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The differences between chefs and prep chefs can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a chef and a prep chef. Additionally, a chef has an average salary of $46,824, which is higher than the $25,941 average annual salary of a prep chef.
The top three skills for a chef include customer service, food handling and culinary. The most important skills for a prep chef are kitchen equipment, dishes, and cleanliness.
| Chef | Prep Chef | |
| Yearly salary | $46,824 | $25,941 |
| Hourly rate | $22.51 | $12.47 |
| Growth rate | 15% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 65,737 | 52,624 |
| Job satisfaction | 4 | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 38% | High School Diploma, 31% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Chefs and prep chefs have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Chef | Prep Chef | |
| Average salary | $46,824 | $25,941 |
| Salary range | Between $31,000 And $68,000 | Between $17,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | Urban Honolulu, HI | - |
| Highest paying state | Hawaii | - |
| Best paying company | Bridgewater Associates | - |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | - |
There are a few differences between a chef and a prep chef in terms of educational background:
| Chef | Prep Chef | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 38% | High School Diploma, 31% |
| Most common major | Culinary Arts | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | Drexel University | Drexel University |
Here are the differences between chefs' and prep chefs' demographics:
| Chef | Prep Chef | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 74.8% Female, 25.2% | Male, 67.1% Female, 32.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.4% Hispanic or Latino, 17.1% Asian, 11.4% White, 55.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 10.2% White, 56.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |