How To Become A Cook/Baker: What It Is and Career Path

What is a cook/baker and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a cook/baker. For example, did you know that they make an average of $15.79 an hour? That's $32,844 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 16% and produce 419,300 job opportunities across the U.S.

ScoreCook/BakerUS Average

Salary

2.6

Avg. Salary $32,844

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

6.2

Growth rate 16%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

8.6

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.13%

Asian 7.96%

Black or African American 8.81%

Hispanic or Latino 17.32%

Unknown 4.72%

White 60.06%

Gender

female 54.20%

male 45.80%

Age - 37

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 37

Stress level

6.2

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity level

4.3

Complexity level is basic

7 - challenging

Work life balance

7.4

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a cook/baker

Explore cook/baker education requirements

Most common cook/baker degrees

High School Diploma

36.4 %

Associate

31.1 %

Bachelor's

13.9 %

Start to develop specific cook/baker skills

Skills	Percentages
Kitchen Equipment	18.59%
Food Service	15.26%
Patients	12.11%
Food Handling	8.98%
Cleanliness	7.09%

Complete relevant cook/baker training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New cook/bakers learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a cook/baker based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real cook/baker resumes.

Gain additional cook/baker certifications

Cook/baker certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific cook/baker certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

The most common certifications for cook/bakers include Certified Food Manager (CFM) and Food Safety Manager Certification.

More About Certifications

Research cook/baker duties and responsibilities

Operate mixers and manage ingredients to meet product quality and uniformity standards.
Use different kitchen tools (knives, slicers, kettles, dicers, ect).
Follow haccp and sanitation practices daily.
Gain a wealth of knowledge in all aspects of culinary, sanitation and organizing.

Prepare your cook/baker resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your cook/baker resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a cook/baker resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable cook/baker resume templates

Build a professional cook/baker resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your cook/baker resume.