Bakers Salary
In North Carolina, bakers earn $34,510 at the median, or about $16.59 an hour. The range runs from $20K at the entry level to $46K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 92.66), which stretches that salary to about $37,244 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,284/month, about 53.6% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across North Carolina. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $35K get you in North Carolina?
About bakers
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What this looks like in North Carolina
Bakers pay in North Carolina tracks closely to the national median, $35K locally vs. $37K nationwide, a 7% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,284/month, which is 54.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 92.66 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 7% 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, North Carolina
Entry-level bakers (10th percentile) start around $20K. Mid-career wages sit at $35K. Top earners bring in $46K or more, a $26K spread from bottom to top.
Bakers salary by metro in North Carolina
15 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlotte-Concord-Gastonia | $37K | +6% | 2,540 |
| Goldsboro | $36K | +6% | 100 |
| Asheville | $36K | +5% | 560 |
| Raleigh-Cary | $36K | +5% | 1,410 |
| Burlington | $36K | +4% | 180 |
| Durham-Chapel Hill | $35K | +2% | 470 |
| Greensboro-High Point | $35K | +1% | 580 |
| Wilmington | $34K | -0% | 350 |
| Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton | $34K | -0% | 240 |
| Pinehurst-Southern Pines | $34K | -2% | 90 |
| Winston-Salem | $34K | -3% | 490 |
| Rocky Mount | $34K | -3% | 330 |
| Greenville | $33K | -4% | 100 |
| Jacksonville | $30K | -12% | 80 |
| Fayetteville | $29K | -15% | 200 |
Showing 1–10 of 15 metros
Compare to other states
Track bakers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when North Carolina numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a baker afford a 2BR apartment alone in North Carolina?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $35K, rent takes 54.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,284/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 North Carolina?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bakers typically earn — is $20K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,181/month. At HUD’s $1,284/month FMR, rent would take 109% 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 North Carolina?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $35K locally vs. $37K nationally, a 7% difference.
How does North Carolina compare to the national average for bakers?
North Carolina pays $35K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -7%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 92.66), the purchasing-power equivalent is $37K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do bakers make in North Carolina?
The median is $34,510 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $19,690, and experienced bakers can clear $45,800. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $35K enough to live in North Carolina?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,351/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,284/month, which eats 54.6% 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 North Carolina?
North Carolina has a Regional Price Parity of 92.66 (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 $37,244 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.