Career Overview
Mix and bake ingredients to produce breads, rolls, cookies, cakes, pies, pastries, or other baked goods.
Also Known As
- Baker
- Dough Mixer
- Mixer
- Pastry Chef
Alternate Job Titles
- Bagel Maker
- Baker
- Bakery Associate
- Bakery Clerk
- Bakery Team Member
- Bread Baker
- Cake Decorator
- Donut Maker
- Dough Maker
- Dough Mixer
- French Pastry Cook
- Hotel and Restaurant Baker
- Hotel and Restaurant Cook
- Industrial Cook
- Manufacturing Baker
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities 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.
- 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.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Production and Processing
- Customer and Personal Service
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Near Vision
- Oral Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Speech Recognition
- Visual Color Discrimination
- Problem Sensitivity
- Perceptual Speed
- Written Comprehension
- Control Precision
- Finger Dexterity
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Cautiousness
- Achievement Orientation
- Perseverance
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Achievement
- Independence
- Support
- Recognition
- Relationships
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 6 months, up to and including 1 year
On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month
Education Details: Usually requires a high school diploma or GED, though some occupations may not.
Experience Required: Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience. For example, landscaping and groundskeeping workers might require very little training or previous experience, while agricultural equipment operators can benefit from on-the job training.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Automatic dough presses
- Bagel dividers
- Bagel kettles
- Baguette molders
- Bain maries
- Bakers' couches
- Bakery cookie cutters
- Bakery muffin pans
- Baking frames
- Baking sheets
- Balance scales
- Barcode scanners
- Barquette molds
- Bench brushes
- Bench knives
Work Environment
- Contact With Others
- Spend Time Standing
- Time Pressure
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Determine Tasks, Priorities and Goals
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $27,560 |
| Median | $36,650 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $48,260 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 231,890
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Food Batchmakers
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $40,790
Chefs and Head Cooks
Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
Median Salary: $60,990
Cooks, Restaurant
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $36,830
Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $40,550
Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders
Education: High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED)
Median Salary: $42,730
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.