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

Baker Salary in Riverside, CA

Bakers in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area earn a median $41,790 a year — 12% more than the national median. After 2026 taxes, that is $34,554 take-home, or $2,880 a month.

Median salary
$41,790
$20.09 per hour
Typical range
$36,030 – $50,130
10th to 90th percentile
Jobs in Riverside, CA
2,900
1.11× national concentration
▲8.6%
Pay trend: The median for bakers in Riverside, CA rose from $38,470 (May 2024) to $41,790 (May 2025). That beat inflation (2.4%), a real raise of about 6.2%.

Take-home pay calculator

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

Baker in Riverside, CA
Deductions, kids & local tax

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

Your take-home pay
$34,554
per year · effective tax rate 17.3%
$2,880Monthly
$1,440Twice a month
$1,329Every 2 weeks
$16.61Hourly
  • Federal income tax$2,835
  • Social Security (6.2%)$2,591
  • Medicare (1.45%)$606
  • California income tax$661
  • CA State Disability Insurance (SDI)$543
  • Take-home pay$34,554

Marginal rate: 12% federal + 4.00% state

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

Baker pay by experience in Riverside, CA

PercentileSalaryHourlyTake-home / yrPer month
10th percentile (entry level)$36,030$17.32$30,231$2,519
25th percentile$37,690$18.12$31,477$2,623
Median (50th)$41,790$20.09$34,554$2,880
75th percentile$45,120$21.69$37,053$3,088
90th percentile (top earners)$50,130$24.10$40,750$3,396

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

What $41,790 buys in Riverside, CA

Prices in Riverside, CA are 6.4% higher than the U.S. average (housing costs are 1.29× the national average). Adjusted for local prices, a median baker's $34,554 take-home pay has the buying power of $32,463 in a typical American city.

1-bedroom rent
$1,777
62% of monthly take-home
2-bedroom rent
$2,201
76% of monthly take-home
Left after 1-BR rent
$1,103
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 Riverside, CA as in the U.S. overall (location quotient 1.11).

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

Riverside, CA ranks #4 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

*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 California

Frequently asked questions

How much does a baker make in Riverside, CA?

The median baker salary in the Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA metro area is $41,790 a year, or about $20.09 an hour, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). The middle half earn between $37,690 and $45,120.

What is a baker’s take-home pay in Riverside, CA?

On the median $41,790 salary, a single filer living in California takes home about $34,554 a year ($2,880 a month) after federal tax, Social Security, Medicare and $1,204 in California taxes in 2026.

Is Riverside, CA a good place to work as a baker?

Pay here is 12% above the national median of $37,160. Local prices are 6.4% above the U.S. average, so the take-home pay buys what $32,463 would in a typical U.S. city. Riverside, CA ranks #4 of 18 metro areas for cost-of-living-adjusted pay in this job.

Can a baker afford rent in Riverside, CA?

HUD’s fair market rent for a one-bedroom in Riverside, CA is $1,777 a month ($2,201 for two bedrooms) — 62% of a median baker’s monthly take-home pay. Financial planners usually suggest keeping rent under about 30%.

Related jobs in Riverside, CA

Cost of living & all salaries in Riverside, CA →