7	Alabama	$52,956
8	New York	$59,328
9	Washington	$58,695
10	Massachusetts	$59,860
11	Nevada	$56,081
12	Minnesota	$55,116
13	Indiana	$52,827
14	California	$59,098
15	Delaware	$56,796
16	Vermont	$58,518
17	West Virginia	$49,646
18	Maryland	$56,662
19	Wisconsin	$54,061
20	Virginia	$53,394
21	Wyoming	$48,122
22	Illinois	$50,995
23	Michigan	$49,043
24	Ohio	$48,131
25	Arizona	$50,426
26	Missouri	$48,828
27	Utah	$49,451
28	Louisiana	$50,156
29	Idaho	$50,211
30	Alaska	$53,493
31	Georgia	$48,191
32	Hawaii	$56,672
33	Texas	$47,023
34	Iowa	$46,453
35	Oregon	$50,379
36	Colorado	$48,983
37	District of Columbia	$55,763
38	Oklahoma	$45,872
39	New Mexico	$49,023
40	North Carolina	$44,072
41	Arkansas	$42,817
42	South Carolina	$42,981
43	Florida	$43,749
44	Kentucky	$42,838
45	Nebraska	$46,273
46	Montana	$44,116
47	Kansas	$40,328
48	Mississippi	$44,476
49	North Dakota	$44,095
50	Tennessee	$39,913
51	South Dakota	$41,203

Best states for a restaurant/bar manager

10 best states for restaurant/bar managers in 2026

1. New Jersey

2. Pennsylvania

3. Rhode Island

4. New Hampshire

5. Maine

6. Connecticut

7. Alabama

8. New York

9. Washington

10. Massachusetts

Restaurant/bar manager jobsNear Columbus, OH

How Zippia determines the best states to be a restaurant/bar manager

Detailed list of the best states for a restaurant/bar manager

Highest paying states for restaurant/bar managers

Restaurant/bar manager best states FAQs

What is the best state for restaurant/bar managers?

What is the highest paying state for restaurant/bar managers?

What is the worst state for restaurant/bar managers?

Search for restaurant/bar manager jobs

Total restaurant/bar manager jobs:	1,693
Average annual salary:	$66,416
Lowest 10 percent earn:	$46,000
Highest 10 percent earn:	$94,000
Location Quotient:	0.8