Baker salary in the U.S.
Bakers in the U.S. earn a median of $37,160 a year ($17.86 an hour), based on BLS data for 236,200 workers.
Pay ranges from $28,120 for the lowest-paid 10% to $49,020 for the top 10%. The average (mean) salary is $38,480, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for bakers in the U.S.
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $28,120 | $13.52 |
| 25th percentile | $32,660 | $15.70 |
| Median | $37,160 | $17.86 |
| 75th percentile | $44,360 | $21.33 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $49,020 | $23.57 |
| Average (mean) | $38,480 | $18.50 |
Half of bakers earn more than the median and half earn less. Percentiles show the spread: 10% earn less than the 10th percentile, and 10% earn more than the 90th.
Median paycheck, before taxes
| Pay period | Amount |
|---|---|
| Monthly | $3,096.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,548.33 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,429.23 |
| Weekly | $714.62 |
| Hourly | $17.86 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Baker salary by state
| State | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Hawaii | $46,710 | 1,580 |
| Washington | $46,140 | 6,270 |
| District of Columbia | $44,040 | 1,270 |
| California | $43,120 | 30,020 |
| Colorado | $40,650 | 4,680 |
| Minnesota | $40,210 | 2,660 |
| Wyoming | $40,000 | 240 |
| Vermont | $39,980 | 580 |
| Alaska | $39,710 | 430 |
| Nevada | $39,540 | 2,040 |
| New Hampshire | $39,500 | 880 |
| Oregon | $39,500 | 4,160 |
| New York | $38,660 | 15,130 |
| South Dakota | $38,340 | 330 |
| Rhode Island | $38,140 | 560 |
| Massachusetts | $38,130 | 6,070 |
| Arizona | $37,700 | 4,000 |
| Maine | $37,390 | 1,380 |
| Wisconsin | $37,310 | 4,930 |
| Iowa | $37,210 | 2,150 |
| Montana | $37,200 | 990 |
| Maryland | $37,040 | 2,740 |
| Illinois | $37,030 | 12,420 |
| New Jersey | $36,960 | 8,110 |
| North Dakota | $36,900 | 830 |
| Delaware | $36,730 | 290 |
| Utah | $36,670 | 3,190 |
| Connecticut | $36,460 | 3,670 |
| Pennsylvania | $36,360 | 10,380 |
| Indiana | $36,150 | 3,600 |
| Florida | $35,870 | 12,320 |
| Michigan | $35,830 | 7,290 |
| South Carolina | $35,460 | 2,940 |
| Nebraska | $35,280 | 1,030 |
| Missouri | $35,130 | 4,190 |
| Georgia | $35,010 | 7,350 |
| New Mexico | $34,850 | 1,540 |
| Ohio | $34,560 | 8,890 |
| North Carolina | $34,510 | 9,320 |
| Tennessee | $34,440 | 5,200 |
| Virginia | $34,430 | 7,820 |
| Kansas | $34,300 | 1,370 |
| Idaho | $34,060 | 2,230 |
| Alabama | $34,030 | 1,880 |
| Kentucky | $33,890 | 1,630 |
| Texas | $33,790 | 16,710 |
| Oklahoma | $31,460 | 1,980 |
| Arkansas | $30,380 | 2,400 |
| Virgin Islands | $29,660 | 100 |
| Mississippi | $28,920 | 1,300 |
| West Virginia | $28,480 | 750 |
| Louisiana | $28,020 | 2,450 |
| Guam | $24,320 | 160 |
| Puerto Rico | $22,170 | 2,530 |
Best-paying metro areas for bakers
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Chambersburg, PA | $48,640 | 200 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $48,180 | 3,560 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | $47,150 | 1,090 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | $47,020 | 190 |
| Olympia-Lacey-Tumwater, WA | $46,960 | 180 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $46,600 | 4,820 |
| Napa, CA | $46,360 | 170 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $45,480 | 1,240 |
| Bellingham, WA | $45,210 | 240 |
| Vallejo, CA | $44,970 | 300 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $44,650 | 560 |
| Mount Vernon-Anacortes, WA | $44,220 | 110 |
| Bremerton-Silverdale-Port Orchard, WA | $43,850 | 140 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $43,760 | 490 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $43,630 | 400 |
Metro areas with the most bakers
| Metro area | Workers | Median salary |
|---|---|---|
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 16,560 | $38,890 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 10,580 | $39,260 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 9,920 | $37,230 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 5,740 | $38,650 |
| Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX | 5,160 | $34,350 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 4,820 | $46,600 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 4,760 | $37,140 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 4,410 | $37,770 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 4,380 | $38,570 |
| Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX | 4,120 | $34,290 |
| Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL | 3,800 | $36,880 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 3,560 | $48,180 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 3,070 | $36,970 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 2,970 | $37,800 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 2,900 | $41,790 |
Related jobs in the U.S.
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Food Batchmaker | $42,290 | $20.33 |
| Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | $38,300 | $18.41 |
| Butchers and Meat Cutters | $40,140 | $19.30 |
| Slaughterers and Meat Packers | $40,130 | $19.29 |
| Food Processing Workers, All Other | $39,680 | $19.08 |
| Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders | $41,590 | $20.00 |
| Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders | $44,810 | $21.54 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $44,650 | $21.47 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $74,450 | $35.79 |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $48,570 | $23.35 |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $53,750 | $25.84 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $43,220 | $20.78 |
| Machinist | $58,750 | $28.24 |
| Production Workers, All Other | $40,110 | $19.29 |
More: Production Occupations
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025 estimates, occupation code 51-3011. Wages include base pay, tips, commissions and shift pay, but not overtime, bonuses or benefits, and exclude the self-employed.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a baker make in the U.S.?
The median salary for bakers in the U.S. is $37,160 a year, or $17.86 an hour. Pay ranges from $28,120 for the lowest-paid 10% to $49,020 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid bakers make in the U.S.?
The top 10% of bakers in the U.S. earn at least $49,020 a year. The top 25% earn $44,360 or more.
What is the starting pay for bakers in the U.S.?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $28,120 a year, and a quarter of bakers earn $32,660 or less.
How many bakers work in the U.S.?
About 236,200 bakers are employed in the U.S., not counting the self-employed.