Headline risk
2%
Very Low RiskBakers
United States AI Work Index tracks this occupation on the shared structural baseline and then layers on local demand resilience, wages, and confidence.
Why This Score
Share of job tasks that overlap with current AI capabilities
Median annual wage
Projected employment change over 10 years
Typical preparation needed for this occupation
Occupation profile
Mix and bake ingredients to produce breads, rolls, cookies, cakes, pies, pastries, or other baked goods.
Task evidence
100% weighted task match · 0% effective coverage
Scores combine AI task overlap, human advantages, and local demand. How it works
United States Now
Median Wage
USD 36,650
Employment 2024
249.1K
Projected Change (2024–34)
5.6%
Openings (2024–34)
39.9K
Wage distribution
Demand outlook
Employment of bakers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.
Role Profile
Tasks
- 1. Set oven temperatures, and place items into hot ovens for baking. AI use: 0%
- 2. Check products for quality, and identify damaged or expired goods. AI use: 0%
- 3. Place dough in pans, molds, or on sheets, and bake in production ovens or on grills. AI use: 0%
- 4. Observe color of products being baked, and adjust oven temperatures, humidity, or conveyor speeds accordingly. AI use: 0%
- 5. Set time and speed controls for mixing machines, blending machines, or steam kettles so that ingredients will be mixed or cooked according to instructions. AI use: 0%
- 6. Check equipment to ensure that it meets health and safety regulations, and perform maintenance or cleaning, as necessary. AI use: 0%
Technologies
Requirements
Work context
Worker profile
Median age 37.2 · 277K employed
Under 25: 21% · 25–54: 60% · 55+: 19%
Related
No direct US role match is available yet for this occupation.
Source coverage
11/11 source families · O*NET 30.2 / OEWS 2024 / ORS 2025 / OOH 2025-08-28 / Projections 2024-34 / CPS 2025 / Anthropic task penetration
Mapping quality
crosswalk_exact · employment series present
Narrative & sources
Bakers mix ingredients according to recipes in order to make breads, pastries, and other baked goods.
Most bakers work in retail or commercial bakeries (manufacturing facilities), grocery stores or wholesale club stores, and restaurants. Work shifts often include early mornings, nights, weekends, and holidays.
Although bakers typically need no formal educational credential, employers may prefer or require that candidates have a high school diploma. Some choose to attend a technical or culinary school. They typically learn their skills through on-the-job training, which may include participating in an apprenticeship program.
The median annual wage for bakers was $36,650 in May 2024.
Employment of bakers is projected to grow 6 percent from 2024 to 2034, faster than the average for all occupations.
Published limitations
This page shows the local country layer, not realised individual job outcomes. The global structural baseline is shared across countries; only the local demand and wage layer changes here.
Built from O*NET occupation descriptions, task statements, technology skills, work context, Job Zones, Anthropic task penetration, BLS OEWS wages, BLS projection tables, BLS ORS requirements, BLS OOH narrative content, BLS skills data, and BLS CPS occupation age tables.