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As of October 2025, the average pastry cook salary in the United States is estimated at $34,858 per year. Factors influencing this salary include geographic location, the type of establishment, and the level of experience. For instance, pastry cooks in upscale restaurants or hotels may earn higher wages compared to those in smaller bakeries.
Entry-level pastry cooks typically start at around $28,000 annually, while those with several years of experience can earn upwards of $40,000. Specializing in areas such as wedding cakes or artisan breads can further enhance a pastry cook's earning potential.
Regions with a high demand for culinary professionals, such as New York or California, often offer higher salaries. For example, the highest paying states for pastry cooks include California, New York, and Massachusetts. Job seekers can explore various positions, from bakery roles to high-end restaurant environments, to find opportunities that suit their skills and salary expectations.
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| Experience level | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|
| Entry-level pastry cook | $26,100 | $12.56 |
| Mid-level pastry cook | $31,600 | $15.18 |
| Senior-level pastry cook | $37,500 | $18.03 |
The highest-paying states for pastry cooks are Hawaii, Washington, and Connecticut. The lowest average pastry cook salary states are Oklahoma, Montana, and Kentucky.
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Florida | $38,816 | $18.66 |
| 2 | Connecticut | $44,006 | $21.16 |
| 3 | Missouri | $37,156 | $17.86 |
| 4 | Washington | $44,064 | $21.18 |
| 5 | Minnesota | $38,839 | $18.67 |
| 6 | Hawaii | $50,064 | $24.07 |
| 7 | Wyoming | $37,809 | $18.18 |
| 8 | Alaska | $40,452 | $19.45 |
| 9 | North Dakota | $36,727 | $17.66 |
| 10 | Colorado | $38,027 | $18.28 |
| 11 | Wisconsin | $36,490 | $17.54 |
| 12 | Massachusetts | $40,547 | $19.49 |
| 13 | Oregon | $39,388 | $18.94 |
| 14 | Indiana | $34,662 | $16.66 |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | $35,188 | $16.92 |
| 16 | Nevada | $35,453 | $17.04 |
| 17 | California | $41,511 | $19.96 |
| 18 | Utah | $35,862 | $17.24 |
| 19 | New York | $39,582 | $19.03 |
| 20 | Idaho | $35,593 | $17.11 |
| 21 | Tennessee | $32,839 | $15.79 |
| 22 | Virginia | $37,234 | $17.90 |
| 23 | Arizona | $34,731 | $16.70 |
| 24 | Maine | $35,706 | $17.17 |
| 25 | District of Columbia | $42,255 | $20.31 |
| 26 | North Carolina | $34,232 | $16.46 |
| 27 | Vermont | $36,939 | $17.76 |
| 28 | Nebraska | $34,637 | $16.65 |
| 29 | Arkansas | $31,838 | $15.31 |
| 30 | Illinois | $35,129 | $16.89 |
| 31 | Rhode Island | $35,520 | $17.08 |
| 32 | Iowa | $32,800 | $15.77 |
| 33 | South Dakota | $34,149 | $16.42 |
| 34 | New Mexico | $33,078 | $15.90 |
| 35 | New Jersey | $36,225 | $17.42 |
| 36 | Texas | $32,336 | $15.55 |
| 37 | Ohio | $31,834 | $15.30 |
| 38 | South Carolina | $32,088 | $15.43 |
| 39 | Delaware | $35,435 | $17.04 |
| 40 | Oklahoma | $30,424 | $14.63 |
| 41 | Louisiana | $30,761 | $14.79 |
| 42 | New Hampshire | $34,043 | $16.37 |
| 43 | Georgia | $32,522 | $15.64 |
| 44 | Maryland | $34,259 | $16.47 |
| 45 | Mississippi | $28,488 | $13.70 |
| 46 | Kentucky | $28,882 | $13.89 |
| 47 | Michigan | $30,997 | $14.90 |
| 48 | Alabama | $30,866 | $14.84 |
| 49 | Montana | $29,387 | $14.13 |
| 50 | Kansas | $27,686 | $13.31 |
| 51 | West Virginia | $27,766 | $13.35 |
The highest-paying cities for pastry cooks are Seattle, WA, San Francisco, CA, and Washington, DC.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Seattle, WA | $44,260 | $21.28 |
| 2 | San Francisco, CA | $42,266 | $20.32 |
| 3 | Washington, DC | $42,251 | $20.31 |
| 4 | Boston, MA | $40,571 | $19.51 |
| 5 | New York, NY | $39,566 | $19.02 |
| 6 | Portland, OR | $39,331 | $18.91 |
| 7 | Tampa, FL | $38,936 | $18.72 |
| 8 | Minneapolis, MN | $38,865 | $18.69 |
| 9 | Broomfield, CO | $38,044 | $18.29 |
| 10 | Atlantic City, NJ | $35,999 | $17.31 |
| 11 | Las Vegas, NV | $35,327 | $16.98 |
| 12 | Philadelphia, PA | $35,292 | $16.97 |
| 13 | Chicago, IL | $35,148 | $16.90 |
| 14 | Tucson, AZ | $34,795 | $16.73 |
| 15 | Asheville, NC | $34,237 | $16.46 |
| 16 | Atlanta, GA | $32,554 | $15.65 |
| 17 | Corpus Christi, TX | $32,443 | $15.60 |
| 18 | New Orleans, LA | $30,678 | $14.75 |
A pastry cook's salary ranges from $27,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $44,000 at the 90th percentile.

| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $44,000 | $3,667 | $21 |
| 75th Percentile | $39,000 | $3,250 | $19 |
| Average | $34,858 | $2,905 | $17 |
| 25th Percentile | $30,000 | $2,500 | $14 |
| 10th Percentile | $27,000 | $2,250 | $13 |
The highest paying types of pastry cooks are executive chef, chef manager, and chef de cuisine.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chef/Owner | $45,199 | $3,767 | $21.73 | 64,183 |
| Chef | $46,824 | $3,902 | $22.51 | 65,737 |
| Chef De Cuisine | $51,926 | $4,327 | $24.96 | 18,300 |
| Chef Manager | $53,470 | $4,456 | $25.71 | 22,346 |
| Line Chef | $26,651 | $2,221 | $12.81 | 144,227 |
| Chef De Partie | $39,938 | $3,328 | $19.20 | 18,913 |
Top companies hiring pastry cooks now:
Pastry cook salaries at Sailfish Club of Florida and Grosse Pointe Yacht Club are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average pastry cook salary at companies like Chumash Casino Resort and King's Hawaiian Enterprises, Inc. are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sailfish Club of Florida | $47,573 | $22.87 |
| 2 | Grosse Pointe Yacht Club | $43,421 | $20.88 |
| 3 | Chumash Casino Resort | $43,000 | $20.67 |
| 4 | King's Hawaiian Enterprises, Inc. | $42,706 | $20.53 |
| 5 | Columbia Country Club | $41,290 | $19.85 |
| 6 | Valley View Casino & Hotel | $40,721 | $19.58 |
| 7 | JEAN-GEORGES MANAGEMENT | $40,688 | $19.56 |
| 8 | Gun Lake Casino | $40,244 | $19.35 |
| 9 | Mstreet Entertainment Group | $39,896 | $19.18 |
| 10 | Legends Hospitality | $39,796 | $19.13 |
| 11 | Gila River Hotels & Casinos | $39,450 | $18.97 |
| 12 | Hyde Park Golf & Country Club | $39,258 | $18.87 |
| 13 | Wequassett Resort and Golf Club | $39,250 | $18.87 |
| 14 | Northern Quest Resort & Casino | $38,974 | $18.74 |
| 15 | Morongo Casino Resort & Spa | $38,653 | $18.58 |
| 16 | Hacienda Del Sol Guest Ranch Resort | $38,541 | $18.53 |
| 17 | Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sioux City | $38,536 | $18.53 |
| 18 | Penn National Gaming | $38,411 | $18.47 |
| 19 | HEI Hotels & Resorts | $38,261 | $18.39 |
| 20 | Hyatt Regency Lake Washington | $38,179 | $18.36 |
The average pastry cook salary has risen by $8,134 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average pastry cook earned $26,724 annually, but today, they earn $34,858 a year. That works out to a 19% change in pay for pastry cooks over the last decade.
Compare pastry cook salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Compare pastry cook salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $34,900 | $16.76 | +3.5% |
| 2024 | $33,600 | $16.17 | +4.5% |
| 2023 | $32,100 | $15.44 | +5.1% |
| 2022 | $30,500 | $14.65 | +4.1% |
| 2021 | $29,200 | $14.05 | +4.3% |
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonesta Hotels | Chase Park Plaza Pastry Cook II | Saint Louis, MO | 06/30/2025 | $36,523 |
| Kendall Jackson | Pastry/Cook Seasonal | Santa Rosa, CA | 06/28/2025 | $40,738 |
| North Italia | Pastry Cook/Baker | Meridian, ID | 06/28/2025 | $33,392 |
| Mina Group | Pastry Cook/Baker | New York, NY | 06/28/2025 | $65,156 |
| Grove Bay Hospitality Group | Pastry Cook | Miami Beach, FL | 06/28/2025 | $33,392 |
| The Coffee Class | Pastry Cook/Baker-Village Square | Las Vegas, NV | 06/27/2025 | $27,131 |
| Compass Group USA Inc. | Pastry Cook | New York, NY | 06/27/2025 | $41,740 |
| Jackson Family Wines | Pastry/Cook Seasonal | Santa Rosa, CA | 06/27/2025 | $40,738 |
| North Italia | Pastry Cook/Baker | Las Vegas, NV | 06/27/2025 | $25,044 |
| North Italia | Pastry Cook/Baker | Riverton, UT | 06/27/2025 | $33,392 |
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