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The differences between cook/dietary aides and cafeteria cooks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a cook/dietary aide and a cafeteria cook. Additionally, a cafeteria cook has an average salary of $30,395, which is higher than the $27,490 average annual salary of a cook/dietary aide.
The top three skills for a cook/dietary aide include meal service, food handling and patients. The most important skills for a cafeteria cook are culinary, cleanliness, and kitchen equipment.
| Cook/Dietary Aide | Cafeteria Cook | |
| Yearly salary | $27,490 | $30,395 |
| Hourly rate | $13.22 | $14.61 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 163,273 | 130,702 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 45% | High School Diploma, 50% |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
Cook/dietary aides and cafeteria cooks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Cook/Dietary Aide | Cafeteria Cook | |
| Average salary | $27,490 | $30,395 |
| Salary range | Between $21,000 And $34,000 | Between $25,000 And $36,000 |
| Highest paying City | Santa Rosa, CA | Falmouth, MA |
| Highest paying state | Utah | Utah |
| Best paying company | Ann Storck Center | National Pancake House |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Hospitality |
There are a few differences between a cook/dietary aide and a cafeteria cook in terms of educational background:
| Cook/Dietary Aide | Cafeteria Cook | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 45% | High School Diploma, 50% |
| Most common major | Culinary Arts | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between cook/dietary aides' and cafeteria cooks' demographics:
| Cook/Dietary Aide | Cafeteria Cook | |
| Average age | 38 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 25.9% Female, 74.1% | Male, 39.0% Female, 61.0% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 8.3% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 14.2% Asian, 7.4% White, 64.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 4.6% Hispanic or Latino, 15.6% Asian, 8.5% White, 60.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |