Bakers Salary
In Alabama, bakers earn $34,030 at the median, or about $16.36 an hour. The range runs from $21K at the entry level to $45K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 88.36), which stretches that salary to about $38,513 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,085/month, about 46.7% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Alabama. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $34K get you in Alabama?
About bakers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Alabama
Bakers pay in Alabama tracks closely to the national median, $34K locally vs. $37K nationwide, a 8% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,085/month, which is 46.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 88.36 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 12% cheaper here. Your dollar stretches further than the headline salary suggests. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Alabama
Entry-level bakers (10th percentile) start around $21K. Mid-career wages sit at $34K. Top earners bring in $45K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.
Bakers salary by metro in Alabama
8 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tuscaloosa | $43K | +25% | 120 |
| Montgomery | $39K | +14% | 300 |
| Daphne-Fairhope-Foley | $37K | +8% | 80 |
| Huntsville | $34K | +0% | 230 |
| Birmingham | $34K | -1% | 440 |
| Dothan | $31K | -8% | 60 |
| Mobile | $30K | -11% | 220 |
| Auburn-Opelika | $30K | -13% | 80 |
Compare to other states
Track bakers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Alabama numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a baker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Alabama?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $34K, rent takes 46.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,085/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for bakers in Alabama?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bakers typically earn — is $21K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,256/month. At HUD’s $1,085/month FMR, rent would take 86% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is baker a high-paying job in Alabama?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $34K locally vs. $37K nationally, a 8% difference.
How does Alabama compare to the national average for bakers?
Alabama pays $34K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -8%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 88.36), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do bakers make in Alabama?
The median is $34,030 a year, that works out to about $16 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $20,940, and experienced bakers can clear $44,600. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $34K enough to live in Alabama?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,320/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,085/month, which eats 46.8% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a bakers salary go in Alabama?
Alabama has a Regional Price Parity of 88.36 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median bakers salary is worth about $38,513 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do bakers get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.