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Bakers in Iowa

Want to work as a Bakers in Iowa? Here’s what the data says. Mix and bake ingredients to produce breads, rolls, cookies, cakes, pies, pastries, or other baked goods. Pastry chefs in restaurants and hotels are included with “Chefs and Head Cooks” (35-1011).

What do Bakers Make in Iowa?

For bakers working in Iowa, the median annual wage is $36,460 per year (or roughly $17.53/hour).Earnings range from $21,170 at the 10th percentile to $48,300 at the 90th percentile.

Wage Statistic	Annual	Hourly
10th percentile	$21,170	$10.18
25th percentile	$28,920	$13.90
Median (50th)	$36,460	$17.53
75th percentile	$40,340	$19.40
90th percentile	$48,300	$23.22

Location quotient — how concentrated this career is in Iowa compared to the national average — is 0.91.

National Wage Comparison

Nationally, bakers earn a median of $41,467 per year ($19.94/hour), below the Iowa median.

Employment Outlook

Nationally, total employment in this occupation is 170,551 bakers in the U.S.. In Iowa alone, around 2,130 people work in this role. That’s below the typical state, which employs around 2,270 bakers.

Top Iowa Metros for Bakers

The metro areas below employ the most bakers in Iowa.

Metro Area	Number Employed	Annual Median Salary
Des Moines-West Des Moines, IA	720	$36,460
Davenport-Moline-Rock Island, IA-IL	270	$33,230
Cedar Rapids, IA	170	$36,460
Iowa City, IA	140	$36,540
Waterloo-Cedar Falls, IA	130	$33,690
Sioux City, IA-NE-SD	120	$31,240
Dubuque, IA	90	$39,890

Top States for Bakers Employment

These states have the highest employment of bakers work.

State	Number Employed
California	32,140
Texas	16,040
New York	15,810
Florida	14,950
Pennsylvania	10,740
Illinois	10,730
Ohio	9,220
New Jersey	8,620
North Carolina	7,540
Georgia	7,420
Michigan	6,970
Virginia	5,670
Washington	5,640
Massachusetts	5,180
Arizona	4,950
Oregon	4,510
Wisconsin	4,360
Tennessee	4,290
Colorado	4,160
Utah	3,970

Highest-Paying States for Bakers

These states pay the most for bakers.

State	Annual Median Salary
Washington	$42,690
New York	$39,890
California	$39,570
Vermont	$39,520
Colorado	$39,430
District of Columbia	$39,090
Massachusetts	$38,800
North Dakota	$38,700
Hawaii	$38,690
Minnesota	$38,640

Skills

The most important bakers skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Knowledge Areas

Important knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Abilities

Top abilities for bakers, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:

Daily Tasks

Bakers typically:

• 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.
• 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.
• Apply glazes, icings, or other toppings to baked goods, using spatulas or brushes.
• Decorate baked goods, such as cakes or pastries.

Work Activities

• Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
• Getting Information
• Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
• Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
• Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
• Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
• Training and Teaching Others
• Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People
• Making Decisions and Solving Problems
• Coaching and Developing Others
• Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
• Thinking Creatively

Tools & Technology

Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: Microsoft Excel

What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?

Several college majors map to this occupation:

• Culinary Arts

Related Careers

Related occupations to bakers include:

• Chefs and Head Cooks
• Cooks, Fast Food
• Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
• Cooks, Restaurant
• Cooks, Short Order
• Food Preparation Workers

Also Known As

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.

References

• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
• O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
• BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
• O*NET-SOC code: 51-3011.00