Wages

	Total Employed	Average Hourly Wage	Average Annual Wage
Indiana	3,520	$8.62	$17,940
Gary	430	$7.45	$15,490
Indianapolis		$9.54	$19,840
Evansville	190	$9.29	$19,320
National	176,080	$8.82	$18,340

Nationally, half of all people employed in this group earn between $14,630 and $23,720 each year.

Employment

Nationally, about 226,100 bakers work in this medium-sized occupation. About three-quarters of these work for small establishments. Major employers: Grocery stores Restaurants Bakery shops Bakery products manufacturers About 11 percent of all bakers are self-employed.

Outlook

National

Nationally, the number of jobs for bakers is expected to increase about as fast as the average through the year 2008. Growth will be due to increases in population, household income, and leisure time. These factors will allow people to dine out more often. In addition, the popularity of fresh baked breads and pastries should spur the growth in jobs for bakers.

Getting Hired

Employers may prefer applicants with a high school degree or G.E.D. Employers may also prefer applicants with food handling and preparation experience. In addition, employers prefer applicants with a keen sense of taste and smell. Personal cleanliness is also important. Most states require food workers to get health certificates showing they are free from communicable diseases. This may be required before applicants are hired.

Job Advancement

Opportunities for advancement are limited in this field. More opportunities exist for bakers employed by manufacturing companies. However, pastry chefs in elegant establishments may advance by taking on supervisory duties. Certification by the American Culinary Federation may be helpful for advancement.