Brewers

Salaries for those in the brewing business vary considerably based on several factors, including the exact position a person holds, the size of the brewery, its location, the popularity of its beer, and the length of time the brewery has been in business. Brewers running their own microbreweries or brewpubs, like any small business owner, may have very low take-home wages for several years as the business becomes established.

According to PayScale, the average hourly salary for a brewer in July 2024 was $17.48, or $36,358 annually. Including bonuses and profit sharing, annual pay ranged from $29,000 to $50,000 or more. PayScale indicated that head brewers made an average of $45,939 annually, with salaries ranging from $34,000 to $67,000 or more.

The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) states that in May 2023, food scientists (which is, essentially, what a brewer is) earned a median salary of $82,090, with the lowest paid 10 percent earning less than $48,480, and the highest paid 10 percent earning more than $135,430. The DOL also reports that separating, filtering, clarifying, precipitating, and still machine setters, operators, and tenders, which includes brewers, had annual earnings that ranged from less than $34,100 to $72,950 or more and a median annual wage of $48,120.

Benefits vary from business to business. Brewers running their own businesses must pay for benefits (health insurance, retirement plans, etc.) themselves. Brewers employed by breweries can generally expect health insurance and paid vacation time. Other benefits may include dental and eye care, life and disability insurance, and a pension plan. Many employers will pay for all or part of a brewer's training. A brewer's salary can increase by yearly bonuses or profit sharing if the brewery does well in the course of a year. Most brewers confess that the greatest benefit of their job is free beer.