How much does a Bakery Clerk make in the United States?

As of October 01, 2026, the average salary for a Bakery Clerk in the United States is $35,215 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $17.

However, a Bakery Clerk's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $40,035
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $32,936 to $37,738
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $30,861

Key Factors That Influence Bakery Clerk Salaries

A Bakery Clerk's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Bakery Clerk Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Bakery Clerk's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $35,045
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $35,290
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $35,855
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $35,968
  • Expert (over 8 years): $36,043
Levels Salary
Entry Level Bakery Clerk$35,045
Intermediate Level Bakery Clerk$35,290
Senior Level Bakery Clerk$35,855
Specialist Level Bakery Clerk$35,968
Expert Level Bakery Clerk$36,043

Top Paying Cities for Bakery Clerks

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $44,417
  • San Francisco: $43,930
  • Oakland: $43,005

What Skills Can Increase a Bakery Clerk's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Customer Service (Mentioned in 20.11% Job Postings): Customer service is the provision of service to customers before, during and after a purchase. The perception of success of such interactions is dependent on employees "who can adjust themselves to the personality of the guest". Customer service concerns the priority an organization assigns to customer service relative to components such as product innovation and pricing. In this sense, an organization that values good customer service may spend more money in training employees than the average organization or may proactively interview customers for feedback. From the point of view of an overall sales process engineering effort, customer service plays an important role in an organization's ability to generate income and revenue. From that perspective, customer service should be included as part of an overall approach to systematic improvement. One good customer service experience can change the entire perception a customer holds towards the organization.
  • Product Quality (Mentioned in 3.86% Job Postings): Product quality refers to how well a product satisfies customer needs, serves its purpose and meets industry standards. When evaluating product quality, businesses consider several key factors, including whether a product solves a problem, works efficiently or suits customers' purposes.
  • Food Preparation (Mentioned in 1.38% Job Postings): The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to food preparation: Food preparation – art form and applied science that includes but is not limited to cooking.
Skills Demand Percentage
Customer Service 20.11%
Product Quality 3.86%
Food Preparation 1.38%

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Bakery Clerk's salary.

  • WFM: Can increase your salary by up to 9%.
  • Standard Operating Procedures: Can increase your salary by up to 7%.
  • Service Excellence: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
WFM $38,384
9%
Standard Operating Procedures $37,680
7%
Service Excellence $37,328
6%

Bakery Clerk Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Bakery Clerk salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $38,400. While startup companies pay approximate $32,445.

Bakery Clerk Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $32,445
Growth Stage 51~500 $34,323
Established 501~5000 $37,061
Enterprise 5000+ $38,400

How Education impacts a Bakery Clerk's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Bakery Clerk enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Bakery Clerk with a Bachelor's Degree is between $32,716 and $34,923.

Bakery Clerk Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Bakery Clerk
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 6.1%
High School 54.5%
Associates 27.3%
Bachelors 9.1%
Masters 3.0%
Doctorate 0.0%

Bakery Clerk Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Bakery Clerk's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on October 01, 2026
$32,936
Average $35,215/year
$37,738
$2,745
Average $2,935/month
$3,145
$633
Average $677/week
$726
$16
Average $17/hour
$18
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $37,738 $3,145 $726 $18
Average $35,215 $2,935 $677 $17
25th Percentile $32,936 $2,745 $633 $16

Bakery Clerk Salary Growth & Career Path

For a Bakery Clerk, the most direct path to higher earnings is advancing to the Retail Sales Staff role. This promotion typically comes with a significant pay increase, bringing the average annual salary to $39,419 - a projected growth of 12% over your current level.

Most common benefits for Bakery Clerk

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Bakery Clerk

Here are companies hiring for Bakery Clerk and their salaries, click below for more details.

Find Your Next Bakery Clerk Job

Ready to take the next step in your career? Browse thousands of current Bakery Clerk job openings on our job board. Use the search bar below to find your perfect match.

For Employees

Analyze the market and your qualifications to negotiate your salary with confidence.

Get a Salary Increase

Search thousands of open positions to find your next opportunity.

Search Job Openings

For Employers

Individualize employee pay based on unique job requirements and personal qualifications.

Adjust Employee Salary

Get the latest market price for benchmark jobs and jobs in your industry.

Price My Industry Jobs

FAQ about Bakery Clerk

1. Where can a Bakery Clerk earn the most?

A Bakery Clerk's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Bakery Clerk earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Bakery Clerk is $44,417.

2. What is the highest pay for Bakery Clerk?

The highest pay for Bakery Clerk is $40,035.

3. What is the lowest pay for Bakery Clerk?

The lowest pay for Bakery Clerk is $30,861.

4. What are the responsibilities of Bakery Clerk?

Responds and attends to customer requests in the bakery department within a grocery store. Responsible for various duties including preparing baked goods and other items for sale, arranging and wrapping bakery products, and placing bakery items in display cases. May operate machines such as bread slicers. Has knowledge of proper food handling procedures. May require a high school diploma or its equivalent. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager. Possesses a moderate understanding of general aspects of the job. Works under the close direction of senior personnel in the functional area. May require 0-1 year of general work experience.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

Are you an HR manager or compensation specialist?

Salary.com's CompAnalyst platform offers:

  • Detailed skills and competency reports for specific positions
  • Job and employee pricing reports
  • Compensation data tools, salary structures, surveys and benchmarks.
Learn about CompAnalyst