Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 200,800 people employed as bakers in the United States. The median annual salary is $29,750. Entry level employees earn approximately $22,820 per year and senior employees earn approximately $45,450 per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime pay, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• Order or receive supplies or equipment.
• Prepare or maintain inventory or production records.
• Operate slicing or wrapping machines.
• Develop new recipes for baked goods.
• Check products for quality, and identify damaged or expired goods.
• Set oven temperatures, and place items into hot ovens for baking.
• Apply glazes, icings, or other toppings to baked goods, using spatulas or brushes.
• Decorate baked goods, such as cakes or pastries.
• Roll, knead, cut, or shape dough to form sweet rolls, pie crusts, tarts, cookies, or other products.
• Direct or coordinate bakery deliveries.
• Combine measured ingredients in bowls of mixing, blending, or cooking machinery.
• Place dough in pans, molds, or on sheets, and bake in production ovens or on grills.
• Set time and speed controls for mixing machines, blending machines, or steam kettles so that ingredients will be mixed or cooked according to instructions.
• Measure or weigh flour or other ingredients to prepare batters, doughs, fillings, or icings, using scales or graduated containers.
• Observe color of products being baked, and adjust oven temperatures, humidity, or conveyor speeds accordingly.
• Check the quality of raw materials to ensure that standards and specifications are met.
• Check equipment to ensure that it meets health and safety regulations, and perform maintenance or cleaning, as necessary.
• Adapt the quantity of ingredients to match the amount of items to be baked.

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