Food Preparation Workers: Career Overview
Perform a variety of food preparation duties other than cooking, such as preparing cold foods and shellfish, slicing meat, and brewing coffee or tea.
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What Tasks Do Food Preparation Workers Perform?
The core tasks performed by food preparation workers include:
- Clean and sanitize work areas, equipment, utensils, dishes, or silverware.
- Assist cooks and kitchen staff with various tasks as needed, and provide cooks with needed items.
- Take and record temperature of food and food storage areas, such as refrigerators and freezers.
- Carry food supplies, equipment, and utensils to and from storage and work areas.
- Remove trash and clean kitchen garbage containers.
- Store food in designated containers and storage areas to prevent spoilage.
- Weigh or measure ingredients.
- Vacuum dining area and sweep and mop kitchen floor.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Successful food preparation workers draw on a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Most Important Skills
These are the skills most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Core Knowledge
Related Job Titles
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Back of House Team Member (BOH Team Member)
- Cafeteria Aide
- Carver
- Caterer
- Caterer Helper
- Catering Assistant
- Chicken and Fish Butcher
- Coffee Brewer
Job Outlook
The U.S. employs around 207,914 food preparation workers working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to decline by -2.2% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Food Preparation Workers Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $43,368 |
| Hourly median | $20.85 |
| 10th percentile | $25,184 |
| 25th percentile | $34,276 |
| 75th percentile | $52,461 |
| 90th percentile | $61,553 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| Washington | $38,950 |
| Colorado | $38,670 |
| District of Columbia | $38,440 |
| California | $38,150 |
| Massachusetts | $37,780 |
| Hawaii | $37,240 |
| Vermont | $37,030 |
| Alaska | $36,710 |
| Oregon | $36,390 |
| New York | $36,030 |
| Maine | $35,730 |
| North Dakota | $35,700 |
| Arizona | $35,480 |
| Rhode Island | $35,460 |
| Connecticut | $35,420 |
| Florida | $35,190 |
| New Hampshire | $35,170 |
| New Jersey | $34,910 |
| Minnesota | $34,820 |
| Wyoming | $34,380 |
| Maryland | $34,310 |
| Illinois | $34,180 |
| Nevada | $33,910 |
| Delaware | $33,280 |
| Georgia | $32,890 |
| Michigan | $32,810 |
| Wisconsin | $32,810 |
| Nebraska | $32,420 |
| Utah | $32,090 |
| Ohio | $31,590 |
| Virginia | $31,500 |
| Idaho | $31,440 |
| Montana | $31,420 |
| Missouri | $30,530 |
| Pennsylvania | $30,150 |
| Indiana | $30,090 |
| South Carolina | $30,050 |
| Iowa | $29,840 |
| South Dakota | $29,820 |
| North Carolina | $29,410 |
| Kansas | $29,410 |
| New Mexico | $29,350 |
| Tennessee | $28,980 |
| Texas | $28,660 |
| Virgin Islands | $28,110 |
| West Virginia | $27,610 |
| Arkansas | $27,330 |
| Oklahoma | $26,450 |
| Alabama | $25,510 |
| Kentucky | $24,520 |
| Mississippi | $23,190 |
| Louisiana | $22,900 |
| Guam | $21,990 |
| Puerto Rico | $20,640 |
Top-Paying U.S. Regions
Pay for food preparation workers vary by region. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $37,732 | 17.1% | 1.03 |
| New England | $36,399 | 4.3% | 0.98 |
| Rocky Mountains | $34,572 | 3.3% | 0.84 |
| Middle Atlantic | $34,570 | 12.9% | 0.87 |
| Great Lakes | $32,554 | 11.0% | 0.82 |
| Plains States | $32,202 | 7.1% | 1.14 |
| Southeast | $29,767 | 28.3% | 1.37 |
| Southwest | $29,360 | 15.3% | 1.26 |
Where the Jobs Cluster
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $44,120 | 6,240 |
| Napa, CA | CA | $43,260 | 530 |
| Kahului-Wailuku, HI | HI | $42,830 | 560 |
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | WA | $41,980 | 11,930 |
| Boulder, CO | CO | $41,490 | 540 |
| Greeley, CO | CO | $41,340 | 590 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $40,810 | 1,340 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $39,660 | 12,470 |
Which Industries Hire Food Preparation Workers
The bulk of food preparation workers are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Accommodation and Food Services | 515,940 | $33,280 |
| Retail Trade | 233,660 | $35,270 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 54,410 | $33,800 |
| Educational Services | 33,580 | $36,190 |
| Manufacturing | 15,000 | $35,130 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 10,030 | $35,720 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 9,920 | $33,500 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 3,400 | $33,390 |
The table below shows some of the most common industries where those employed in this career field work.
Tools and Technology
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
Work Environment
Daily working conditions for food preparation workers tends to involve the following characteristics:
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Spend Time Standing
- Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets
- Contact With Others
- Importance of Being Exact or Accurate
How to Become Food Preparation Workers
Entry-level food preparation workers positions require a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education. This career aligns with Some Preparation Needed (Job Zone 2), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Food Service Managers (Supplemental)
- Chefs and Head Cooks (Supplemental)
- First-Line Supervisors of Food Preparation and Serving Workers (Supplemental)
- Cooks, Fast Food (Primary-Long)
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria (Primary-Short)
- Cooks, Private Household (Supplemental)
- Cooks, Restaurant (Primary-Short)
- Cooks, Short Order (Primary-Short)
Sources
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 35-2021.00 (Food Preparation Workers).
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