Jobs Similar to Bakers
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to bakers, according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Cooks (Restaurant), Butchers and Meat Cutters and Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders.
Bakers: $37,160 median pay · usual preparation: High school.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
| # | Career | Similarity | Median pay (vs. Bakers) | Usual preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cooks, Restaurant | 78% | $37,390+1% | High school |
| 2 | Butchers and Meat CuttersSame group | 77% | $40,140+8% | High school |
| 3 | Food Cooking Machine Operators and TendersSame group | 77% | $41,590+12% | High school |
| 4 | Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria | 77% | $37,450+1% | High school |
| 5 | Slaughterers and Meat PackersSame group | 76% | $40,130+8% | High school |
| 6 | Cooks, Fast Food | 76% | $30,890−17% | High school |
| 7 | Food BatchmakersSame group | 76% | $42,290+14% | High school |
| 8 | Food Preparation Workers | 76% | $35,320−5% | High school |
| 9 | Packers and Packagers, Hand | 75% | $36,280−2% | High school |
| 10 | Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products | 74% | $35,730−4% | High school |
| 11 | Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | 74% | $34,890−6% | High school |
| 12 | Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and TrimmersSame group | 74% | $38,300+3% | High school |
| 13 | Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and TendersSame group | 73% | $44,810+21% | High school |
| 14 | Sewing Machine Operators | 73% | $36,670−1% | High school |
| 15 | Carpet Installers | 73% | $50,340+35% | High school |
| 16 | Sewers, Hand | 73% | $36,480−2% | High school |
| 17 | Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers | 73% | $37,800+2% | High school |
| 18 | Machine Feeders and Offbearers | 72% | $41,220+11% | High school |
| 19 | Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers | 72% | $41,600+12% | High school |
| 20 | Insulation Workers, Mechanical | 72% | $58,340+57% | High school |
- 1Cooks, Restaurant
78% similar · $37,390 (+1%) · High school
- 2Butchers and Meat Cutters
77% similar · $40,140 (+8%) · High school · Same group
- 3Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders
77% similar · $41,590 (+12%) · High school · Same group
- 4Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
77% similar · $37,450 (+1%) · High school
- 5Slaughterers and Meat Packers
76% similar · $40,130 (+8%) · High school · Same group
- 6Cooks, Fast Food
76% similar · $30,890 (−17%) · High school
- 7Food Batchmakers
76% similar · $42,290 (+14%) · High school · Same group
- 8Food Preparation Workers
76% similar · $35,320 (−5%) · High school
- 9Packers and Packagers, Hand
75% similar · $36,280 (−2%) · High school
- 10Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products
74% similar · $35,730 (−4%) · High school
- 11Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers
74% similar · $34,890 (−6%) · High school
- 12Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers
74% similar · $38,300 (+3%) · High school · Same group
- 13Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders
73% similar · $44,810 (+21%) · High school · Same group
- 14Sewing Machine Operators
73% similar · $36,670 (−1%) · High school
- 15Carpet Installers
73% similar · $50,340 (+35%) · High school
- 16Sewers, Hand
73% similar · $36,480 (−2%) · High school
- 17Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers
73% similar · $37,800 (+2%) · High school
- 18Machine Feeders and Offbearers
72% similar · $41,220 (+11%) · High school
- 19Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers
72% similar · $41,600 (+12%) · High school
- 20Insulation Workers, Mechanical
72% similar · $58,340 (+57%) · High school
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than bakers.
- Insulation Workers, Mechanical72% similar · $58,340 (+57%)
- Carpet Installers73% similar · $50,340 (+35%)
- Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders73% similar · $44,810 (+21%)
- Food Batchmakers76% similar · $42,290 (+14%)
- Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders77% similar · $41,590 (+12%)
- Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers72% similar · $41,600 (+12%)
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for bakers also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where bakers is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
Questions about jobs like bakers
What jobs are most similar to bakers?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Cooks (Restaurant) (78% similar), Butchers and Meat Cutters (77% similar), Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders (77% similar), Cooks (Institution and Cafeteria) (77% similar) and Slaughterers and Meat Packers (76% similar).
Which jobs like bakers pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Insulation Workers (Mechanical) ($58,340, +57%; usually a high school diploma), Carpet Installers ($50,340, +35%; usually a high school diploma) and Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders ($44,810, +21%; usually a high school diploma) have the highest BLS median pay compared with bakers ($37,160). Without more preparation than bakers usually need: Insulation Workers (Mechanical), Carpet Installers and Food and Tobacco Roasting, Baking, and Drying Machine Operators and Tenders.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.