The National Average Starting Salary for Baking & Pastry Chefs

The national average starting salaries for baking and pastry chefs differ, because bakers and pastry chefs are categorized in two different industries, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Bakers produce rolls, breads and selections of cakes, whereas pastry chefs create gourmet cakes for special occasions and upscale events and customers. Therefore, the bureau place bakers and pastry chefs into two different categories: bakers and head chefs.

Baker's Starting Salary

The bureau provides salary information for bakers, including the average salary of $23,450 per year, which is around $11.27 per hour. In addition, bakers falling in the 10th percentile earn close to $16,910 annually, resulting in $8.13 per hour. This data indicates that a baker's starting salary may fall anywhere between $16,910 and $23,450, depending on the geographical location of the bakery and the employer's given budget for employees. A baker's starting salary is also influenced by the industry the baker works, according to data from the bureau.

Pastry Chef's Starting Salary

Pastry chefs in the 10th percentile earn approximately $23,260 per year, or an hourly rate of $11.18. The median annual wage is close to $40,630, or $19.53 an hour. This data indicates that a pastry chef's starting salary is likely between $23,260 and $40,630, depending on the industry where the pastry chef is working and where the given place of employment is geographically located.

Location

The physical location of the given job influences the starting salary for both pastry chefs and bakers. Although the bureau only provides average annual and hourly salaries, the starting salary may be directly affected by average salaries. The highest-paying state for pastry chefs is New Jersey with an hourly rate of $29.79. The top-paying state for bakers is Hawaii, where bakers earn $15.15 per hour. Other top-paying states for pastry chefs include Connecticut, Rhode Island, Alaska and Connecticut.

Industries

The bureau also provides salary figures for bakers and chefs for different industries and, although the figures represent average and mean salaries, the starting salaries for each job may be influenced. Top-paying industries for bakers include the federal executive branch and elementary and secondary schools. These jobs pay approximately $45,840 and $35,910, respectively. Pastry chefs earn a bit more in amusement parks, the federal executive branch and other financial investment activities. Amusement park chefs earn $65,450 annually, while federal executive branch chefs earn $65,180. Other financial investment activities chefs earn around $64,350 per year.

References

• Reluctant Gourmet: Becoming a Pastry Chef
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Chefs, Head Cooks, and Food Preparation and Serving Supervisors
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Bakers
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2009 -- Chefs and Head Cooks
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics: Occupational Employment and Wages, May 2009 -- Bakers