Bakers Salary
In Pennsylvania, bakers earn $36,360 at the median, or about $17.48 an hour. The range runs from $25K at the entry level to $50K for experienced workers. Cost of living is below average (RPP 94.97), which stretches that salary to about $38,286 in buying power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,351/month, about 53.5% of take-home, which is tight.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Pennsylvania. Jump to a metro for precise data:
So what does $36K get you in Pennsylvania?
About bakers
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What this looks like in Pennsylvania
Bakers pay in Pennsylvania tracks closely to the national median, $36K locally vs. $37K nationwide, a 2% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,351/month, which is 53.8% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Regional Price Parity sits at 94.97 (national = 100), meaning everyday costs run about 5% 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, Pennsylvania
Entry-level bakers (10th percentile) start around $25K. Mid-career wages sit at $36K. Top earners bring in $50K or more, a $25K spread from bottom to top.
Bakers salary by metro in Pennsylvania
16 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chambersburg | $49K | +34% | 200 |
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $38K | +4% | 4,410 |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $37K | +3% | 620 |
| Lebanon | $36K | +0% | 180 |
| Scranton--Wilkes-Barre | $36K | -0% | 640 |
| Lancaster | $36K | -1% | 910 |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $36K | -2% | 450 |
| York-Hanover | $36K | -2% | 470 |
| Reading | $36K | -2% | 360 |
| Williamsport | $36K | -2% | 90 |
| Pittsburgh | $35K | -3% | 2,000 |
| Erie | $34K | -7% | 270 |
| State College | $33K | -9% | 90 |
| Gettysburg | $33K | -10% | 30 |
| Altoona | $32K | -12% | 100 |
| Johnstown | $29K | -20% | 70 |
Showing 1–10 of 16 metros
Compare to other states
Track bakers salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Pennsylvania numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a baker afford a 2BR apartment alone in Pennsylvania?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $36K, rent takes 53.8% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,351/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $800/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for bakers in Pennsylvania?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new bakers typically earn — is $25K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,526/month. At HUD’s $1,351/month FMR, rent would take 89% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $36K locally vs. $37K nationally, a 2% difference.
How does Pennsylvania compare to the national average for bakers?
Pennsylvania pays $36K median vs. the U.S. average of $37K — that’s -2%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 94.97), the purchasing-power equivalent is $38K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do bakers make in Pennsylvania?
The median is $36,360 a year, that works out to about $17 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $25,430, and experienced bakers can clear $50,470. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $36K enough to live in Pennsylvania?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,512/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,351/month, which eats 53.8% 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 Pennsylvania?
Pennsylvania has a Regional Price Parity of 94.97 (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 $38,286 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.