If you enjoy spending time in the kitchen creating tempting dessert creations, various ice cream flavors and mouth watering pastries for friends and family members, you may consider turning this hobby into a career path. But before most people choose a profession, income potential becomes a concern. Because of this, one of the most popular questions is, “How much does a pastry chef make?”
However, there is no clear cut answer to this simple question. Pastry chef jobs can be found in any number of locations such as restaurants, casinos, markets, hotels, resorts, cruise ships and bakeries. In most cases, their day begins in the early morning, and arrival is expected around 3 or 4 am – which allows ample time to prepare the delicacies before customers arrive and the establishment doors open.
The Correlation between Education and Earnings
One of the largest factors that determine how much a pastry chef makes an hour is their education level. Like many professions today, having some level of higher education can mean the difference between being offered a job and having your resume overlooked. Most businesses prefer prospective employees to have a Certification in Baking and Pastry or a Certificate in the Pastry Arts. However, if you have to opportunity to expand your education and earn an Associates or Bachelor’s degree, it is a wise decision to pursue this course of action.
The average salary of a pastry chef filling an entry level job (with a certificate from an accredited college or university) can expect to earn $8 to $14 per hour. Compared to other professions or career paths, this starting pay is minimal at best. For some, it may be a test to pay incoming bills and student loans – and the challenge can be even greater in competitive markets such as New York City, Orlando and Boston. However, do not let this difficult beginning discourage your dreams, because your hourly pastry chef salary will increase over time.
Also, gaining a certification from The American Culinary Federation (ACF) can add to the value of your education. This organization sets the standard for pastry chefs, courses and training – and these requirements are difficult to meet. Before becoming eligible for this level of testing and certification, a certain number of hours must be completed for formal training and experience. Currently there are four levels of certificate programs offered by the ACF, which includes pastry culinarian, working pastry chef, executive pastry chef and master pastry chef.
But how much does a pastry chef earn after completing all of this training and education? Depending on your job level, it can have a significant impact – and can transform your $14 per hour wage into $30 per hour or more depending on the establishment and job duties.
Determining Average Yearly Income
Another tricky aspect that needs to be taken under consideration is the annual income of a pastry chef. But like the hourly earnings, this topic can be difficult to address. However, one of the deciding factors tends to be location. For example you can ask a professional in NYC, “How much does a pastry chef make a year?” and the answer could be upwards of $60,000 per year or more. But if you ask the same question of a pastry chef in Oklahoma, they will answer and average of $25,000 annually. However, like all statistics and figures there is a median income range that can be applied to the United States. According to Payscale.com in 2011 the average yearly income ranged between $23,773 and $40,698. But keep in mind, before using this aspect as a deciding factor to determine your career is not wise. There are always exceptions to these rules – with top pastry chefs exceeding the average high, and some entry level jobs falling below the typical hourly wage.
Also, another factor that can impact your yearly income as a pastry chef is the amount of overtime worked, and yearly bonuses offered. Almost all individuals in this niche of the culinary arts work overtime – and there are few individuals who work a standard 8 hour work day. Expect to work shifts as short as 10 hours and potentially as long as 14 or 16 hours. Needless to say, if you work enough overtime it will have a drastic impact on your average pastry chef pay. Also, some (but not all) companies offer yearly bonuses and/or profit sharing. Depending on the organization, bonuses could range between $100 and $1500, and profit sharing programs can add and additional hundred or two to several thousand.
How Specific Niche Training Impacts Earnings
While pastry creation is a niche in the culinary arts, this specialization can be divided into greater specialties. But how much does a pastry chef get paid with highly focused skills and techniques? Four star restaurants and high end establishments may look for individuals who focus not only on baking and mixing, but have a creative training as well. Jobs that require perfect presentation, sculpturing abilities and molding of sugars can pay upwards of $30 or more. In fact some of the most famous pastry chefs are highly skilled in these areas, and can earn hundreds of dollars per hour depending on the confectionery creation that is ordered.
If you dream of becoming a pastry chef, do not let all of these statistics relating to hourly and yearly earnings overwhelm you. The fact is, these are just averages – and there are always exceptions to the rule. So before you ask, “How much does a pastry chef make?” consider all the variables, including education, training, experience, bonuses, overtime, work location and type of establishment being considered.
