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Baker vs bakery clerk

The differences between bakers and bakery clerks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a baker has an average salary of $29,640, which is higher than the $28,651 average annual salary of a bakery clerk.

The top three skills for a baker include excellent organizational, cleanliness and food preparation. The most important skills for a bakery clerk are basic math, bakery products, and cleanliness.

Baker vs bakery clerk overview

BakerBakery Clerk
Yearly salary$29,640$28,651
Hourly rate$14.25$13.77
Growth rate8%2%
Number of jobs10,86767,778
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 31%High School Diploma, 42%
Average age4237
Years of experience12-

What does a baker do?

Bakers arrange quality ingredients to mix and craft specific recipes to make all kinds of pastries and baked goods such as cookies, brownies, muffins, bread, tortillas, and cakes. They prepare doughs, batters, icings, or fillings and use several types of equipment like scales or graduated containers to weigh or quantify ingredients. Baking is a science that requires precise measurement and temperature conditions, so bakers should have keen attention to detail, great accuracy, and good organizational skills. This career may not sound as glamorous as it could be, but this is a very physical and demanding type of job.

What does a bakery clerk do?

A bakery clerk is an employee who is responsible for running the bakery department of supermarkets, boutique bakeries, or baking facilities. Bakery clerks are usually tasked to manage the bakery's cash register, bagging baked goods and then taking customers' payments. They ensure that the display cases inside the bakery are fully stocked with fresh bread and other baked goods. They also assist bakers with baking tasks such as measuring ingredients, mixing dough, or pouring batter.

Baker vs bakery clerk salary

Bakers and bakery clerks have different pay scales, as shown below.

BakerBakery Clerk
Average salary$29,640$28,651
Salary rangeBetween $21,000 And $41,000Between $23,000 And $34,000
Highest paying CityNashua, NHVancouver, WA
Highest paying stateNew HampshireWashington
Best paying companyUniversity of Massachusetts BostonBristol Farms
Best paying industryRetailRetail

Differences between baker and bakery clerk education

There are a few differences between a baker and a bakery clerk in terms of educational background:

BakerBakery Clerk
Most common degreeHigh School Diploma, 31%High School Diploma, 42%
Most common majorCulinary ArtsBusiness
Most common college--

Baker vs bakery clerk demographics

Here are the differences between bakers' and bakery clerks' demographics:

BakerBakery Clerk
Average age4237
Gender ratioMale, 45.7% Female, 54.3%Male, 21.7% Female, 78.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 15.2% Asian, 8.3% White, 60.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%Black or African American, 11.0% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 19.6% Asian, 6.6% White, 57.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%
LGBT Percentage6%6%

Differences between baker and bakery clerk duties and responsibilities

Baker example responsibilities.

  • Manage inventory of ingredients and culinary supplies.
  • Prepare foods for cafeteria and patients, operate cash register in cafeteria, sanitize food preparation and service areas.
  • Operate industrial ovens and stoves.
  • Help selling merchandise and run the store.
  • Gain valuable experience in servicing VIP requests.
  • Assist customers, run register, stock goods.
  • Show more

Bakery clerk example responsibilities.

  • Manage and complete sales transactions via POS register system.
  • Use of equipment such as: bread slicers, ovens, commercial mixers, meat slicers, and over wrappers.
  • Start in wine and spirits.
  • Practice proper use of lock out/tag out procedures for balers and trash compactors.
  • Exemplify a model of excellent customer service in keeping with Publix's orientation towards ensuring customer satisfaction.
  • Train to operate machinery such as meat and cheese slicer, bread slicer, fryers, and rotisserie oven.
  • Show more

Baker vs bakery clerk skills

Common baker skills
  • Excellent Organizational, 38%
  • Cleanliness, 8%
  • Food Preparation, 5%
  • Quality Standards, 4%
  • Food Handling, 4%
  • Safety Regulations, 4%
Common bakery clerk skills
  • Basic Math, 10%
  • Bakery Products, 9%
  • Cleanliness, 9%
  • Math, 8%
  • Food Safety, 6%
  • Help Support, 6%

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