Baker Salary

Bakers earn a median $37,160 a year nationally. Production Occupations

U.S. median

$37,160

$17.87 per hour

Range

$28,120 – $49,020

10th to 90th percentile

Employed

236,200

across the U.S.

Baker take-home pay calculator

Starts at the national median. Pick your state to see your real paycheck.

Your take-home pay

$32,038

per year · effective tax rate 13.8%

$2,670Monthly

$1,335Twice a month

$1,232Every 2 weeks

$15.40Hourly

Federal income tax$2,279
Social Security (6.2%)$2,304
Medicare (1.45%)$539
Texas income tax$0
Take-home pay$32,038

Marginal rate: 12% federal + 0.00% state

Pay by experience

Percentile	Salary	Hourly	Take-home (no state tax)
10th percentile (entry level)	$28,120	$13.52	$24,767
25th percentile	$32,660	$15.70	$28,422
Median (50th)	$37,160	$17.87	$32,038
75th percentile	$44,360	$21.33	$37,823
90th percentile (top earners)	$49,020	$23.57	$41,568

Best cities for bakers (after tax & cost of living)

#	Metro area	Median	Take-home	Real value*	Jobs
1	Chattanooga, TN	$40,880	$35,027	$38,296	790
2	Seattle, WA	$48,180	$40,893	$36,796	3,560
3	Spokane, WA	$42,770	$36,546	$36,420	490
4	Bakersfield, CA	$42,470	$35,064	$34,756	640
5	Des Moines, IA	$37,680	$31,676	$34,543	700
6	Stockton, CA	$43,760	$36,033	$34,288	490
7	Urban Honolulu, HI	$47,150	$37,986	$34,234	1,090
8	Las Vegas, NV	$39,890	$34,232	$34,158	1,620
9	Santa Rosa, CA	$44,650	$36,700	$34,050	560
10	San Jose, CA	$45,480	$37,323	$33,800	1,240
11	Omaha, NE	$36,430	$30,673	$33,373	570
12	Denver, CO	$42,490	$35,160	$33,238	2,600
13	Sacramento, CA	$42,910	$35,395	$33,181	1,520
14	Minneapolis, MN	$42,270	$34,701	$33,105	1,900
15	Akron, OH	$35,920	$30,836	$33,026	520
16	Cleveland, OH	$36,140	$31,007	$33,013	1,980
17	San Francisco, CA	$46,600	$38,164	$33,010	4,820
18	Columbus, OH	$36,430	$31,232	$32,714	1,530
19	Tucson, AZ	$37,590	$31,653	$32,667	530
20	Louisville, KY	$36,430	$30,294	$32,548	610
21	Kansas City, MO	$35,650	$30,087	$32,511	1,610
22	Milwaukee, WI	$37,580	$31,503	$32,498	1,530
23	Riverside, CA	$41,790	$34,554	$32,463	2,900
24	Madison, WI	$37,590	$31,511	$32,389	720
25	Cincinnati, OH	$35,970	$30,875	$32,374	1,430

*Take-home pay in U.S.-average dollars (BEA Regional Price Parities).

Highest-paying cities

Seattle, WA — $48,180
Urban Honolulu, HI — $47,150
San Francisco, CA — $46,600
San Jose, CA — $45,480
Santa Rosa, CA — $44,650
Stockton, CA — $43,760
Portland, OR — $43,440
San Diego, CA — $43,080
Sacramento, CA — $42,910
Spokane, WA — $42,770
Denver, CO — $42,490
Bakersfield, CA — $42,470
Minneapolis, MN — $42,270
Riverside, CA — $41,790
Oxnard, CA — $41,380

Baker salary by state

State	Median	Take-home	Range	Jobs
Hawaii	$46,710	$37,664	$32,220 – $66,080	1,580
Washington	$46,140	$39,253	$36,390 – $60,670	6,270
District of Columbia	$44,040	$36,090	$38,720 – $51,430	1,270
California	$43,120	$35,552	$36,510 – $54,960	30,020
Colorado	$40,650	$33,762	$32,820 – $56,570	4,680
Minnesota	$40,210	$33,156	$31,110 – $52,970	2,660
Wyoming	$40,000	$34,320	$30,620 – $48,040	240
Vermont	$39,980	$33,398	$33,260 – $55,430	580
Alaska	$39,710	$34,087	$34,550 – $64,110	430
Nevada	$39,540	$33,950	$28,540 – $56,060	2,040
New Hampshire	$39,500	$33,918	$31,760 – $49,230	880
Oregon	$39,500	$31,292	$33,120 – $51,870	4,160
New York	$38,660	$31,753	$34,670 – $53,960	15,130
South Dakota	$38,340	$32,986	$28,880 – $50,360	330
Rhode Island	$38,140	$32,012	$32,470 – $58,360	560
Massachusetts	$38,130	$31,131	$35,080 – $47,750	6,070
Arizona	$37,700	$31,738	$34,700 – $48,040	4,000
Maine	$37,390	$30,846	$32,210 – $46,490	1,380
Wisconsin	$37,310	$31,298	$29,640 – $48,030	4,930
Iowa	$37,210	$31,316	$22,920 – $49,610	2,150
Montana	$37,200	$31,079	$26,080 – $50,670	990
Maryland	$37,040	$30,546	$32,220 – $51,150	2,740
Illinois	$37,030	$30,245	$31,200 – $47,290	12,420
New Jersey	$36,960	$31,301	$32,220 – $55,280	8,110
North Dakota	$36,900	$31,829	$29,640 – $46,500	830
Delaware	$36,730	$30,331	$31,200 – $60,320	290
Utah	$36,670	$30,960	$26,070 – $47,000	3,190
Connecticut	$36,460	$30,760	$34,010 – $47,930	3,670
Pennsylvania	$36,360	$30,279	$25,430 – $50,470	10,380
Indiana	$36,150	$30,190	$22,880 – $47,360	3,600
Florida	$35,870	$31,002	$28,780 – $45,330	12,320
Michigan	$35,830	$29,697	$28,860 – $47,130	7,290
South Carolina	$35,460	$29,702	$25,340 – $45,330	2,940
Nebraska	$35,280	$29,802	$28,970 – $47,930	1,030
Missouri	$35,130	$29,693	$29,060 – $46,470	4,190
Georgia	$35,010	$29,116	$22,550 – $46,380	7,350
New Mexico	$34,850	$29,651	$29,630 – $44,560	1,540
Ohio	$34,560	$29,781	$24,160 – $46,320	8,890
North Carolina	$34,510	$29,041	$19,690 – $45,800	9,320
Tennessee	$34,440	$29,853	$22,380 – $46,400	5,200
Virginia	$34,430	$28,679	$28,140 – $46,620	7,820
Kansas	$34,300	$28,620	$27,410 – $45,740	1,370
Idaho	$34,060	$28,850	$21,100 – $46,110	2,230
Alabama	$34,030	$28,087	$20,940 – $44,600	1,880
Kentucky	$33,890	$28,342	$24,440 – $47,810	1,630
Texas	$33,790	$29,330	$24,430 – $44,020	16,710
Oklahoma	$31,460	$26,588	$22,570 – $37,700	1,980
Arkansas	$30,380	$25,618	$24,670 – $37,810	2,400
Mississippi	$28,920	$24,992	$20,910 – $40,390	1,300
West Virginia	$28,480	$24,348	$22,170 – $44,720	750
Louisiana	$28,020	$24,230	$21,930 – $40,780	2,450

Frequently asked questions

How much does a baker make?

The national median salary for bakers is $37,160 a year ($17.87 an hour). The lowest-paid 10% earn under $28,120 and the top 10% earn over $49,020. Source: BLS, May 2025.

Which state pays bakers the most?

Hawaii has the highest median pay at $46,710. After taxes and local prices, Chattanooga, TN offers the best real take-home pay of any metro area.

How many bakers are there in the U.S.?

About 236,200 people work as bakers nationwide.