What are the main factors that influence a Lead Baker's salary?

The primary factors are: 1) Experience Level, 2) Geographic Location, 3) Education/Skills, 4) Company Size & Industry

How does experience change A Lead Baker's salary?

A Lead Baker's salary grows with experience: starting around $66,527 for beginners, reaching about $67,931 at mid-level, and approach $70,940 for experts.

What are the highest paying states for a Lead Baker?

Lead Baker salary varies significantly by state. The top 3 highest paying states for Lead Baker roles are District of Columbia $78,510, California $78,213, Massachusetts $77,170. These tech hubs typically pay 10-15% above the national average.

How much do different types of Lead Baker roles make?

Salaries for Lead Baker level roles vary by specialization: Baker II: $48,644; Scratch Baker: $43,726; Cake Baker: $38,738; Baker: $35,577; Baker, Pastry: $35,454.

How do different companies affect a Lead Baker's salary?

Company size, industry, and compensation structure create significant salary variations for Lead Baker roles. Large, established industry leaders like New York Police Department ($97,099) and State of New York - Metropolitan Transportation Authority ($95,962) offer base salaries 35-40% above the national average. In contrast, smaller firms or startups may offer closer to $75,106.

Lead Baker Salary in the United States

How much does a Lead Baker make in the United States?

As of May 18, 2021, the average salary for a Lead Baker in the United States is $70,909 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $34.

However, a Lead Baker's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

Top Earners (90th percentile): $90,356
Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $62,219 to $81,088
Entry-Level (10th percentile): $54,307

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Lead Baker Salaries by Percentile

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$81,088	$6,757	$1,559	$39
Average	$70,909	$5,909	$1,364	$34
25th Percentile	$62,219	$5,185	$1,197	$30

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Key Factors That Influence Lead Baker Salaries

A Lead Baker's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Lead Baker Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Lead Baker's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $66,527
Early Career (1-2 years): $66,948
Mid-Level (2-4 years): $67,931
Senior-Level (5-8 years): $69,055
Expert (over 8 years): $70,940

Levels	Salary
Entry Level Lead Baker	$66,527
Intermediate Level Lead Baker	$66,948
Senior Level Lead Baker	$67,931
Specialist Level Lead Baker	$69,055
Expert Level Lead Baker	$70,940

View as Graph

What Am I Worth?

How Do Lead Baker Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Lead Bakers. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:

District of Columbia: $78,510.
California: $78,213.
Massachusetts: $77,170.

District of Columbia $78,510 California $78,213 Massachusetts $77,170 Washington $76,887 New Jersey $76,858 Alaska $76,759 Connecticut $75,780 New York $75,383

Hawaii $74,114 Rhode Island $73,518 Maryland $73,114 Minnesota $72,561 Colorado $72,348 Illinois $72,277 Oregon $72,008 Delaware $71,809

New Hampshire $71,685 Virginia $71,405 Pennsylvania $70,590 Nevada $70,179 North Dakota $70,044 Michigan $69,831 Wisconsin $69,753 Vermont $69,597

Texas $69,165 Maine $69,136 Arizona $69,094 Ohio $69,044 Georgia $68,392 Indiana $68,065 Wyoming $68,002 Utah $67,902

Iowa $67,860 Kansas $67,519 Louisiana $67,420 North Carolina $67,385 Missouri $67,371 Florida $67,094 Montana $66,945 Nebraska $66,803

Kentucky $66,725 South Carolina $66,442 Tennessee $66,264 Idaho $66,193 New Mexico $65,676 Oklahoma $65,562 Alabama $65,144 South Dakota $64,442

Arkansas $64,059 West Virginia $63,853 Mississippi $63,237

Top Paying Cities for Lead Bakers

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

San Jose: $89,437
San Francisco: $88,558
Oakland: $86,594

San Jose, CA $89,437

San Francisco, CA $88,558

Oakland, CA $86,594

New York, NY $82,176

Queens Village, NY $81,645

Paramus, NJ $81,077

Passaic, NJ $81,006

Bergenfield, NJ $80,935

Stamford, CT $80,829

Huntington, NY $80,758

Newark, NJ $80,297

Bridgeport, CT $80,155

New Brunswick, NJ $79,921

Vallejo, CA $79,773

Middlesex, NJ $79,730

Somerset, NJ $79,666

Petaluma, CA $79,503

Santa Cruz, CA $79,227

Boston, MA $79,085

Monterey, CA $78,730

Fairbanks, AK $78,681

Los Angeles, CA $78,546

Washington, DC $78,510

Seattle, WA $78,383

Santa Rosa, CA $78,369

Juneau, AK $78,163

Orange, CA $77,929

Anchorage, AK $77,801

Anaheim, CA $77,752

Santa Ana, CA $77,645

Nassau, NY $77,603

Long Beach, CA $77,574

Danbury, CT $77,553

Santa Maria, CA $77,312

Everett, WA $77,298

Bremerton, WA $76,950

Trenton, NJ $76,816

Sacramento, CA $76,787

San Diego, CA $76,752

Brockton, MA $76,723

Tacoma, WA $76,695

Santa Barbara, CA $76,596

Lowell, MA $76,312

New Suffolk, NY $76,284

Nashua, NH $76,199

Lompoc, CA $76,085

Ventura, CA $76,014

Stockton, CA $75,993

New Haven, CT $75,851

Atlantic City, NJ $75,667

Hartford, CT $75,511

Modesto, CA $75,475

Poughkeepsie, NY $75,319

New Britain, CT $75,284

Kennewick, WA $75,185

Olympia, WA $75,185

New London, CT $75,171

Norwich, CT $75,149

Lawrence, MA $75,114

Bakersfield, CA $74,915

New Bedford, MA $74,816

Riverside, CA $74,816

Richland, WA $74,745

Portsmouth, NH $74,688

Vineland, NJ $74,674

San Bernardino, CA $74,617

Boulder, CO $74,419

Worcester, MA $74,362

Portland, OR $74,298

Saint Paul, MN $74,213

Minneapolis, MN $74,213

Philadelphia, PA $74,114

Honolulu, HI $73,738

Springfield, MA $73,490

Providence, RI $73,483

Chicago, IL $73,277

Bellingham, WA $73,192

Baltimore, MD $73,114

Chico, CA $72,937

Wilmington, DE $72,816

Pittsfield, MA $72,745

Manchester, NH $72,611

Spokane, WA $72,299

Denver, CO $72,292

Albany, NY $71,958

Troy, NY $71,930

Schenectady, NY $71,781

Burlington, VT $71,625

Portland, ME $71,377

Salem, OR $71,320

Yakima, WA $71,306

Ann Arbor, MI $71,285

Rochester, MN $71,086

Reno, NV $71,051

Fresno, CA $71,051

Milwaukee, WI $70,987

Detroit, MI $70,916

Allentown, PA $70,895

Carson City, NV $70,888

Houston, TX $70,781

Colorado Springs, CO $70,774

Syracuse, NY $70,739

Eugene, OR $70,604

Gary, IN $70,519

Bismarck, ND $70,519

Galveston, TX $70,519

Springfield, OR $70,462

Medford, OR $70,292

Fort Collins, CO $70,264

Austin, TX $70,207

Mesa, AZ $70,058

Phoenix, AZ $70,044

Dallas, TX $70,023

Reading, PA $69,980

Saint Cloud, MN $69,952

Concord, NH $69,888

Madison, WI $69,859

Utica, NY $69,668

Raleigh, NC $69,611

Las Vegas, NV $69,604

Rochester, NY $69,555

Des Moines, IA $69,547

Atlanta, GA $69,434

Battle Creek, MI $69,413

Salt Lake City, UT $69,391

Lancaster, PA $69,285

Champaign, IL $69,271

Harrisburg, PA $69,186

Durham, NC $69,122

Kansas City, MO $69,115

Kansas City, KS $69,101

Fort Worth, TX $69,094

Boca Raton, FL $69,065

Cleveland, OH $69,058

Columbus, OH $69,044

Pittsburgh, PA $69,037

Richmond, VA $69,009

Indianapolis, IN $68,994

Cincinnati, OH $68,902

Petersburg, VA $68,796

Lansing, MI $68,640

Billings, MT $68,640

Huntsville, AL $68,640

Lebanon, PA $68,633

Pueblo, CO $68,626

Dayton, OH $68,626

Appleton, WI $68,604

Buffalo, NY $68,576

Racine, WI $68,541

Charlotte, NC $68,533

Saint Louis, MO $68,512

Springfield, IL $68,484

York, PA $68,470

Elkhart, IN $68,470

Gastonia, NC $68,463

Benton Harbor, MI $68,463

Beaumont, TX $68,420

Lorain, OH $68,406

Toledo, OH $68,377

Binghamton, NY $68,342

Rock Hill, SC $68,335

Rockford, IL $68,299

Elyria, OH $68,264

Fargo, ND $68,264

Flagstaff, AZ $68,214

Fort Lauderdale, FL $68,172

Miami, FL $68,129

Duluth, MN $68,016

Bangor, ME $67,924

Cedar Rapids, IA $67,846

Louisville, KY $67,810

Grand Rapids, MI $67,796

Hialeah, FL $67,789

Casper, WY $67,690

Scranton, PA $67,605

New Orleans, LA $67,583

Virginia Beach, VA $67,576

Akron, OH $67,541

Peoria, IL $67,449

Sarasota, FL $67,434

Green Bay, WI $67,385

Baton Rouge, LA $67,349

Charleston, SC $67,335

Nashville, TN $67,314

Jamestown, NY $67,300

Davenport, IA $67,300

Tucson, AZ $67,264

Cheyenne, WY $67,243

Saint Petersburg, FL $67,222

Tampa, FL $67,207

Omaha, NE $67,193

Evansville, IN $67,165

Port Arthur, TX $67,165

Bradenton, FL $67,137

Santa Fe, NM $67,009

Orlando, FL $66,938

Clearwater, FL $66,860

La Crosse, WI $66,711

Canton, OH $66,711

Grand Forks, ND $66,690

Tulsa, OK $66,669

Albuquerque, NM $66,669

Newport News, VA $66,661

High Point, NC $66,640

Ogden, UT $66,612

Corpus Christi, TX $66,555

Laramie, WY $66,513

Norfolk, VA $66,513

Rock Island, IL $66,470

Saginaw, MI $66,456

Jacksonville, FL $66,449

Salisbury, NC $66,435

Memphis, TN $66,420

Moline, IL $66,385

Fort Myers, FL $66,364

Waterloo, IA $66,271

Spartanburg, SC $66,201

Lincoln, NE $66,165

Fort Wayne, IN $66,151

Birmingham, AL $66,073

Cedar Falls, IA $66,059

Provo, UT $66,052

Springfield, OH $66,045

San Antonio, TX $66,030

Greensboro, NC $66,002

South Bend, IN $65,995

Winston Salem, NC $65,988

Boise, ID $65,967

Savannah, GA $65,917

Muskegon, MI $65,789

Lima, OH $65,704

Lake Charles, LA $65,676

Anderson, IN $65,662

Lexington, KY $65,640

Augusta, GA $65,619

Greenville, SC $65,619

Wichita, KS $65,555

Tuscaloosa, AL $65,555

Columbia, SC $65,491

Bloomington, IN $65,314

Roanoke, VA $65,272

Asheville, NC $65,179

Knoxville, TN $65,059

Shreveport, LA $65,052

Wilmington, NC $64,960

Frankfort, KY $64,825

Oklahoma City, OK $64,775

Chillicothe, OH $64,747

Longview, TX $64,740

Topeka, KS $64,719

Mobile, AL $64,612

Terre Haute, IN $64,584

Erie, PA $64,577

Altoona, PA $64,541

Melbourne, FL $64,520

Amarillo, TX $64,492

Killeen, TX $64,470

Fayetteville, AR $64,414

Sioux Falls, SD $64,364

Chattanooga, TN $64,321

Idaho Falls, ID $64,314

Gainesville, FL $64,165

Portsmouth, OH $64,130

Little Rock, AR $64,116

Lynchburg, VA $64,116

Youngstown, OH $64,087

Lafayette, LA $64,087

Temple, TX $64,059

Daytona Beach, FL $64,045

Clarksville, TN $64,038

Pensacola, FL $64,031

Hopkinsville, KY $63,818

Charleston, WV $63,811

Florence, SC $63,775

Sioux City, IA $63,733

Macon, GA $63,527

Tallahassee, FL $63,520

Fayetteville, NC $63,506

Wichita Falls, TX $63,492

Waco, TX $63,492

Pine Bluff, AR $63,463

Vincennes, IN $63,329

Lubbock, TX $63,300

Great Falls, MT $63,258

Alamogordo, NM $63,251

Abilene, TX $63,194

Rapid City, SD $63,102

Monroe, LA $63,102

Albany, GA $63,059

Huntington, WV $63,052

Jackson, MS $63,045

Greenville, MS $63,038

Parkersburg, WV $62,967

Montgomery, AL $62,953

Johnstown, PA $62,939

Springfield, MO $62,882

Biloxi, MS $62,847

Sumter, SC $62,698

Columbus, GA $62,691

Twin Falls, ID $62,648

Pascagoula, MS $62,556

Kingsport, TN $62,371

Gulfport, MS $62,350

Alexandria, LA $62,116

Fort Smith, AR $61,939

El Paso, TX $61,747

Helena, MT $61,655

Las Cruces, NM $61,428

Harlingen, TX $61,230

Pocatello, ID $61,166

Florence, AL $61,145

Brownsville, TX $61,131

Dothan, AL $61,017

Mcallen, TX $60,982

Columbus, MS $60,457

Altus, OK $60,131

Lawton, OK $59,996

Pierre, SD $59,741

What Skills Can Increase a Lead Baker's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

Planning (Mentioned in 8.18% Job Postings): An act or process of making or carrying out plans. Establishment of goals, policies, and procedures for a social or economic unit city planning business planning.
Product Quality (Mentioned in 2.52% Job Postings): Product quality refers to how well a product satisfies customer needs, serves its purpose and meets industry standards. When evaluating product quality, businesses consider several key factors, including whether a product solves a problem, works efficiently or suits customers' purposes.
Food Service (Mentioned in 1.26% Job Postings): The foodservice or catering industry includes the businesses, institutions, and companies which prepare meals outside the home.

See More Skills

Skills	Demand Percentage
Planning	8.18%
Product Quality	2.52%
Food Service	1.26%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Lead Baker's salary.

Culinary Arts: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Leadership: Can increase your salary by up to 5%.
Communication Skills: Can increase your salary by up to 4%.

Skill	Salary	Salary % Increase
Culinary Arts	$75,163	6%
Leadership	$74,454	5%
Communication Skills	$73,745	4%
Planning	$72,327	2%
Catering	$72,327	2%
Food Preparation	$72,327	2%

Get Latest Data

How Education impacts a Lead Baker's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Lead Bakers enter the field with a Associate's Degree degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Lead Baker with a Associate's Degree is between $63,500 and $68,853).

Lead Baker Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Lead Baker

No Diploma 1.0%

High School 26.9%

Associates 42.3%

Bachelors 28.8%

Masters 1.0%

Doctorate 0.0%

view as table

Degree Level	% of user with this level of education
No Diploma	1.0%
High School	26.9%
Associates	42.3%
Bachelors	28.8%
Masters	1.0%
Doctorate	0.0%

view as graph

Lead Baker Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Lead Baker's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on May 18, 2021

$62,219

Average $70,909/year

$81,088

$5,185

Average $5,909/month

$6,757

$1,197

Average $1,364/week

$1,559

$30

Average $34/hour

$39

	Annual Salary	Monthly Pay	Weekly Pay	Hourly Wage
75th Percentile	$81,088	$6,757	$1,559	$39
Average	$70,909	$5,909	$1,364	$34
25th Percentile	$62,219	$5,185	$1,197	$30

Salaries of jobs related to Lead Baker

Salary Trends for Lead Baker

Salaries for a Lead Baker can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $43,900 in 2023 to around $42,598 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Lead Baker salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Lead Baker Over Time

2022

$???

2023

$43,900

2024

$43,214

2025

$42,598

2026

$???

2027

$???

Year	Average Annual Salary
2022	View More
2023	$43,900
2024	$43,214
2025	$42,598
2026	View More
2027	View More

Most common benefits for Lead Baker

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Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

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We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

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