Food preparation worker vs bakery associate

The differences between food preparation workers and bakery associates can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a bakery associate has an average salary of $28,963, which is higher than the $25,004 average annual salary of a food preparation worker.

The top three skills for a food preparation worker include customer service, food handling and clean rooms. The most important skills for a bakery associate are customer service, donuts, and food preparation.

Food preparation worker vs bakery associate overview

	Food Preparation Worker	Bakery Associate
Yearly salary	$25,004	$28,963
Hourly rate	$12.02	$13.92
Growth rate	2%	2%
Number of jobs	65,654	52,105
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 46%	High School Diploma, 43%
Average age	37	37
Years of experience	-	-

Food preparation worker vs bakery associate salary

Food preparation workers and bakery associates have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Food Preparation Worker	Bakery Associate
Average salary	$25,004	$28,963
Salary range	Between $18,000 And $33,000	Between $17,000 And $47,000
Highest paying City	Rochester, NY	San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state	Rhode Island	Washington
Best paying company	University of California, Berkeley	Rich Products
Best paying industry	Retail	Retail

Differences between food preparation worker and bakery associate education

There are a few differences between a food preparation worker and a bakery associate in terms of educational background:

	Food Preparation Worker	Bakery Associate
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 46%	High School Diploma, 43%
Most common major	Business	Business
Most common college	-	-

Food preparation worker vs bakery associate demographics

Here are the differences between food preparation workers' and bakery associates' demographics:

	Food Preparation Worker	Bakery Associate
Average age	37	37
Gender ratio	Male, 46.6% Female, 53.4%	Male, 22.5% Female, 77.5%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 12.9% Unknown, 5.0% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 7.3% White, 56.6% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.0%	Black or African American, 11.8% Unknown, 4.8% Hispanic or Latino, 15.9% Asian, 6.6% White, 59.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between food preparation worker and bakery associate duties and responsibilities

Food preparation worker example responsibilities.

Maintain cleaned and sanitize cafeterias.
Assist with planning and directing food preparation and culinary activities along with safely handling and storing all products appropriately.
Wash dishes, pots, pans and trays by hand and automatic dishwasher.
Prepare and cook large quantities of food for institutions, such as schools, hospitals, or cafeterias.

Bakery associate example responsibilities.

Manage and complete sales transactions via POS register system.
Handle cash, check, WIC check, credit card and other card transactions.
Prepare delivery orders for other PCC stores.
Brainstorm new recipes and culinary creations to serve in in-store retail.
Work with equipment such as ovens, slicers, and wrapping equipment.
Apply toppings to bread, run divider, assure quality of product.

Food preparation worker vs bakery associate skills

Common food preparation worker skills

Customer Service, 20%
Food Handling, 16%
Clean Rooms, 10%
Food Preparation Equipment, 9%
Basic Math, 8%
Food Storage, 5%

Common bakery associate skills

Customer Service, 45%
Donuts, 16%
Food Preparation, 10%
Bakery Products, 7%
Safety Regulations, 4%
Groceries, 2%

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Food Preparation Worker vs Bakery Associate

Updated January 8, 2025

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