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The differences between food preparers and food service technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a food service technician has an average salary of $33,791, which is higher than the $27,717 average annual salary of a food preparer.
The top three skills for a food preparer include food handling, work ethic and food products. The most important skills for a food service technician are patients, tray line, and food handling.
| Food Preparer | Food Service Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $27,717 | $33,791 |
| Hourly rate | $13.33 | $16.25 |
| Growth rate | 14% | 14% |
| Number of jobs | 134,113 | 120,800 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 41% | High School Diploma, 35% |
| Average age | 23 | 23 |
| Years of experience | - | - |
A food preparer or food preparation worker is the person who executes routine tasks under the supervision of chefs, food service managers, and cooks. Food preparation workers slice meat, cut vegetables, and prepare cold foods. They prepare ingredients of food for recipes as they assist cooks and chefs. Their duties and responsibilities include sifting, marinating, food safety, grating, and knife skills. They are also expected to weigh and measure dry and liquid ingredients.
A food technician monitors what goes in and out of a kitchen. The role entails ensuring that whatever food leaves the kitchen meets the company's standard. The role also requires them to work closely with the food service team to ensure adequate preparation, cleaning, and sanitizing of cooking equipment and work area. Food technicians are employed at hotels, restaurants, hospitals, or schools.
Food preparers and food service technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Food Preparer | Food Service Technician | |
| Average salary | $27,717 | $33,791 |
| Salary range | Between $20,000 And $37,000 | Between $25,000 And $45,000 |
| Highest paying City | Commack, NY | Santa Clara, CA |
| Highest paying state | New Hampshire | California |
| Best paying company | Mount Sinai Health System | Gillette |
| Best paying industry | Retail | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a food preparer and a food service technician in terms of educational background:
| Food Preparer | Food Service Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 41% | High School Diploma, 35% |
| Most common major | Business | Business |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between food preparers' and food service technicians' demographics:
| Food Preparer | Food Service Technician | |
| Average age | 23 | 23 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 46.6% Female, 53.4% | Male, 42.7% Female, 57.3% |
| 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% |