Bakers Salary
In Indiana, bakers earn $36,150 at the median, or about $17.38 an hour. The range runs from $23K at the entry level to $47K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 91.81), which stretches that salary to about $39,375 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,144/month, about 45.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Indiana. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $36K get you in Indiana?
About bakers
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Indiana
Bakers pay in Indiana tracks closely to the national median, $36K locally vs. $37K nationwide, a 3% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,144/month, which is 45.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 91.81 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 8% 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, Indiana
Entry-level bakers (10th percentile) start around $23K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $47K or more, a $24K spread from bottom to top.
Bakers salary by metro in Indiana
11 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Michigan City-La Porte | $40K | +10% | 100 |
| Elkhart-Goshen | $37K | +3% | 170 |
| Indianapolis-Carmel-Greenwood | $37K | +2% | 1,140 |
| Evansville | $36K | +1% | 160 |
| South Bend-Mishawaka | $36K | +1% | 250 |
| Fort Wayne | $36K | +0% | 180 |
| Bloomington | $36K | -1% | 70 |
| Columbus | $36K | -1% | 40 |
| Kokomo | $35K | -4% | 40 |
| Terre Haute | $34K | -6% | 40 |
| Lafayette-West Lafayette | $34K | -6% | 120 |
Showing 1–10 of 11 metros
Compare to other states
Track bakers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Indiana numbers change.
Related careers in Production & Manufacturing
Frequently asked questions
Can a baker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Indiana?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $36K, rent takes 45.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,144/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 Indiana?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bakers typically earn — is $23K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,373/month. At HUD’s $1,144/month FMR, rent would take 83% 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 Indiana?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $36K locally vs. $37K nationally, a 3% difference.
How does Indiana compare to the national average for bakers?
Indiana pays $36K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -3%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 91.81), the purchasing-power equivalent is $39K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do bakers make in Indiana?
The median is $36,150 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $22,880, and experienced bakers can clear $47,360. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in Indiana?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,499/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,144/month, which eats 45.8% 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 Indiana?
Indiana has a Regional Price Parity of 91.81 (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 $39,375 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.