Side-by-side distribution
Bartender
$16.90/hr
per hour · USD
- Disclosing
- 28.2%
- Live roles
- 1,064
Chef
$56,500
median · per year, annualized USD
- Disclosing
- 24.7%
- Live roles
- 2,110
Highest-paying jobs
Seasonal Bartender
Bartender - Part Time
Bartender
Bartender
Kai Bar - Bartender
Seasonal Bartender (May to October 2026)
Seasonal Bartender (May - October 2026)
Banquet Bartender
Bartender - Flex
Combination Bartender/Server - Casual
Highest-paying jobs
Chef de Cuisine - Bluebird Restaurant
Chef principal des essais cliniques, IQVIA Biotech/Senior Clinical Trial Manager, IQVIA Biotech
Executive Chef - EC
Executive Chef
Executive Sous Chef
Chef d’équipe des données (Data Team Lead)
Executive Chef - Little Beach House Malibu
Executive Chef
Chef d'équipe données senior, Senior Data Team Lead
Senior Executive Sous Chef
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
Pyramid Global Hospitality
|
$24,419 | 44 |
ASM Global
|
$35,152 | 33 |
Dave & Buster's
|
$21,455 | 16 |
|
Soho House & Co.
|
$42,803 | 15 |
| AG Arcis Golf | $48,308 | 12 |
JOEY Restaurants
|
$37,336 | 12 |
Stonebridge Companies
|
$32,240 | 11 |
Life Time
|
$34,320 | 10 |
Top companies hiring
| Company | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
DIG INN Chefs-In-Training
|
$36,400 | 65 |
Bupa
|
$41,218 | 37 |
|
Soho House & Co.
|
$45,666 | 34 |
|
JOEY Restaurants
|
$54,250 | 32 |
|
Pyramid Global Hospitality
|
$76,250 | 30 |
|
Four Seasons
|
$84,105 | 23 |
NEXDINE Hospitality
|
$70,000 | 21 |
DIG INN Restaurant Teams
|
$82,500 | 17 |
Chef salary by location
| Location | Median | Roles |
|---|---|---|
| Los Angeles | $82,000 | 7 |
| San Francisco | $76,250 | 4 |
| Denver | $76,250 | 4 |
| Chicago | $75,750 | 8 |
| Seattle | $75,000 | 3 |
| Austin | $75,000 | 3 |
| Atlanta | $67,500 | 4 |
| Toronto | $62,500 | 21 |
| London | $45,564 | 21 |
| New York | $40,560 | 54 |
Bartender vs Chef: which pays more?
The median for Bartender is $16.90/hr per year (typically $12.35/hr–$19.00/hr), versus $56,500 for Chef ($41,321–$75,000). That puts Chef about 61% ahead at the median.
Both figures are computed live from active listings on JobsRadar and normalized to annualized USD, so Bartender and Chef are compared on equal terms regardless of the currency each role was originally posted in. Only roles that publish a salary range feed the medians; numbers refresh every few hours as new roles post and older ones close, so this comparison reflects the market right now rather than a fixed survey. Use it as a directional benchmark when weighing one path against the other.