Bakers: Career Overview
Mix and bake ingredients to produce breads, rolls, cookies, cakes, pies, pastries, or other baked goods.
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What Do Bakers Do?
The core tasks performed by bakers include:
- Check products for quality, and identify damaged or expired goods.
- Set oven temperatures, and place items into hot ovens for baking.
- Combine measured ingredients in bowls of mixing, blending, or cooking machinery.
- Place dough in pans, molds, or on sheets, and bake in production ovens or on grills.
- Set time and speed controls for mixing machines, blending machines, or steam kettles so that ingredients will be mixed or cooked according to instructions.
- Measure or weigh flour or other ingredients to prepare batters, doughs, fillings, or icings, using scales or graduated containers.
- Observe color of products being baked, and adjust oven temperatures, humidity, or conveyor speeds accordingly.
- Check the quality of raw materials to ensure that standards and specifications are met.
What Bakers Need to Know
Successful bakers combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Related Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Bagel Maker
- Baker
- Bakery Associate
- Bakery Clerk
- Bakery Team Member
- Bread Baker
- Cake Decorator
- Donut Maker
How Many Bakers Are There?
There are roughly 170,551 bakers working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +0.8% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Bakers Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $41,467 |
| Hourly median | $19.94 |
| 10th percentile | $27,281 |
| 25th percentile | $34,374 |
| 75th percentile | $48,560 |
| 90th percentile | $55,653 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
How Much Do Bakers Make in Different U.S. States?
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $42,690 |
| New York | $39,890 |
| California | $39,570 |
| Vermont | $39,520 |
| Colorado | $39,430 |
| District of Columbia | $39,090 |
| Massachusetts | $38,800 |
| North Dakota | $38,700 |
| Hawaii | $38,690 |
| Minnesota | $38,640 |
| New Hampshire | $38,150 |
| Arizona | $37,940 |
| Delaware | $37,370 |
| Nevada | $37,080 |
| Maine | $36,950 |
| Oregon | $36,880 |
| Connecticut | $36,880 |
| South Dakota | $36,850 |
| Wyoming | $36,810 |
| Illinois | $36,770 |
| New Jersey | $36,650 |
| Wisconsin | $36,620 |
| Florida | $36,580 |
| Alaska | $36,560 |
| Iowa | $36,460 |
| Indiana | $36,350 |
| Maryland | $36,220 |
| Idaho | $36,010 |
| Rhode Island | $35,930 |
| Michigan | $35,730 |
| Montana | $35,720 |
| Utah | $35,490 |
| Pennsylvania | $34,710 |
| South Carolina | $34,590 |
| North Carolina | $34,430 |
| Kentucky | $34,040 |
| New Mexico | $34,010 |
| Missouri | $33,790 |
| Nebraska | $33,740 |
| Tennessee | $33,280 |
| Kansas | $33,190 |
| Texas | $33,030 |
| Georgia | $33,000 |
| Virginia | $32,970 |
| Alabama | $31,610 |
| Ohio | $31,470 |
| Mississippi | $30,620 |
| Oklahoma | $30,250 |
| Arkansas | $29,340 |
| Louisiana | $28,930 |
| West Virginia | $28,740 |
| Puerto Rico | $21,110 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Earnings for bakers vary by region. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $39,516 | 19.8% | 1.19 |
| New England | $37,835 | 5.1% | 1.13 |
| Middle Atlantic | $37,466 | 16.7% | 1.14 |
| Rocky Mountains | $37,123 | 4.7% | 1.23 |
| Plains States | $35,729 | 5.2% | 0.79 |
| Great Lakes | $35,085 | 14.7% | 1.07 |
| Southeast | $33,904 | 22.5% | 0.94 |
| Southwest | $33,859 | 10.3% | 0.83 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Bakers
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $45,620 | 5,360 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | HI | $45,240 | 170 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $45,170 | 3,100 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $44,350 | 1,350 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | WA | $44,270 | 150 |
| Wenatchee-East Wenatchee, WA | WA | $43,490 | 80 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | WA | $42,960 | 150 |
| Napa, CA | CA | $42,920 | 190 |
Industry Breakdown
The bulk of bakers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Manufacturing | 80,220 | $36,570 |
| Retail Trade | 73,240 | $37,170 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 66,410 | $35,780 |
| Wholesale Trade | 2,370 | $33,860 |
| Educational Services | 980 | $39,120 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 800 | $42,030 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 700 | $39,070 |
| Transportation and Warehousing | 330 | $39,640 |
Below are examples of industries where bakers work:
Tools and Technology
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for bakers is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Contact With Others
- Spend Time Standing
- Time Pressure
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
How to Become Bakers
Most bakers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This occupation sits in Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Similar Occupations
Similar Occupations
- Chefs and Head Cooks (Primary-Short)
- Cooks, Fast Food (Primary-Long)
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria (Primary-Long)
- Cooks, Restaurant (Primary-Short)
- Cooks, Short Order (Primary-Long)
- Food Preparation Workers (Primary-Long)
- Fast Food and Counter Workers (Supplemental)
- Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products (Supplemental)
Where to Study
Aspiring bakers often complete programs in:
Personal and Culinary Services
1 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 51-3011.00 (Bakers).
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