No one knows how much bartenders make more than me. I spend plenty with them and tip well enough to figure that they must be doing pretty well. I never figured they were doing six figures well, but again, it's not surprising. It's not unusual to see an old, career bartender who has made a very good living at the craft. The thing is that it's not for everyone. Not everyone can handle the intensity and hard work of being a bartender.
Tips are where you're going to find your real money, and to get good tips you need to not only be good at making the drinks, but also good at interpersonal skills. People need to like you, and it needs to seem like you like them. That's definitely not a skill everyone has. The tip and wage take home payroll can be anywhere from $45,000 to $73,000. It's even possible to bring in $100,000 per year.