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The differences between prep chefs and kitchen cooks can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a prep chef, becoming a kitchen cook takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a kitchen cook has an average salary of $31,452, which is higher than the $25,941 average annual salary of a prep chef.
The top three skills for a prep chef include kitchen equipment, dishes and cleanliness. The most important skills for a kitchen cook are dishes, food handling, and cleanliness.
| Prep Chef | Kitchen Cook | |
| Yearly salary | $25,941 | $31,452 |
| Hourly rate | $12.47 | $15.12 |
| Growth rate | 15% | 16% |
| Number of jobs | 52,624 | 250,354 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 31% | High School Diploma, 44% |
| Average age | 42 | 38 |
| Years of experience | 6 | 4 |
Prep chefs and kitchen cooks have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Prep Chef | Kitchen Cook | |
| Average salary | $25,941 | $31,452 |
| Salary range | Between $17,000 And $39,000 | Between $25,000 And $38,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Boston, MA |
| Highest paying state | - | Massachusetts |
| Best paying company | - | Hilltop Ski Area |
| Best paying industry | - | Retail |
There are a few differences between a prep chef and a kitchen cook in terms of educational background:
| Prep Chef | Kitchen Cook | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 31% | High School Diploma, 44% |
| Most common major | Culinary Arts | Business |
| Most common college | Drexel University | - |
Here are the differences between prep chefs' and kitchen cooks' demographics:
| Prep Chef | Kitchen Cook | |
| Average age | 42 | 38 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 67.1% Female, 32.9% | Male, 65.8% Female, 34.2% |
| Race ratio | 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% | Black or African American, 8.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 17.7% Asian, 9.1% White, 58.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 6% |