Pantry worker vs food preparation worker

The differences between pantry workers and food preparation workers can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. Additionally, a pantry worker has an average salary of $29,031, which is higher than the $25,004 average annual salary of a food preparation worker.

The top three skills for a pantry worker include kitchen equipment, culinary and food products. The most important skills for a food preparation worker are customer service, food handling, and clean rooms.

Pantry worker vs food preparation worker overview

	Pantry Worker	Food Preparation Worker
Yearly salary	$29,031	$25,004
Hourly rate	$13.96	$12.02
Growth rate	2%	2%
Number of jobs	31,402	65,654
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 36%	High School Diploma, 46%
Average age	37	37
Years of experience	-	-

Pantry worker vs food preparation worker salary

Pantry workers and food preparation workers have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Pantry Worker	Food Preparation Worker
Average salary	$29,031	$25,004
Salary range	Between $22,000 And $38,000	Between $18,000 And $33,000
Highest paying City	-	Rochester, NY
Highest paying state	-	Rhode Island
Best paying company	-	University of California, Berkeley
Best paying industry	-	Retail

Differences between pantry worker and food preparation worker education

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

	Pantry Worker	Food Preparation Worker
Most common degree	High School Diploma, 36%	High School Diploma, 46%
Most common major	Culinary Arts	Business
Most common college	-	-

Pantry worker vs food preparation worker demographics

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

	Pantry Worker	Food Preparation Worker
Average age	37	37
Gender ratio	Male, 42.2% Female, 57.8%	Male, 46.6% Female, 53.4%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 8.5% White, 56.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%	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%
LGBT Percentage	6%	6%

Differences between pantry worker and food preparation worker duties and responsibilities

Pantry worker example responsibilities.

Manage saut station, fry station, grill station, and steamer station.
Assemble care packages and distribute groceries to the community.
Assist with planning and directing food preparation and culinary activities along with safely handling and storing all products appropriately.
Put away food and supplies order according to the fifo system.

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.

Pantry worker vs food preparation worker skills

Common pantry worker skills

Kitchen Equipment, 37%
Culinary, 23%
Food Products, 15%
Food Handling, 11%
Safety Procedures, 5%
Food Donations, 2%

Common food preparation worker skills

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

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Pantry Worker
Pantry Worker vs Food Preparation Worker

Updated January 8, 2025

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