Food counter worker vs associate food scientist

The differences between food counter workers and associate food scientists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, an associate food scientist has an average salary of $43,865, which is higher than the $25,007 average annual salary of a food counter worker.

The top three skills for a food counter worker include food handling, basic math and safety standards. The most important skills for an associate food scientist are quality food, food products, and customer service.

Food counter worker vs associate food scientist overview

	Food Counter Worker	Associate Food Scientist
Yearly salary	$25,007	$43,865
Hourly rate	$12.02	$21.09
Growth rate	14%	14%
Number of jobs	74,035	160,215
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Average age	23	23
Years of experience	-	-

Food counter worker vs associate food scientist salary

Food counter workers and associate food scientists have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Food Counter Worker	Associate Food Scientist
Average salary	$25,007	$43,865
Salary range	Between $18,000 And $33,000	Between $35,000 And $54,000
Highest paying City	Andover, MA	New York, NY
Highest paying state	North Dakota	New Hampshire
Best paying company	UC Merced	Emory University
Best paying industry	Start-up	Health Care

Differences between food counter worker and associate food scientist education

There are a few differences between a food counter worker and an associate food scientist in terms of educational background:

	Food Counter Worker	Associate Food Scientist
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 36%	Bachelor's Degree, 38%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Food counter worker vs associate food scientist demographics

Here are the differences between food counter workers' and associate food scientists' demographics:

	Food Counter Worker	Associate Food Scientist
Average age	23	23
Gender ratio	Male, 41.2% Female, 58.8%	Male, 48.7% Female, 51.3%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 6.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 6.5% White, 57.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%	Black or African American, 9.6% Unknown, 6.9% Hispanic or Latino, 18.6% Asian, 6.5% White, 57.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8%
LGBT Percentage	8%	8%

Differences between food counter worker and associate food scientist duties and responsibilities

Food counter worker example responsibilities.

Provide coffee and pastries for customers, make coffee and smoothies.
Assist with planning and directing food preparation and culinary activities along with safely handling and storing all products appropriately.
Sandwich making, cutting vegetables, cleaning fryers, washing dishes, cleaning of the dining area and cleaning the bathrooms.
Prepare personalized smoothies and meals for customers

Associate food scientist example responsibilities.

Maintain cleanliness in food preparation and dining areas in accordance with establish standards.
Carry out groceries, check customers out, bag groceries, stock shelves, close
Collect the necessary raw material stock from the culinary personnel and prepare the ordered dish.
Utilize and operate cutting utensils such as knives, slicers and weighing equipment following menu portion guidelines.
Train team members on advance culinary techniques and how to produce in quantity while still maintaining exemplary food quality.
Clean and operate a variety of equipment including grills, fryers, fridge and freezers, ovens, and beverage machines.

Food counter worker vs associate food scientist skills

Common food counter worker skills

Food Handling, 29%
Basic Math, 18%
Safety Standards, 16%
Cleanliness, 12%
Customer Complaints, 5%
Customer Service, 4%

Common associate food scientist skills

Quality Food, 36%
Food Products, 32%
Customer Service, 8%
Quality Customer Service, 5%
Groceries, 5%
Quality Standards, 3%

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Food Counter Worker vs Associate Food Scientist

Updated January 8, 2025

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