Production Occupations
BLS May 2025 wages Peer-group outlier SOC 51-3011

Bakers

Median pay sits 50% below the mid peer in Production Occupations (neighbors include Nuclear Power Reactor Operators, Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters, First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers, Power Plant Operators).

Full salary details → About this data

Same-major-group titles next to Bakers: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($123K) , Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters ($63K) , First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers ($74K) , Power Plant Operators ($102K) . Hash-ordered per card so residual SOC siblings do not share an identical peer sentence.

What Bakers publish as work

O*NET task statements for SOC 51-3011 - occupation-level descriptions, not every employer's posting. Sibling cards diverge here because the task set is entity-keyed.

  1. 1. Check products for quality, and identify damaged or expired goods
  2. 2. Set oven temperatures, and place items into hot ovens for baking
  3. 3. Combine measured ingredients in bowls of mixing, blending, or cooking machinery
  4. 4. Place dough in pans, molds, or on sheets, and bake in production ovens or on grills
  5. 5. Set time and speed controls for mixing machines, blending machines, or steam kettles so that ingredients will be mixed or cooked accordin…
  6. 6. Measure or weigh flour or other ingredients to prepare batters, doughs, fillings, or icings, using scales or graduated containers
  7. 7. Observe color of products being baked, and adjust oven temperatures, humidity, or conveyor speeds accordingly
  8. 8. Check the quality of raw materials to ensure that standards and specifications are met
  9. 9. Check equipment to ensure that it meets health and safety regulations, and perform maintenance or cleaning, as necessary
  10. 10. Adapt the quantity of ingredients to match the amount of items to be baked
  11. 11. Apply glazes, icings, or other toppings to baked goods, using spatulas or brushes
  12. 12. Decorate baked goods, such as cakes or pastries

Bakers: O*NET ranks Monitoring first

Importance-ranked O*NET profile for SOC 51-3011 - lead skill Monitoring at 3.3 ; lead knowledge Production and Processing. Sibling cards diverge here even when peer titles overlap.

Top skills

  1. 1. Monitoring 3.3
  2. 2. Active Listening 3.0
  3. 3. Speaking 3.0
  4. 4. Critical Thinking 3.0
  5. 5. Active Learning 3.0
  6. 6. Coordination 3.0
  7. 7. Judgment and Decision Making 3.0
  8. 8. Time Management 3.0

Knowledge areas

  1. 1. Production and Processing 3.8
  2. 2. Customer and Personal Service 3.8
  3. 3. Food Production 3.4
  4. 4. English Language 3.3
  5. 5. Mathematics 3.1
  6. 6. Administration and Management 3.0
Pay vs Production Occupations peers
-50%
vs mid peer median $74,450
This role $37,160/yr
$37K
National median
↑ +6%
Growth 2024-2034
39,900
Annual openings
236,200
Estimated US jobs
Nuclear Power Reactor Operators
Highest-pay peer · $123K

Typical Entry and Preparation Assignments

Entry education No formal educational credential

Top Paying States for Bakers

1. Minnesota $40,210
2. District of Columbia $44,040
3. Alaska $39,710
4. Colorado $40,650
5. Vermont $39,980
6. Nevada $39,540
7. Hawaii $46,710
8. California $43,120
9. Wyoming $40,000
10. Washington $46,140

Other Production Occupations titles

  1. 1. First-Line Supervisors of Production and Operating Workers $74,450
  2. 2. Nuclear Power Reactor Operators $122,890
  3. 3. Power Plant Operators $102,040
  4. 4. Computer Numerically Controlled Tool Programmers $68,120
  5. 5. Fabric and Apparel Patternmakers $62,750
  6. 6. Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters $62,620

Among Production Occupations peers on this card, Bakers sits 50% below the mid peer median ($74,450). Its own median is $37,160.

Employment Projections expect +6% change between 2024 and 2034 (faster than average vs baseline 3.1%). About 39,900 annual openings are projected. BLS assigns No formal educational credential as typical education needed for entry. These are occupation-level assignments, not universal requirements. BLS does not publish a separate occupation-specific safety rate for this role; its broad SOC-group rate is excluded from this career card's grade.

Highest published state median in this ranking: Minnesota at $40,210. The table records differences without proving causes. Highest-pay peer shown here: Nuclear Power Reactor Operators at $122,890. Compare the same statistic in the relevant local wage area before treating the national median as a personal benchmark; OEWS excludes employer benefits.

Bakers pay-rank #100 in Production Occupations

On the Production Occupations median table (105 detailed occupations with OEWS medians), Bakers lands at #100, in the lower third. That rank is a table position, not a statement about individual workers.

Other lower-third titles · closest medians

Full Salary Details Compare this role

Data from U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025. Projections from BLS Employment Projections program, 2024-2034.

Bakers pays 50% below its major-group peer median. See the state map and the peers closest to (and furthest from) this line.

Bakers salary map

State, metro, and percentile for SOC 51-3011

Minnesota · top state for Bakers

$40K published median

District of Columbia · #2 state pay

$44K · behind Minnesota

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators

Highest-pay peer vs Bakers · $123K

Timing Device Assemblers and Adjusters

Lower-pay peer beside Bakers · $63K

Compare Bakers

Head-to-head OEWS medians with another SOC
Compare Bakers with another occupation →

Peer-comparison next reads

Compare Bakers

Against another occupation

Nuclear Power Reactor Operators card

Top peer in this major group

Frequently Asked Questions

Where does Bakers land on the Production Occupations median table? ▼
Bakers is pay-rank #100 of 105 in this major group, lower third of the median table. Closest lower-third titles: Textile, Apparel, and Furnishings Workers, All Other ($37K), Sewing Machine Operators ($37K), Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers ($38K), Sewers, Hand ($36K). That position is a table rank, not a worker percentile.
What do bakers do day to day? ▼
O*NET lists published task statements for Bakers. Leading ones include: Check products for quality, and identify damaged or expired goods; Set oven temperatures, and place items into hot ovens for baking; 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. These are occupation-level task descriptions, not every employer's job description.
Which O*NET skills rank highest for bakers? ▼
For SOC 51-3011, O*NET importance scores lead with Monitoring (3.3), Active Listening (3.0), Speaking (3.0), Critical Thinking (3.0). Knowledge areas emphasize Production and Processing, Customer and Personal Service, Food Production. These are occupation-level profiles, not a hiring checklist for every employer.
What is the OEWS national median for Bakers? ▼
May 2025 OEWS reports $37,160 as the national median for Bakers. The published 10th-90th range is $28,120 to $49,020. Beside Nuclear Power Reactor Operators ($122,890), this is the occupation-level national figure, not a local offer.
What employment change does BLS publish for Bakers? ▼
The 2024-2034 projection for Bakers is +6%. Projected annual openings: about 39,900. Relative to the current all-occupations baseline of 3.1%: faster than average.
What typical entry education does BLS assign to Bakers? ▼
BLS assigns No formal educational credential as the typical-education-needed-for-entry category for Bakers. These are occupation-level labels, not every employer's hiring rule.
Which three states show the highest OEWS medians for Bakers? ▼
Minnesota ($40,210), District of Columbia ($44,040), Alaska ($39,710) lead this ranking. The table does not identify why those state estimates differ.

Source data and WageDex calculations are identified in context on this page. Wage and state figures use BLS OEWS May 2025; growth and education use BLS Employment Projections for 2024-2034; safety fields cite BLS CFOI/SOII; task statements cite O*NET where shown. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error.

Disclaimer: Wage and outlook figures on this page are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute career, financial, or salary-negotiation advice. Actual pay varies by employer, experience, and local conditions; consult a career counselor or the hiring employer for guidance specific to your situation.

Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OES Occupational wage estimates by area and industry · 2025

Federal sources on this Bakers card
  • BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS / OES) - national median and percentiles for SOC 51-3011. bls.gov/oes
  • O*NET OnLine - task and skill statements for Bakers. onetcenter.org
  • BLS Employment Projections - 2024-2034 change and openings for this occupation. bls.gov/emp
  • U.S. Census Bureau ACS - demographic and labor-force context for state and metro geography. census.gov/programs-surveys/acs
  • IRS Statistics of Income (SOI) - payroll-tax aggregate context for wage comparisons. irs.gov/statistics