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The differences between cook/dishwashers and food prep/dishwashers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a cook/dishwasher has an average salary of $31,703, which is higher than the $29,964 average annual salary of a food prep/dishwasher.
The top three skills for a cook/dishwasher include wash dishes, customer service and dishwashers. The most important skills for a food prep/dishwasher are food preparation equipment, work ethic, and wash dishes.
| Cook/Dishwasher | Food Prep/Dishwasher | |
| Yearly salary | $31,703 | $29,964 |
| Hourly rate | $15.24 | $14.41 |
| Growth rate | 16% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 133,000 | 113,200 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 58% | High School Diploma, 58% |
| Average age | 36 | 37 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
Cooks/dishwashers must develop kitchen skills to excel in this line of job. Each cook or dishwasher must learn to develop skills in food preparation, sanitation, and customer service. Cooks or dishwashers can be assigned to different areas, either in the kitchen area, food preparation, or in washing dishes. The scope of their responsibilities may include the cooking surface area, specific food items, or menu items. Also, they are expected to maintain the cleanliness of the kitchen, assist in preparing food, and may do any other duties demanded by the chef.
A food prep/dishwasher's role is to perform food preparation and cleaning duties in a kitchen, under the supervision and directives of a chef or manager. One of their primary responsibilities is washing dishes, sanitizing utensils, and preparing ingredients by washing, peeling, and cutting them according to size. They may also participate in organizing, sorting, and putting them in proper storage. There are also instances when they have to perform basic cooking tasks ranging from boiling and frying to baking. Furthermore, a food prep/dishwasher may have the duty of maintaining the kitchen's cleanliness and other areas.
Cook/dishwashers and food prep/dishwashers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Cook/Dishwasher | Food Prep/Dishwasher | |
| Average salary | $31,703 | $29,964 |
| Salary range | Between $24,000 And $40,000 | Between $24,000 And $37,000 |
| Highest paying City | Tacoma, WA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | New Seasons Market | University of Wisconsin System |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Professional |
There are a few differences between a cook/dishwasher and a food prep/dishwasher in terms of educational background:
| Cook/Dishwasher | Food Prep/Dishwasher | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 58% | High School Diploma, 58% |
| Most common major | Business | General Studies |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between cook/dishwashers' and food prep/dishwashers' demographics:
| Cook/Dishwasher | Food Prep/Dishwasher | |
| Average age | 36 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.7% Female, 18.3% | Male, 79.9% Female, 20.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.6% Unknown, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 11.6% Asian, 5.9% White, 62.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.4% | Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.9% Hispanic or Latino, 17.9% Asian, 6.9% White, 58.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0% |
| LGBT Percentage | 5% | 6% |