Baker salary in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
Bakers in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area earn a median of $42,920 a year ($20.63 an hour), based on BLS data for 310 workers.
Pay ranges from $35,880 for the lowest-paid 10% to $54,950 for the top 10%. That is 16% higher than the national median of $37,160. Pay here is about the same as the California statewide median of $43,120. There are 3.2 bakers per 1,000 jobs here — the job is 2.1× more common than nationally. The average (mean) salary is $43,470, above the median because a few high earners pull it up.
Pay range for bakers in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
| Pay level | Yearly | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $35,880 | $17.25 |
| 25th percentile | $37,650 | $18.10 |
| Median | $42,920 | $20.63 |
| 75th percentile | $46,460 | $22.34 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $54,950 | $26.42 |
| Average (mean) | $43,470 | $20.90 |
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 | $3,576.67 |
| Semi-monthly (24 a year) | $1,788.33 |
| Biweekly (26 a year) | $1,650.77 |
| Weekly | $825.38 |
| Hourly | $20.63 |
Based on a full-time year of 2,080 hours. Convert any amount with the hourly to salary converter.
Baker salary in other metro areas nearby
| Metro area | Median salary | Workers |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $46,600 | 4,820 |
| Napa, CA | $46,360 | 170 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | $45,480 | 1,240 |
| Vallejo, CA | $44,970 | 300 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $44,650 | 560 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | $43,760 | 490 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $43,630 | 400 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $43,080 | 2,200 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $42,910 | 1,520 |
| Merced, CA | $42,900 | 110 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | $42,470 | 640 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | $42,180 | 350 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $41,790 | 2,900 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | $41,380 | 720 |
| Salinas, CA | $41,310 | 410 |
| El Centro, CA | $40,580 | 60 |
| Chico, CA | $40,000 | 120 |
| Yuba City, CA | $39,580 | 60 |
| Modesto, CA | $39,450 | 400 |
| Fresno, CA | $39,260 | 640 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $39,260 | 10,580 |
| Hanford-Corcoran, CA | $39,220 | 40 |
| Visalia, CA | $38,750 | 240 |
| Redding, CA | $37,140 | 100 |
Highest-paying states for bakers
| State | Median salary |
|---|---|
| Hawaii | $46,710 |
| Washington | $46,140 |
| District of Columbia | $44,040 |
| California | $43,120 |
| Colorado | $40,650 |
| Minnesota | $40,210 |
| Wyoming | $40,000 |
| Vermont | $39,980 |
| Alaska | $39,710 |
| Nevada | $39,540 |
See Baker pay in every state or the California statewide figures.
Related jobs in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
| Job | Median salary | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| Butchers and Meat Cutters | $44,260 | $21.28 |
| Food Batchmaker | $39,090 | $18.80 |
| Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | $37,550 | $18.05 |
| Packaging and Filling Machine Operators and Tenders | $43,610 | $20.96 |
| Miscellaneous Assemblers and Fabricators | $47,560 | $22.87 |
| First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers | $74,690 | $35.91 |
| Inspectors, Testers, Sorters, Samplers, and Weighers | $51,210 | $24.62 |
| Electrical, Electronic, and Electromechanical Assemblers, Except Coil Winders, Tapers, and Finishers | $49,280 | $23.69 |
| Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | $37,910 | $18.23 |
| Helpers--Production Workers | $39,700 | $19.09 |
| Separating, Filtering, Clarifying, Precipitating, and Still Machine Setters, Operators, and Tenders | $55,560 | $26.71 |
| Welders, Cutters, Solderers, and Brazers | $50,840 | $24.44 |
| Water and Wastewater Treatment Plant and System Operators | $94,060 | $45.22 |
| Cabinetmakers and Bench Carpenters | $49,340 | $23.72 |
More: Production Occupations · all salaries in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA
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 Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
The median salary for bakers in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area is $42,920 a year, or $20.63 an hour. Pay ranges from $35,880 for the lowest-paid 10% to $54,950 for the top 10%.
How much do the highest-paid bakers make in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
The top 10% of bakers in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area earn at least $54,950 a year. The top 25% earn $46,460 or more.
What is the starting pay for bakers in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
Entry-level pay (the 10th percentile) is about $35,880 a year, and a quarter of bakers earn $37,650 or less.
How many bakers work in Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA?
About 310 bakers are employed in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA metro area, not counting the self-employed.