How To Become A Bakery Associate: What It Is and Career Path

What is a bakery associate and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025

3 min read

Baked goods are always a welcoming addition to the table any day. That is why, once the cooking is done, bakery associates are known for presenting excited customers with yummy food to indulge in. It may seem a simple job, but it pays an average of $15.25 an hour.

Whenever you need a delicious treat, you opt for the bakery, and the associate in charge is responsible for assisting you. As one yourself, you will have to organize the workspace and sell the products.That means taking orders from impatient customers, answering any incoming questions or complaints. Moreover, the position also requires good communication skills, as you will be the link between the baker and customers.

With an expected growth of 8% in the next ten years, you can become a bakery associate with just a high school degree. But around 11% of the associates also carry a bachelor's degree. As a bakery associate, your time will revolve around cakes, pastries, and assorted breads.

ScoreBakery AssociateUS Average

Salary

2.3

Avg. Salary $28,963

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level

4.8

Growth Rate 2%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.4

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.92%

Asian 6.60%

Black or African American 11.84%

Hispanic or Latino 15.95%

Unknown 4.77%

White 59.91%

Gender

female 77.46%

male 22.54%

Age - 34

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 - 34

Stress Level

4.8

Stress level is manageable

7.1 - high

Complexity Level

6.2

Complexity Level is intermediate

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance

6.6

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a bakery associate

Explore bakery associate education requirements

Most common bakery associate degrees

High School Diploma

43.3 %

Bachelor's

21.2 %

Associate

19.9 %

Start to develop specific bakery associate skills

Skills	Percentages
Customer Service	45.37%
Donuts	15.82%
Food Preparation	9.53%
Bakery Products	7.19%
Safety Regulations	3.71%

Complete relevant bakery associate training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New bakery associates 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 bakery associate based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real bakery associate resumes.

Research bakery associate duties and responsibilities

Manage and complete sales transactions via POS register system.
Handle cash, check, WIC check, credit card and other card transactions.
Prepare delivery orders for other PCC stores.
Brainstorm new recipes and culinary creations to serve in in-store retail.

Prepare your bakery associate resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your bakery associate 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 bakery associate resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose From 10+ Customizable Bakery Associate Resume templates

Build a professional Bakery Associate 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 Bakery Associate resume.

Apply for bakery associate jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a bakery associate job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do bakery associates rate their job?