Pay, demand and where to work, from BLS data with the year on every table.
low → high: location quotient
Click a state. States: Alabama · Alaska · Arizona · Arkansas · California · Colorado · Connecticut · Delaware · District of Columbia · Florida · Georgia · Hawaii · Idaho · Illinois · Indiana · Iowa · Kansas · Kentucky · Louisiana · Maine · Maryland · Massachusetts · Michigan · Minnesota · Mississippi · Missouri · Montana · Nebraska · Nevada · New Hampshire · New Jersey · New Mexico · New York · North Carolina · North Dakota · Ohio · Oklahoma · Oregon · Pennsylvania · Rhode Island · South Carolina · South Dakota · Tennessee · Texas · Utah · Vermont · Virginia · Washington · West Virginia · Wisconsin · Wyoming.
By AtiveSite · Published 07/11/2026 · Updated 08/11/2026 · Every figure is linked to its source below.
Bakers (SOC 51-3011) employed 236,200 people in May 2025. The median pay is $37,160 a year ($17.86 an hour); the lowest-paid 10% earn under $28,120 and the highest-paid 10% more than $49,020. BLS projects its employment to change by +5.5% between 2025 and 2035 (about 36,500 openings a year including replacements). The typical way in: No formal educational credential.
Highest median pay: Hawaii ($46,710), Washington ($46,140), District of Columbia ($44,040). Most jobs: California (30,020), Texas (16,710), New York (15,130).
3 open private-sector listings match this occupation (titles containing: baker). The newest 3:
| Job ⇅ | Employer ⇅ | Where ⇅ | Posted ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|
| Branch Manager - Bakersfield Market - Bakersfield, CA | JPMorgan Chase | Bakersfield, California | 2026-10-31 |
| Hiring Event - Part Time Associate Banker Bakersfield (30 Hours) | JPMorgan Chase | Bakersfield, California | 2026-10-04 |
| Senior Home Lending Advisor - Bakersfield CA | JPMorgan Chase | Bakersfield, California | 2026-09-29 |
All private-sector baker jobs →Federal jobs (USAJOBS) →Find the right job for me
What the job involves: read the official definition at BLS (OEWS) and O*NET. Typical entry: No formal educational credential. Licences are set by states and employers.
| Measure ⇅ | Annual ⇅ | Hourly equivalent ⇅ |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile (entry level) | $28,120 | $13.52 |
| 25th percentile | $32,660 | $15.70 |
| Median | $37,160 | $17.86 |
| Mean | $38,480 | $18.50 |
| 75th percentile | $44,360 | $21.33 |
| 90th percentile (experienced) | $49,020 | $23.57 |
Estimate for a wage earner: 2026 federal brackets and standard deduction (IRS), Social Security 6.2% up to $184,500, Medicare 1.45% (+0.9% above $200,000 single / $250,000 married), and a state rate you set. It ignores credits, pre-tax deductions, local taxes and benefits. Sources: IRS: tax year 2026 inflation adjustments · SSA wage base per Federal Register notice 2025-19763.
Hourly equivalents divide by 2,080 hours. Pay above $239,200 is shown as "≥ $239,200" (BLS top code).
| Measure ⇅ | Value ⇅ |
|---|---|
| Jobs 2025 | 262,400 |
| Jobs 2035 (projected) | 276,900 |
| Change in jobs | 14,500 |
| Percent change | +5.5% |
| Openings a year (growth + replacements) | 36,500 |
| Self-employed share | 10.1% |
| Typical entry education | No formal educational credential |
| Work experience in a related occupation | None |
| Typical on-the-job training | Moderate-term on-the-job training |
Licences and certifications are set by states and employers; the education shown is the usual entry requirement, not a legal one.
| State ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Median vs US ⇅ | Yearly rent as % of median pay ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 1,880 | 0.59 | $34,030 | $20,940 | $44,600 | -8% | 36% |
| Alaska | 430 | 0.88 | $39,710 | $34,550 | $64,110 | +7% | 43% |
| Arizona | 4,000 | 0.81 | $37,700 | $34,700 | $48,040 | +1% | 49% |
| Arkansas | 2,400 | 1.21 | $30,380 | $24,670 | $37,810 | -18% | 37% |
| California | 30,020 | 1.08 | $43,120 | $36,510 | $54,960 | +16% | 57% |
| Colorado | 4,680 | 1.07 | $40,650 | $32,820 | $56,570 | +9% | 52% |
| Connecticut | 3,670 | 1.43 | $36,460 | $34,010 | $47,930 | -2% | 49% |
| Delaware | 290 | 0.39 | $36,730 | $31,200 | $60,320 | -1% | 46% |
| District of Columbia | 1,270 | 1.19 | $44,040 | $38,720 | $51,430 | +19% | 53% |
| Florida | 12,320 | 0.82 | $35,870 | $28,780 | $45,330 | -3% | 56% |
| Georgia | 7,350 | 0.99 | $35,010 | $22,550 | $46,380 | -6% | 48% |
| Hawaii | 1,580 | 1.65 | $46,710 | $32,220 | $66,080 | +26% | 51% |
| Idaho | 2,230 | 1.71 | $34,060 | $21,100 | $46,110 | -8% | 44% |
| Illinois | 12,420 | 1.34 | $37,030 | $31,200 | $47,290 | -0% | 41% |
| Indiana | 3,600 | 0.74 | $36,150 | $22,880 | $47,360 | -3% | 35% |
| Iowa | 2,150 | 0.91 | $37,210 | $22,920 | $49,610 | +0% | 31% |
| Kansas | 1,370 | 0.63 | $34,300 | $27,410 | $45,740 | -8% | 37% |
| Kentucky | 1,630 | 0.54 | $33,890 | $24,440 | $47,810 | -9% | 34% |
| Louisiana | 2,450 | 0.83 | $28,020 | $21,930 | $40,780 | -25% | 46% |
| Maine | 1,380 | 1.42 | $37,390 | $32,210 | $46,490 | +1% | 37% |
| Maryland | 2,740 | 0.65 | $37,040 | $32,220 | $51,150 | -0% | 55% |
| Massachusetts | 6,070 | 1.10 | $38,130 | $35,080 | $47,750 | +3% | 55% |
| Michigan | 7,290 | 1.09 | $35,830 | $28,860 | $47,130 | -4% | 38% |
| Minnesota | 2,660 | 0.59 | $40,210 | $31,110 | $52,970 | +8% | 38% |
| Mississippi | 1,300 | 0.73 | $28,920 | $20,910 | $40,390 | -22% | 40% |
| Missouri | 4,190 | 0.94 | $35,130 | $29,060 | $46,470 | -5% | 35% |
| Montana | 990 | 1.28 | $37,200 | $26,080 | $50,670 | +0% | 35% |
| Nebraska | 1,030 | 0.66 | $35,280 | $28,970 | $47,930 | -5% | 36% |
| Nevada | 2,040 | 0.87 | $39,540 | $28,540 | $56,060 | +6% | 48% |
| New Hampshire | 880 | 0.85 | $39,500 | $31,760 | $49,230 | +6% | 45% |
| New Jersey | 8,110 | 1.25 | $36,960 | $32,220 | $55,280 | -1% | 56% |
| New Mexico | 1,540 | 1.16 | $34,850 | $29,630 | $44,560 | -6% | 37% |
| New York | 15,130 | 1.03 | $38,660 | $34,670 | $53,960 | +4% | 50% |
| North Carolina | 9,320 | 1.24 | $34,510 | $19,690 | $45,800 | -7% | 43% |
| North Dakota | 830 | 1.27 | $36,900 | $29,640 | $46,500 | -1% | 31% |
| Ohio | 8,890 | 1.05 | $34,560 | $24,160 | $46,320 | -7% | 36% |
| Oklahoma | 1,980 | 0.76 | $31,460 | $22,570 | $37,700 | -15% | 39% |
| Oregon | 4,160 | 1.39 | $39,500 | $33,120 | $51,870 | +6% | 46% |
| Pennsylvania | 10,380 | 1.13 | $36,360 | $25,430 | $50,470 | -2% | 40% |
| Rhode Island | 560 | 0.74 | $38,140 | $32,470 | $58,360 | +3% | 42% |
| South Carolina | 2,940 | 0.84 | $35,460 | $25,340 | $45,330 | -5% | 40% |
| South Dakota | 330 | 0.47 | $38,340 | $28,880 | $50,360 | +3% | 30% |
| Tennessee | 5,200 | 1.04 | $34,440 | $22,380 | $46,400 | -7% | 41% |
| Texas | 16,710 | 0.78 | $33,790 | $24,430 | $44,020 | -9% | 50% |
| Utah | 3,190 | 1.21 | $36,670 | $26,070 | $47,000 | -1% | 49% |
| Vermont | 580 | 1.26 | $39,980 | $33,260 | $55,430 | +8% | 37% |
| Virginia | 7,820 | 1.25 | $34,430 | $28,140 | $46,620 | -7% | 55% |
| Washington | 6,270 | 1.16 | $46,140 | $36,390 | $60,670 | +24% | 46% |
| West Virginia | 750 | 0.71 | $28,480 | $22,170 | $44,720 | -23% | 37% |
| Wisconsin | 4,930 | 1.10 | $37,310 | $29,640 | $48,030 | +0% | 35% |
| Wyoming | 240 | 0.57 | $40,000 | $30,620 | $48,040 | +8% | 30% |
Location quotient above 1 means the occupation is more concentrated in the state than in the nation. "n/a" means BLS suppressed the figure. Rent uses the state median gross rent (ACS).
The 60 highest-paying metropolitan areas among those with at least 300 jobs in this occupation.
| Metropolitan area ⇅ | Jobs ⇅ | Median pay ⇅ | Entry (10th pct.) ⇅ | Top (90th pct.) ⇅ | Location quotient ⇅ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | 3,560 | $48,180 | $38,380 | $62,120 | 1.12 |
| Urban Honolulu, HI | 1,090 | $47,150 | $32,220 | $64,180 | 1.61 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 4,820 | $46,600 | $37,650 | $61,030 | 1.34 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | 1,240 | $45,480 | $38,870 | $62,540 | 0.72 |
| Vallejo, CA | 300 | $44,970 | $34,950 | $57,990 | 1.36 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | 560 | $44,650 | $38,240 | $54,840 | 1.79 |
| Stockton-Lodi, CA | 490 | $43,760 | $36,120 | $53,860 | 1.11 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | 400 | $43,630 | $36,520 | $51,310 | 1.31 |
| Portland-Vancouver-Hillsboro, OR-WA | 2,520 | $43,440 | $34,650 | $57,060 | 1.37 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 2,200 | $43,080 | $36,790 | $51,560 | 0.94 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | 310 | $42,920 | $35,880 | $54,950 | 2.08 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | 1,520 | $42,910 | $36,740 | $53,440 | 0.93 |
| Spokane-Spokane Valley, WA | 490 | $42,770 | $34,900 | $54,400 | 1.26 |
| Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO | 2,600 | $42,490 | $32,820 | $56,570 | 1.06 |
| Bakersfield-Delano, CA | 640 | $42,470 | $35,350 | $49,630 | 1.25 |
| Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI | 1,900 | $42,270 | $35,380 | $57,150 | 0.64 |
| San Luis Obispo-Paso Robles, CA | 350 | $42,180 | $36,220 | $50,870 | 1.90 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 2,900 | $41,790 | $36,030 | $50,130 | 1.11 |
| Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA | 720 | $41,380 | $35,750 | $56,380 | 1.46 |
| Salinas, CA | 410 | $41,310 | $35,220 | $52,000 | 1.46 |
| Chattanooga, TN-GA | 790 | $40,880 | $22,190 | $54,760 | 1.94 |
| Boulder, CO | 380 | $40,660 | $33,560 | $56,780 | 1.31 |
| Las Vegas-Henderson-North Las Vegas, NV | 1,620 | $39,890 | $28,330 | $57,770 | 0.94 |
| Modesto, CA | 400 | $39,450 | $34,480 | $56,300 | 1.36 |
| Fresno, CA | 640 | $39,260 | $34,630 | $48,750 | 0.89 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 10,580 | $39,260 | $36,780 | $50,120 | 1.11 |
| Bend, OR | 350 | $39,190 | $31,910 | $47,170 | 2.13 |
| Charleston-North Charleston, SC | 620 | $39,070 | $28,300 | $49,240 | 1.03 |
| New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ | 16,560 | $38,890 | $34,710 | $54,560 | 1.15 |
| Montgomery, AL | 300 | $38,720 | $22,190 | $41,000 | 1.20 |
| Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV | 5,740 | $38,650 | $32,500 | $49,650 | 1.21 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | 4,380 | $38,570 | $35,720 | $48,300 | 1.07 |
| Portland-South Portland, ME | 630 | $38,460 | $34,260 | $47,520 | 1.43 |
| Salt Lake City-Murray, UT | 1,280 | $38,430 | $28,990 | $48,250 | 1.02 |
| Albany-Schenectady-Troy, NY | 700 | $38,020 | $32,640 | $49,320 | 1.03 |
| Fort Collins-Loveland, CO | 390 | $37,960 | $31,090 | $54,520 | 1.50 |
| Phoenix-Mesa-Chandler, AZ | 2,970 | $37,800 | $35,050 | $48,040 | 0.82 |
| Colorado Springs, CO | 460 | $37,780 | $30,800 | $55,830 | 0.96 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD | 4,410 | $37,770 | $28,700 | $52,150 | 1.00 |
| Trenton-Princeton, NJ | 300 | $37,770 | $32,220 | $51,110 | 0.82 |
| Atlantic City-Hammonton, NJ | 370 | $37,690 | $32,220 | $52,180 | 1.45 |
| Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA | 700 | $37,680 | $27,740 | $49,700 | 1.14 |
| Green Bay, WI | 410 | $37,680 | $29,080 | $46,800 | 1.53 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | 900 | $37,610 | $32,240 | $46,800 | 1.11 |
| Madison, WI | 720 | $37,590 | $30,090 | $47,820 | 1.16 |
| Tucson, AZ | 530 | $37,590 | $31,880 | $48,880 | 0.90 |
| Milwaukee-Waukesha, WI | 1,530 | $37,580 | $29,640 | $47,520 | 1.22 |
| Cape Coral-Fort Myers, FL | 370 | $37,540 | $29,350 | $45,780 | 0.79 |
| Syracuse, NY | 390 | $37,500 | $32,240 | $50,770 | 0.86 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | 420 | $37,460 | $31,000 | $52,620 | 1.76 |
| Worcester, MA | 610 | $37,420 | $34,510 | $46,660 | 1.15 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton, PA-NJ | 620 | $37,400 | $27,400 | $55,060 | 1.09 |
| Springfield, MA | 360 | $37,250 | $31,960 | $48,200 | 1.19 |
| Chicago-Naperville-Elgin, IL-IN | 9,920 | $37,230 | $32,370 | $47,610 | 1.45 |
| Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Roswell, GA | 4,760 | $37,140 | $24,270 | $47,570 | 1.08 |
| Salem, OR | 340 | $37,110 | $31,680 | $46,090 | 1.19 |
| Bridgeport-Stamford-Danbury, CT | 1,170 | $37,100 | $34,200 | $49,720 | 1.91 |
| Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI | 3,070 | $36,970 | $29,290 | $48,840 | 1.06 |
| Kiryas Joel-Poughkeepsie-Newburgh, NY | 480 | $36,950 | $33,810 | $48,620 | 1.18 |
| Providence-Warwick, RI-MA | 980 | $36,920 | $31,830 | $53,680 | 0.91 |
The median is $37,160 a year ($17.86 an hour); the lowest-paid tenth earn under $28,120 and the highest-paid tenth over $49,020 (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
236,200 in May 2025, and BLS projects +5.5% growth to 2035.
The typical entry education is: No formal educational credential (BLS).
Hawaii, with a median of $46,710 (among states with published figures).