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The differences between cake decorators and bakery associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a cake decorator has an average salary of $31,509, which is higher than the $28,963 average annual salary of a bakery associate.
The top three skills for a cake decorator include food safety, food handling and safety standards. The most important skills for a bakery associate are customer service, donuts, and food preparation.
| Cake Decorator | Bakery Associate | |
| Yearly salary | $31,509 | $28,963 |
| Hourly rate | $15.15 | $13.92 |
| Growth rate | 3% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 4,788 | 52,105 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 31% | High School Diploma, 43% |
| Average age | 42 | 37 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A cake decorator is responsible for designing cakes for special occasions, following the clients' specifications and special requests. Cake decorators directly communicate with the client for their orders, suggesting decorations based on the event's theme, and delivering the item securely. Cake decorators also strictly adhere to the highest sanitation and hygienic standards to ensure the product's quality. They monitor inventories and stock supplies and research current market trends. Meeting client demands to increase sales and revenues.
A bakery associate is responsible for assisting bakery chefs in producing baked goods and pastries, organizing the stock, maintaining the cleanliness of the storage area, and processing customers' orders and payments. Bakery associates monitor the inventory and request bakery ingredients and supplies from trusted suppliers and third-party vendors. They also pitch on recommending promotional campaigns and research on current bakery trends to update the menu, meeting public demands to increase sales and revenues. A bakery associate should have excellent communication and analytical skills to respond to customers' inquiries and operate the cash register.
Cake decorators and bakery associates have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Cake Decorator | Bakery Associate | |
| Average salary | $31,509 | $28,963 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $43,000 | Between $17,000 And $47,000 |
| Highest paying City | Centreville, VA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Maine | Washington |
| Best paying company | Rich Products | Rich Products |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Retail |
There are a few differences between a cake decorator and a bakery associate in terms of educational background:
| Cake Decorator | Bakery Associate | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 31% | High School Diploma, 43% |
| Most common major | Culinary Arts | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between cake decorators' and bakery associates' demographics:
| Cake Decorator | Bakery Associate | |
| Average age | 42 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 8.9% Female, 91.1% | Male, 22.5% Female, 77.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.0% Hispanic or Latino, 22.3% Asian, 3.4% White, 58.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 6.6% White, 59.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 4% | 6% |