State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
Baker Salary (2026): Data, Outlook & How to Become One
The median pay for Bakers is $37,160 a year ($17.86/hr), according to BLS OEWS, May 2025. Employment is projected to grow 5.6% through 2034, with about 39,900 openings a year (BLS EP, 2024–2034). Typical entry-level education: No formal educational credential.
SOC 51-3011ProductionLast updated August 15, 2026
- Median pay
- $37,160
- Projected growth
- +5.6%
- Openings a year
- 39,900
- Typical education
- No formal credential
BLS OEWS, May 2025
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
BLS EP, 2024–2034
Also advertised as: Baker, Cake Decorator, Dough Mixer, Mixer, Pastry Chef, Scaler.
How much do Bakers make?
10th percentile$28,120
Entry / lowest-paid tenth
25th percentile$32,660
Lower quartile
Median (50th)$37,160
Half earn more, half earn less
75th percentile$44,360
Upper quartile
90th percentile$49,020
Top-paid tenth
| Median annual wage | $37,160 |
|---|---|
| Median hourly wage | $17.86/hr |
| Mean annual wage | $38,480 |
| People employed | 236,200 |
Versus all US occupations
At $37,160, Bakers earn 27% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $13,820 a year.
Versus production occupations
Inside the Production group, where the middle occupation pays $47,920, this is 22% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $49,020 or more while the bottom 10% earn $28,120, a gap of 1.7×. That is a narrow spread, so experience and employer move pay less than in most occupations.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 6% of the 923 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Hawaii posts the highest raw median ($46,710), but once local prices are taken into account South Dakota leads at $43,280 in national-average dollars.
Which states pay Bakers the most?
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $46,710 | $42,483 | 1,580 |
| Washington | $46,140 | $43,116 | 6,270 |
| District of Columbia | $44,040 | $40,072 | 1,270 |
| California | $43,120 | $38,945 | 30,020 |
| Colorado | $40,650 | $39,446 | 4,680 |
| Minnesota | $40,210 | $40,772 | 2,660 |
| Wyoming | $40,000 | $43,154 | 240 |
| Vermont | $39,980 | $40,813 | 580 |
| Alaska | $39,710 | $38,795 | 430 |
| Nevada | $39,540 | $39,548 | 2,040 |
Is Baker a growing career?
Bakers5.6%
All US occupations3.1%
+5.6% projected growth vs 3.1% for all occupations.
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Bakers to change 5.6% over 2024–2034, against 3.1% projected for all occupations. That is 14,000 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 39,900 openings are projected each year, 16.0% of the 249,100 jobs that existed in 2024. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Many of those openings are expected to result from the need to replace workers who transfer to different occupations or exit the labor force, such as to retire.
Baked goods, including cereals, breads, and snacks, remain a major part of the daily diet for many people and are often valued for their convenience. Population and income growth are expected to result in greater demand for a variety of commercial and retail specialty baked goods, including cupcakes, pies, and cakes.
As a result, more bakers are expected to be needed in food manufacturing and retail establishments that make and sell baked goods.
How to become a Baker
Bakers typically need no formal educational credential to enter the occupation; however, employers may prefer or require that candidates have a high school diploma, and some candidates choose to attend a technical or culinary school. Bakers typically learn their skills through on-the-job training, which may include participating in an apprenticeship program.
| Typical entry-level education | No formal educational credential |
|---|---|
| Preparation needed (O*NET job zone) | Little or no preparation |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as bakers.
- High School Diploma57.5%
- Less than a High School Diploma25.0%
- Some College Courses9.5%
- Post-Secondary Certificate8.1%
What does a Baker do?
Mix and bake ingredients to produce breads, rolls, cookies, cakes, pies, pastries, or other baked goods.
Bakers mix ingredients according to recipes in order to make breads, pastries, and other baked goods.
Day-to-day tasks
- Place dough in pans, molds, or on sheets, and bake in production ovens or on grills.
- Set oven temperatures, and place items into hot ovens for baking.
- Check products for quality, and identify damaged or expired goods.
- Observe color of products being baked, and adjust oven temperatures, humidity, or conveyor speeds accordingly.
- Check equipment to ensure that it meets health and safety regulations, and perform maintenance or cleaning, as necessary.
- 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.
- Check the quality of raw materials to ensure that standards and specifications are met.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Where bakers work
| Bakeries and tortilla manufacturing | 32% |
|---|---|
| Grocery and specialty food retailers | 24% |
| Self-employed workers | 6% |
| Special food services | 2% |
BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2024–2034 edition.
Core skills
- Monitoring3.3/5
- Active Listening3.0/5
- Speaking3.0/5
- Critical Thinking3.0/5
- Active Learning3.0/5
- Reading Comprehension2.9/5
- Writing2.3/5
- Mathematics2.3/5
Transferable skills
- Coordination3.0/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.0/5
- Time Management3.0/5
- Operations Monitoring2.9/5
- Quality Control Analysis2.9/5
- Social Perceptiveness2.8/5
- Service Orientation2.5/5
- Complex Problem Solving2.3/5
Tools and software
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Desktop publishing software
- Electronic mail software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Internet browser software
- Inventory management software
- Materials requirements planning logistics and supply chain software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
What personality type suits a Baker?
Interest profile: O*NET Occupational Interests, scored 1–7
Realisticprimary6.3
Investigative1.7
Artistic2.4
Social1.7
Enterprising2.1
Conventionalprimary4.2
Day to day this is work built around hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Baker: frequently asked questions
How much do Bakers make?
Bakers earn a median of $37,160 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 27% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $17.86/hr. The middle half earn between $32,660 and $44,360. The top 10% earn $49,020 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Baker?
No. BLS lists no formal educational credential as the typical entry requirement for Bakers, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as little or no preparation. BLS also lists moderate-term on-the-job training as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 57.5% hold high school diploma.
Is Baker a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.6% over 2024–2034, faster than the 3.1% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2024–2034). BLS still projects about 39,900 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Baker do?
Bakers mix ingredients according to recipes in order to make breads, pastries, and other baked goods. A core O*NET task: place dough in pans, molds, or on sheets, and bake in production ovens or on grills. Employers most often ask for Office suite software, Presentation software, Spreadsheet software.
Which states pay Bakers the most?
The highest state medians for Bakers are Hawaii ($46,710), Washington ($46,140), District of Columbia ($44,040) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, South Dakota moves to the top at $43,280.
What personality type suits a Baker?
O*NET scores Bakers highest on the Realistic and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes hands-on, practical work with tools, machines or the outdoors with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISTJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 923 occupations in the bank.