Pastry baker vs pastry finisher

The differences between pastry bakers and pastry finishers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 6-12 months to become both a pastry baker and a pastry finisher. Additionally, a pastry finisher has an average salary of $32,857, which is higher than the $32,209 average annual salary of a pastry baker.

Pastry baker vs pastry finisher overview

	Pastry Baker	Pastry Finisher
Yearly salary	$32,209	$32,857
Hourly rate	$15.49	$15.80
Growth rate	8%	8%
Number of jobs	7,096	3,435
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 42%	High School Diploma, 35%
Average age	42	42
Years of experience	12	12

Pastry baker vs pastry finisher salary

Pastry bakers and pastry finishers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Pastry Baker	Pastry Finisher
Average salary	$32,209	$32,857
Salary range	Between $24,000 And $42,000	Between $24,000 And $44,000
Highest paying City	West Sacramento, CA	-
Highest paying state	Washington	-
Best paying company	Hyatt Hotels	-
Best paying industry	Retail	-

Differences between pastry baker and pastry finisher education

There are a few differences between a pastry baker and a pastry finisher in terms of educational background:

	Pastry Baker	Pastry Finisher
Most common degree	Associate Degree, 42%	High School Diploma, 35%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Culinary Arts
Most common college	-	-

Pastry baker vs pastry finisher demographics

Here are the differences between pastry bakers' and pastry finishers' demographics:

	Pastry Baker	Pastry Finisher
Average age	42	42
Gender ratio	Male, 40.6% Female, 59.4%	Male, 25.0% Female, 75.0%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 21.6% Asian, 10.2% White, 53.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%	Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 22.9% Asian, 8.0% White, 56.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.5%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between pastry baker and pastry finisher duties and responsibilities

Pastry baker example responsibilities.

Manage inventory of ingredients and culinary supplies.
Use of mixers, and sheeter for fold doughs.
Prepare recipes for a variety of bake items including cookies, pies, cakes, short breads, and muffins.
Prepare glazes and dough, baking cinnamon rolls, baking bacon, creating donuts, piping, preparing pastry frosting and inventory
Work independently to replenish product to pars -mix and portion muffins, scones, cookies, pies, cakes, etc.
Prepare donuts following instructions and safety guidelines.

Pastry finisher example responsibilities.

Hire, schedule and manage a staff of 9 direct reports (5 in kitchen and 4 in caf).
Assist ICM with project management responsibilities and updating and editing documentation for ISO compliance.
Apply glazes, icings, or other toppings to bake goods, using spatulas or brushes.

Pastry baker vs pastry finisher skills

Common pastry baker skills

Food Safety, 31%
Culinary, 26%
Mixers, 13%
Kitchen Appliances, 8%
Kitchen Equipment, 6%
Customer Service, 2%

Common pastry finisher skills

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Updated January 8, 2025

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