SalariesWhat the occupation covers
Mix and bake ingredients to produce breads, rolls, cookies, cakes, pies, pastries, or other baked goods. Pastry chefs in restaurants and hotels are included with “Chefs and Head Cooks” (35-1011).
Official definition from the Standard Occupational Classification, code 51-3011.
The pay range
Pay differs a lot inside one occupation, with experience, employer and place. The table shows where the lines fall.
| Share of workers | A year | A month* | A week* | An hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% earn less than | $28,120 | $2,343 | $541 | $13.52 |
| Lowest 25% earn less than | $32,660 | $2,722 | $628 | $15.70 |
| Median (half earn less, half more) | $37,160 | $3,097 | $715 | $17.86 |
| Top 25% earn more than | $44,360 | $3,697 | $853 | $21.33 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $49,020 | $4,085 | $943 | $23.57 |
* Month and week are the yearly figure divided by 12 and by 52, worked out here for convenience. BLS publishes the yearly and hourly figures.
How it compares
The median for all occupations in the United States was $50,980 a year. The median for Bakers is $37,160, which is 27% lower. Among the 105 occupations of the field Production, it ranks number 100 by median pay. With 236,200 jobs, it makes up about 15 of every 10,000 jobs in the country.
Bakers pay by state
The highest median pay was in Hawaii ($46,710), Washington ($46,140) and District of Columbia ($44,040). The lowest was in Puerto Rico ($22,170), Guam ($24,320) and Louisiana ($28,020). The most jobs were in California (30,020), Texas (16,710) and New York (15,130). The occupation is most concentrated in Virgin Islands, where its share of all jobs is 2.0 times the national share.
No state matches.
| State | Jobs | Median a year | Average a year | Median an hour |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | 1,580 | $46,710 | $48,390 | $22.46 |
| Washington | 6,270 | $46,140 | $46,720 | $22.18 |
| District of Columbia | 1,270 | $44,040 | $45,380 | $21.17 |
| California | 30,020 | $43,120 | $44,130 | $20.73 |
| Colorado | 4,680 | $40,650 | $43,240 | $19.55 |
| Minnesota | 2,660 | $40,210 | $42,120 | $19.33 |
| Wyoming | 240 | $40,000 | $40,930 | $19.23 |
| Vermont | 580 | $39,980 | $42,830 | $19.22 |
| Alaska | 430 | $39,710 | $44,070 | $19.09 |
| Nevada | 2,040 | $39,540 | $41,950 | $19.01 |
| New Hampshire | 880 | $39,500 | $41,210 | $18.99 |
| Oregon | 4,160 | $39,500 | $41,520 | $18.99 |
| New York | 15,130 | $38,660 | $42,010 | $18.59 |
| South Dakota | 330 | $38,340 | $39,050 | $18.43 |
| Rhode Island | 560 | $38,140 | $42,010 | $18.34 |
| Massachusetts | 6,070 | $38,130 | $41,280 | $18.33 |
| Arizona | 4,000 | $37,700 | $40,010 | $18.12 |
| Maine | 1,380 | $37,390 | $39,030 | $17.98 |
| Wisconsin | 4,930 | $37,310 | $38,740 | $17.94 |
| Iowa | 2,150 | $37,210 | $37,180 | $17.89 |
| Montana | 990 | $37,200 | $38,140 | $17.89 |
| Maryland | 2,740 | $37,040 | $40,120 | $17.81 |
| Illinois | 12,420 | $37,030 | $38,960 | $17.80 |
| New Jersey | 8,110 | $36,960 | $40,660 | $17.77 |
| North Dakota | 830 | $36,900 | $38,400 | $17.74 |
| Delaware | 290 | $36,730 | $41,500 | $17.66 |
| Utah | 3,190 | $36,670 | $36,790 | $17.63 |
| Connecticut | 3,670 | $36,460 | $39,250 | $17.53 |
| Pennsylvania | 10,380 | $36,360 | $37,090 | $17.48 |
| Indiana | 3,600 | $36,150 | $36,050 | $17.38 |
| Florida | 12,320 | $35,870 | $36,680 | $17.24 |
| Michigan | 7,290 | $35,830 | $36,950 | $17.22 |
| South Carolina | 2,940 | $35,460 | $34,980 | $17.05 |
| Nebraska | 1,030 | $35,280 | $37,080 | $16.96 |
| Missouri | 4,190 | $35,130 | $35,920 | $16.89 |
| Georgia | 7,350 | $35,010 | $34,540 | $16.83 |
| New Mexico | 1,540 | $34,850 | $35,660 | $16.76 |
| Ohio | 8,890 | $34,560 | $34,430 | $16.62 |
| North Carolina | 9,320 | $34,510 | $33,750 | $16.59 |
| Tennessee | 5,200 | $34,440 | $34,530 | $16.56 |
| Virginia | 7,820 | $34,430 | $35,960 | $16.55 |
| Kansas | 1,370 | $34,300 | $34,920 | $16.49 |
| Idaho | 2,230 | $34,060 | $33,790 | $16.38 |
| Alabama | 1,880 | $34,030 | $33,440 | $16.36 |
| Kentucky | 1,630 | $33,890 | $34,760 | $16.29 |
| Texas | 16,710 | $33,790 | $33,830 | $16.25 |
| Oklahoma | 1,980 | $31,460 | $31,320 | $15.13 |
| Arkansas | 2,400 | $30,380 | $31,560 | $14.61 |
| Virgin Islands | 100 | $29,660 | $30,640 | $14.26 |
| Mississippi | 1,300 | $28,920 | $30,040 | $13.91 |
| West Virginia | 750 | $28,480 | $31,130 | $13.69 |
| Louisiana | 2,450 | $28,020 | $29,780 | $13.47 |
| Guam | 160 | $24,320 | $25,960 | $11.69 |
| Puerto Rico | 2,530 | $22,170 | $23,930 | $10.66 |
Sorted by median pay, highest first. "Not published" means BLS did not release that figure for the state, usually because too few employers were surveyed. "$239,200 or more" is the highest value BLS reports in the state tables.
Similar occupations by pay
- Cutters and Trimmers, Hand$38,020 a year
- Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers$37,800 a year
- Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All Other$37,280 a year
- Sewing Machine Operators$36,670 a year
- Sewers, Hand$36,480 a year
- Shoe Machine Operators and Tenders$35,650 a year
Common questions
How much do Bakers earn in the United States?
The median pay was $37,160 a year in May 2025, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $28,120 and the highest-paid 10% more than $49,020.
How many people work as Bakers?
About 236,200 jobs in the United States in May 2025, not counting the self-employed.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Checked in November 2026. Figures are for employees, before tax, and leave out overtime pay and benefits. They are official statistics, not advice or a pay offer; see bls.gov/oes for the original tables.