Bakers pay in the United States

Goes furthest in South Dakota
·Production·
236k jobs
Figures from US Bureau of Labor StatisticsOccupational Employment and Wage Statistics
$17.86/hr median
236,200 employed
+6% to 2035
36% AI exposure
No formal educational credential
54 states reported
and more...

What this work is

Mix and bake ingredients to produce breads, rolls, cookies, cakes, pies, pastries, or other baked goods.

Where the money actually goes furthest

Hawaii pays the highest headline figure at $46,710. Adjusted for what things cost there it is worth $42,482 — less than South Dakota, where $38,340 is worth $43,278.

Pay by state

54 states and territories publish a median for this occupation. Switch the ranking to see how much the order changes.

Adjusted for what things cost in that state.

Median pay for Bakers by state, ranked by what it is worth locally
StateHourlyAnnualWorth locallyAfter state taxJobs
South Dakota$18.43/hr$38,340$43,278$38,340330
Wyoming$19.23/hr$40,000$43,154$40,000240
Washington$22.18/hr$46,140$43,117$46,1406,270
Hawaii$22.46/hr$46,710$42,482$44,5801,580
Iowa$17.89/hr$37,210$42,399$36,3502,150
North Dakota$17.74/hr$36,900$41,479$36,900830
Vermont$19.22/hr$39,980$40,812$38,875580
Minnesota$19.33/hr$40,210$40,772$38,8382,660
District of Columbia$21.17/hr$44,040$40,072$42,4731,270
Wisconsin$17.94/hr$37,310$39,649$36,3824,930
Nevada$19.01/hr$39,540$39,547$39,5402,040
Colorado$19.55/hr$40,650$39,446$39,5424,680
Montana$17.89/hr$37,200$39,302$36,119990
Nebraska$16.96/hr$35,280$39,156$34,3321,030
California$20.73/hr$43,120$38,945$42,23430,020
Alaska$19.09/hr$39,710$38,794$39,710430
Indiana$17.38/hr$36,150$38,733$35,0953,600
Missouri$16.89/hr$35,130$38,680$34,3354,190
Maine$17.98/hr$37,390$38,526$36,0681,380
Alabama$16.36/hr$34,030$38,313$32,5181,880
Oregon$18.99/hr$39,500$38,215$36,5844,160
Kansas$16.49/hr$34,300$38,081$32,6741,370
New Hampshire$18.99/hr$39,500$37,918$39,500880
South Carolina$17.05/hr$35,460$37,824$34,8442,940
New Mexico$16.76/hr$34,850$37,794$34,2281,540
Kentucky$16.29/hr$33,890$37,588$32,6601,630
Tennessee$16.56/hr$34,440$37,487$34,4405,200
Arizona$18.12/hr$37,700$37,445$37,1224,000
Rhode Island$18.34/hr$38,140$37,289$37,105560
Pennsylvania$17.48/hr$36,360$37,265$35,24310,380
Ohio$16.62/hr$34,560$37,253$34,3258,890
Michigan$17.22/hr$35,830$37,237$34,5457,290
Utah$17.63/hr$36,670$37,092$35,0013,190
Illinois$17.80/hr$37,030$37,044$35,33412,420
Delaware$17.66/hr$36,730$36,799$35,258290
North Carolina$16.59/hr$34,510$36,584$33,5859,320
Georgia$16.83/hr$35,010$36,358$33,8157,350
Massachusetts$18.33/hr$38,130$36,053$36,2236,070
New York$18.59/hr$38,660$35,822$37,13815,130
Oklahoma$15.13/hr$31,460$35,815$30,4551,980
Idaho$16.38/hr$34,060$35,668$33,0282,230
Maryland$17.81/hr$37,040$35,289$35,4612,740
Connecticut$17.53/hr$36,460$35,189$35,0693,670
Arkansas$14.61/hr$30,380$34,943$29,3712,400
Texas$16.25/hr$33,790$34,813$33,79016,710
Florida$17.24/hr$35,870$34,687$35,87012,320
Virginia$16.55/hr$34,430$34,055$33,1967,820
New Jersey$17.77/hr$36,960$33,967$36,3488,110
Mississippi$13.91/hr$28,920$33,260$27,7481,300
West Virginia$13.69/hr$28,480$31,821$27,698750
Louisiana$13.47/hr$28,020$31,765$27,5542,450
Virgin Islands$14.26/hr$29,660Not publishedNot published100
Guam$11.69/hr$24,320Not publishedNot published160
Puerto Rico$10.66/hr$22,170Not publishedNot published2,530

National median for comparison: $37,160. “Worth locally” divides pay by the area’s price level, so a figure above the headline means money goes further there than the US average.

$37,160/year

$17.86/hr an hour, national median

Across the states

$21,080$58,180

25th to 75th percentile, lowest and highest state

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How much of this job could software do?

36%Low exposure
Hands, places, peopleLanguage and information

The two methods broadly agree.

Method 1 — ability mix45%

Cognitive share of O*NET ability importance (element families 1.A.1–1.A.4), O*NET 31.0

Method 2 — task content27%

Importance-weighted share of O*NET tasks classed as language or information work, O*NET 31.0

What this does and does not mean

Exposure means a model could plausibly do a meaningful share of the tasks in this job. It is not a forecast that the job disappears, and it says nothing about whether any employer will actually automate it.

For what the labour market expects, the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment in this occupation to change by +6% between 2025 and 2035, with about 36,500 openings a year.

Which parts are exposed

  • Measure or weigh flour or other ingredients to prepare batters, doughs, fillings, or icings, using scales or graduated containers.
  • Set oven temperatures, and place items into hot ovens for baking.
  • Check equipment to ensure that it meets health and safety regulations, and perform maintenance or cleaning, as necessary.
  • Check products for quality, and identify damaged or expired goods.
  • Adapt the quantity of ingredients to match the amount of items to be baked.
  • Place dough in pans, molds, or on sheets, and bake in production ovens or on grills.

Amber marks language and information work. Green marks tasks that need a person in a place.

Where bakers move next

Occupations that share most of this one’s skills, with the pay difference and the change in AI exposure.

Location

San Diego, CA, United States of America (SAN-San Diego Intl.)

Photograph by EqualStock IN.