Updated · 2026 tax rules · Data: IRS, BLS, BEA, HUD · How we calculate

Baker Salary in Houston, TX

Bakers in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area earn a median $34,290 a year — 8% less than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $29,732 take-home, or $2,478 a month.

Median salary
$34,290
$16.49 per hour
Typical range
$25,740 – $43,870
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Houston, TX
4,120
0.82× national concentration
▲0.7%
Pay trend: The median for bakers in Houston, TX rose from $34,040 (May 2024) to $34,290 (May 2025). That trailed inflation (2.4%), so buying power slipped about 1.7%.

Take-home pay calculator

Pre-filled with the median baker salary in Houston, TX. Enter your own offer to see your paycheck.

Baker in Houston, TX
Deductions, kids & local tax

2026 tax year. Federal brackets from IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-32.

Your take-home pay
$29,732
per year · effective tax rate 13.3%
$2,478Monthly
$1,239Twice a month
$1,144Every 2 weeks
$14.29Hourly
  • Federal income tax$1,935
  • Social Security (6.2%)$2,126
  • Medicare (1.45%)$497
  • Texas income tax$0
  • Take-home pay$29,732

Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state

Got an offer somewhere else? Compare it with this one after taxes and rent →

Baker pay by experience in Houston, TX

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$25,740$12.38$22,807$1,901
25th percentile$27,910$13.42$24,594$2,049
Median (50th)$34,290$16.49$29,732$2,478
75th percentile$37,470$18.01$32,287$2,691
90th percentile (top earners)$43,870$21.09$37,430$3,119

Wages: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Take-home: single filer, Texas resident, 2026 tax rules.

What $34,290 buys in Houston, TX

Prices in Houston, TX are 1.4% lower than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.05× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median baker's $29,732 take-home pay has the buying power of $30,145 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$1,316
53% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$1,558
63% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$1,162
per month for everything else

Rents: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 (40th-percentile gross rent incl. utilities). Price levels: BEA Regional Price Parities, 2024.

Baker jobs are about as common in Houston, TX as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 0.82).

Best-paying cities for bakers, adjusted for cost of living

Houston, TX ranks #11 of 18 metro areas once taxes and local prices are taken into account.

#Metro areaMedian salaryTake-homeReal value*
1Seattle, WA $48,180$40,893$36,796
2Denver, CO $42,490$35,160$33,238
3San Francisco, CA $46,600$38,164$33,010
4Riverside, CA $41,790$34,554$32,463
5Portland, OR $43,440$34,113$32,359
6Charlotte, NC $36,580$30,621$31,455
7Phoenix, AZ $37,800$31,816$30,795
8Atlanta, GA $37,140$30,717$30,699
11Houston, TX$34,290$29,732$30,145

*Take-home pay divided by the BEA price level, so every city is measured in U.S.-average dollars. See all 18 metros →

About the job: bakers

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).

Typical education
No formal educational credential
Work experience
None required
On-the-job training
Moderate-term on-the-job training
Job outlook, 2025–35
+5.5% (faster than average)

Source: BLS Standard Occupational Classification and Employment Projections, 2025–35.

Baker salaries elsewhere in Texas

Frequently asked questions

How much does a baker make in Houston, TX?

The median baker salary in the Houston-Pasadena-The Woodlands, TX metro area is $34,290 a year, or about $16.49 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $27,910 and $37,470.

What is a baker’s take-home pay in Houston, TX?

On the median $34,290 salary, a single filer living in Texas takes home about $29,732 a year ($2,478 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare in 2026.

Is Houston, TX a good place to work as a baker?

Pay here is 8% below the national median of $37,160. Local prices are 1.4% below the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $30,145 would in a typical U.S. city. Houston, TX ranks #11 of 18 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a baker afford rent in Houston, TX?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Houston, TX is $1,316 a month ($1,558 for two bedrooms) — 53% of a median baker’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

Related jobs in Houston, TX

Cost of living & all salaries in Houston, TX →