Is Bartending a good job to pay your way through College?

Question

All my friends work at Clubs and pay their school fees with the money they make there. I know that bartending makes lots of money but that there are also those days where you dont make as much. I'm pretty good looking guy and I think as long as I save my money that I should be able to pay for school. Do bartenders often encounter days where they dont make that much??; Or do the days where they make A LOT of money make up for it???

Answer 1

I think that if you have the personality for it, but all means. I had a bartender friend who made $80,000 a year. Yes, he worked all weekend and he may have padded that amout but even so, that is still a lot.
BUT, he knew all of his customers, knew what they wanted w/o being asked, comped them drinks etc. He used to comp me all the time & the money I WOULD HAVE PAID, went straight into his tip jar.
Just don't let the late nights interfere with your classes/studying.

Answer 2

I'm not a bartender, but my son went to bartender's school in the summer just before college started and bartended pretty much through school. Your answer is, "It depends." My son bartended at Marriott's hotels and his tip money was pretty steady, but sometimes made a big chunk of money when high rollers were in town for a convention. Some conventioneers are cheap and poor tippers, so once again, it depends. Bartending is another option in your bag of skills. My son ended up getting an offer as an assistant hospitality manager before all was said and done.

Answer 3

It is a sufficient way to make money if they are good. It also depends on where you work. I think clubs are the best, because you should get a tip every time (in theory). If you make 1000 drinks in a night, and you get at least .50 per drink, that is a good chunk of change. My friend is a bartender and he has had nights where he only made a couple hundred. And then there was New Years Eve where he went home with $2200! I say go for it!

Answer 4

I bartender for a awhile after my divorce. I made almost 3 times as much as at my old job. I made $8 per hour, plus tips of about $300-400 per week. I worked in a really small town. There are slow days when you won't make as much, but then there are busy days (like Fri. night) when you'll make a ton of tips, it will definately make up for the slower days. I averaged $17 per hour on weeknights and $25 per hour on weekends. I think it's a great way to work thru college.

Answer 5

Depends on where you get hired. If you're hired at a club/bar with a good reputation that is always busy, yes you'll probably make good money. Hotel bartenders do not tend to make that much. In a smaller, more intimate neighborhood bar setting you'll not make the salary but you might make better tips. Your tips and how much you make will also rely on how good you are (not how good looking you are). Good luck but remember (okay here's the mom in me), bartending late nights may wreak havoc on your study habits.

Answer 6

i work as a bartender and i'm in college too

sometimes on school nights your still working at 2am. i get a fixed rate of 9 euro per hour which works out to be 50 euro a night. I wouldn't change it for the world though!! pretty good pay and such a laugh!

Answer 7

The great days make up for the bad tip days. You could pay cash for your college and you learn a lot while bartending (working under pressure, multi-tasking, reading people, etc.)

I worked in restaurants and bars for 6 years and the smart people saved their tip money and DID NOT take the tip money out on the town and then be broke the next day. I only watched one co-worker "become" an alcoholic, he would have become an alcoholic even if he didn't work in a bar. We couldn't drink in our bar.

Answer 8

You have to have a great personality. Many people go out to bars for the social life, and that may end up being you if you're behind the bar. The more you listen/interact, the more you'll make.

Just ask at the places you'll be applying. It really depends on the area, the clientele, and the season.

The only problem is, like you said, you never know if you'll have a great night or a crappy one. The real key is getting regular customers who come back just for the great service. Then the tips really add up.

Answer 9

Bartenders make good money. However, you must be careful not to become an alcoholic yourself--I've seen that happen to some friends.

Answer 10

yeah not only do they make good money they make easy mony like about $700 or $800 a week, now i know that cause i knew a bartender and he worked at Bennigans, thats just a restaurant now imagine a club... ppl leave tips and good ones too, so go ahead and be one just dont get to cocky with ur money...j/p bye :o)