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The differences between dietary aides and cooks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a dietary aide, becoming a cook takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a cook has an average salary of $31,803, which is higher than the $28,005 average annual salary of a dietary aide.
The top three skills for a dietary aide include patients, meal trays and food service. The most important skills for a cook are food handling, food service, and cleanliness.
| Dietary Aide | Cook | |
| Yearly salary | $28,005 | $31,803 |
| Hourly rate | $13.46 | $15.29 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 44,494 | 184,818 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 50% | High School Diploma, 45% |
| Average age | 41 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
A dietary aide is responsible for assisting food preparations and ensuring that the meals adhere to an individual's specific diet plans. Dietary aides must strictly follow sanitation standards and hygiene procedures to guarantee the safety and quality of the service. They also help in facilitating kitchen maintenance, keeping every area clean and organized. Dietary aides must also have comprehensive knowledge of nutritional guidelines to provide information and share suggestions as necessary to improve the service and preparations.
Cooks are responsible for preparing meals for guests or employers. They must be knowledgeable about the different recipes and ingredients needed. They are also responsible for managing the inventory and ensuring that the pantry is well-stocked. They prepare meals from scratch, cutting ingredients, measuring them, and following recipes. Cooks should be creative, especially when ingredients are lacking, and they must find alternatives that will not compromise the food taste. They should be precise, imaginative, and patient. Cooks should also have good time management skills and decision-making skills.
Dietary aides and cooks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Dietary Aide | Cook | |
| Average salary | $28,005 | $31,803 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $35,000 | Between $25,000 And $40,000 |
| Highest paying City | Vancouver, WA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Hawaii |
| Best paying company | Lifespan | University of California, Berkeley |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Government |
There are a few differences between a dietary aide and a cook in terms of educational background:
| Dietary Aide | Cook | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 50% | High School Diploma, 45% |
| Most common major | Business | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between dietary aides' and cooks' demographics:
| Dietary Aide | Cook | |
| Average age | 41 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 28.2% Female, 71.8% | Male, 70.2% Female, 29.8% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 14.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 5.8% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 8.5% White, 58.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |