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The differences between dish washers and food prep/dishwashers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a food prep/dishwasher has an average salary of $29,964, which is higher than the $29,860 average annual salary of a dish washer.
The top three skills for a dish washer include food handling, work ethic and fine dining. The most important skills for a food prep/dishwasher are food preparation equipment, work ethic, and wash dishes.
| Dish Washer | Food Prep/Dishwasher | |
| Yearly salary | $29,860 | $29,964 |
| Hourly rate | $14.36 | $14.41 |
| Growth rate | 2% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 37,127 | 113,200 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 55% | High School Diploma, 58% |
| Average age | 36 | 37 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A dishwasher is responsible for keeping and maintaining a kitchen clean by properly washing, sorting, and stacking the kitchen wares, and setting up dish stations. Though the job requires only minimal work experience and a high school diploma, it is said to be a hard one since it involves strong problem-solving and good communication skills, exceptional time management skills, and the ability to work on extended hours. However, since a dishwasher seldom leaves the kitchen area and does not provide direct service to customers, he/she usually get tips directly if service staff share their tips with them.
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.
Dish washers and food prep/dishwashers have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Dish Washer | Food Prep/Dishwasher | |
| Average salary | $29,860 | $29,964 |
| Salary range | Between $23,000 And $37,000 | Between $24,000 And $37,000 |
| Highest paying City | Seattle, WA | Seattle, WA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | Washington |
| Best paying company | Rich Products | University of Wisconsin System |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Professional |
There are a few differences between a dish washer and a food prep/dishwasher in terms of educational background:
| Dish Washer | Food Prep/Dishwasher | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 55% | High School Diploma, 58% |
| Most common major | Business | General Studies |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between dish washers' and food prep/dishwashers' demographics:
| Dish Washer | Food Prep/Dishwasher | |
| Average age | 36 | 37 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 81.0% Female, 19.0% | Male, 79.9% Female, 20.1% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 12.0% Unknown, 6.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.8% Asian, 6.4% White, 59.3% 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% |