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The differences between pastry chefs and prep chefs can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a pastry chef and a prep chef. Additionally, a pastry chef has an average salary of $44,879, which is higher than the $25,941 average annual salary of a prep chef.
The top three skills for a pastry chef include culinary, food handling and customer service. The most important skills for a prep chef are kitchen equipment, dishes, and cleanliness.
| Pastry Chef | Prep Chef | |
| Yearly salary | $44,879 | $25,941 |
| Hourly rate | $21.58 | $12.47 |
| Growth rate | 15% | 15% |
| Number of jobs | 18,844 | 52,624 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 49% | High School Diploma, 31% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 6 |
Pastry chefs and prep chefs have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Pastry Chef | Prep Chef | |
| Average salary | $44,879 | $25,941 |
| Salary range | Between $25,000 And $78,000 | Between $17,000 And $39,000 |
| Highest paying City | Urban Honolulu, HI | - |
| Highest paying state | New Jersey | - |
| Best paying company | The Culinary Institute of America | - |
| Best paying industry | Media | - |
There are a few differences between a pastry chef and a prep chef in terms of educational background:
| Pastry Chef | Prep Chef | |
| Most common degree | Associate Degree, 49% | High School Diploma, 31% |
| Most common major | Culinary Arts | Culinary Arts |
| Most common college | Drexel University | Drexel University |
Here are the differences between pastry chefs' and prep chefs' demographics:
| Pastry Chef | Prep Chef | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 35.7% Female, 64.3% | Male, 67.1% Female, 32.9% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.1% Unknown, 5.5% Hispanic or Latino, 18.3% Asian, 10.7% White, 54.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.8% | Black or African American, 10.3% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 17.2% Asian, 10.2% White, 56.7% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 9% |