Prep cook demographics and statistics in the US
Prep cook demographics research summary. Zippia estimates prep cook demographics and statistics in the United States by using a database of 30 million profiles. Our prep cook estimates are verified against BLS, Census, and current job openings data for accuracy. Zippia's data science team found the following key facts about prep cooks after extensive research and analysis:
- There are over 1,347,582 prep cooks currently employed in the United States.
- 38.7% of all prep cooks are women, while 61.3% are men.
- The average prep cook age is 38 years old.
- The most common ethnicity of prep cooks is White (57.9%), followed by Hispanic or Latino (18.2%), Black or African American (9.5%) and Asian (8.6%).
- Prep cooks are most in-demand in Austin, TX.
- Seattle, WA pays an annual average wage of $40,582, the highest in the US.
- In 2022, women prep cooks earned 96% of what men earned.
- Washington is the best state for prep cooks to live.
- Prep cooks are 79% more likely to work at private companies in comparison to public companies.
On this page
Prep cook demographics by:
Prep cook gender statistics
38.7% of prep cooks are women and 61.3% of prep cooks are men.
- Male, 61.3%
- Female, 38.7%
Prep cook gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Male | 61.3% |
| Female | 38.7% |
Prep cook gender pay gap
Women earn 96¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$33,342
Female income
$32,148
Prep cook gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in prep cook positions over time. Currently, 38.7% of prep cooks are female.
Prep cook gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 58.11% | 41.89% |
| 2011 | 58.57% | 41.43% |
| 2012 | 59.78% | 40.22% |
| 2013 | 59.88% | 40.12% |
| 2014 | 61.30% | 38.70% |
| 2015 | 60.43% | 39.57% |
| 2016 | 61.44% | 38.56% |
| 2017 | 61.48% | 38.52% |
| 2018 | 60.67% | 39.33% |
| 2019 | 60.37% | 39.63% |
| 2020 | 61.24% | 38.76% |
| 2021 | 61.30% | 38.70% |
Prep cook related jobs gender ratio
We compared prep cooks with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, saucier and vacuum kettle cook have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Diet Clerk | 13% | 87% |
| Dietary Clerk | 16% | 84% |
| School Cafeteria Cook | 20% | 80% |
| Prep Cook | 61% | 39% |
| Line Cook/Dishwasher | 84% | 16% |
| Vacuum Kettle Cook | 87% | 13% |
| Saucier | 91% | 9% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Prep cook demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among prep cooks is White, which makes up 57.9% of all prep cooks. Comparatively, 18.2% of prep cooks are Hispanic or Latino and 9.5% of prep cooks are Black or African American.
- White, 57.9%
- Hispanic or Latino, 18.2%
- Black or African American, 9.5%
- Asian, 8.6%
- Unknown, 4.7%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.1%
Prep cook race
| Prep cook race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 57.9% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 18.2% |
| Black or African American | 9.5% |
| Asian | 8.6% |
| Unknown | 4.7% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.1% |
Prep cook race and ethnicity over time
See how prep cook racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Prep cook race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 62.25% | 11.15% | 7.48% | 16.55% |
| 2011 | 62.04% | 12.34% | 7.52% | 15.07% |
| 2012 | 61.71% | 11.88% | 7.32% | 16.03% |
| 2013 | 61.86% | 11.73% | 7.31% | 16.23% |
| 2014 | 61.44% | 11.59% | 7.58% | 16.18% |
| 2015 | 61.48% | 11.35% | 7.68% | 16.30% |
| 2016 | 61.16% | 11.00% | 7.61% | 16.76% |
| 2017 | 60.30% | 10.63% | 7.78% | 17.33% |
| 2018 | 61.41% | 10.61% | 7.66% | 16.83% |
| 2019 | 61.46% | 10.20% | 8.02% | 16.75% |
| 2020 | 59.44% | 9.55% | 8.27% | 16.95% |
| 2021 | 57.90% | 9.54% | 8.56% | 18.25% |
Prep cook wage gap by race
According to our data, asian prep cooks have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american prep cooks have the lowest average salary at $32,858.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $33,110 |
| White | $33,154 |
| Black or African American | $32,858 |
| Asian | $33,927 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $33,671 |
Average prep cook age
See how the average age of prep cooks varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Prep cook age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 35 | 45 |
| Unknown | 27 | 36 |
| Asian | 42 | 49.5 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 35 | 42 |
| White | 29 | 44 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 31.5 | 49 |
Prep cook age breakdown
The average age of prep cooks is 40+ years years old, representing 45% of the prep cook population.
Prep cook age breakdown
| Prep Cook Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 45% |
| 30-40 years | 22% |
| 20-30 years | 26% |
Prep cook educational attainment
The most common degree for prep cooks is high school diploma, with 48% of prep cooks earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 20% and associate degree degree at 14%.
- High School Diploma, 48%
- Associate, 20%
- Diploma, 14%
- Bachelor's, 13%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Prep cooks by degree level
| Prep cook degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma | 48% |
| Associate | 20% |
| Diploma | 14% |
| Bachelor's | 13% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Prep cook jobs you might like
Prep cook wage gap by degree level
According to the data, prep cooks with a Bachelor's degree earn more than those without, at $34,233 annually. With a Associate degree, prep cooks earn a median annual income of $33,511 compared to $32,837 for prep cooks with an High School Diploma degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| High School Diploma or Less | $32,837 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $34,233 |
| No Education | $32,488 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $33,511 |
Prep cook employment statistics
Most prep cooks work for a private in the hospitality industry.
Company size where prep cooks work
Below, you can see the size of companies where prep cooks work.
Prep cook jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 6% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 9% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 14% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 9% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 38% |
| > 10,000 employees | 25% |
Prep cook jobs by company type
Employees with the prep cook job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most prep cooks prefer to work at private companies over public companies.
Prep cook jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 1% |
| Public | 19% |
| Private | 79% |
| Government | 0% |
Prep cook jobs by industry
The most common industries for prep cooks are hospitality, retail and professional.
Prep cook industry statistics
| Industry | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Hospitality | 66% |
| Retail | 7% |
| Fortune 500 | 4% |
| Professional | 4% |
| Manufacturing | 3% |
| Media | 3% |
| Start-up | 3% |
| Health Care | 2% |
| Non Profits | 1% |
| Real Estate | 1% |
| Education | 1% |
| Internet | 1% |
| Technology | 1% |
Prep cook turnover and employment statistics
Prep cook unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for prep cooks between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Prep cook unemployment rate by year
| Year | Prep cook unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 13.74% |
| 2011 | 13.72% |
| 2012 | 12.24% |
| 2013 | 11.55% |
| 2014 | 9.93% |
| 2015 | 8.76% |
| 2016 | 8.73% |
| 2017 | 7.83% |
| 2018 | 7.48% |
| 2019 | 6.91% |
| 2020 | 10.00% |
| 2021 | 10.11% |
Average prep cook tenure
The average prep cook stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 85,689 prep cooks resumes in Zippia's database.
Prep cook tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 42% |
| 1-2 years | 32% |
| 3-4 years | 11% |
| 5-7 years | 11% |
| 8-10 years | 2% |
| 11+ years | 3% |
Prep cook LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of prep cooks that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Prep Cook | 5.53% | - |
| Deli/Bakery Clerk | 6.78% | 105,572 |
| Head Waitress | 7.02% | 72,324 |
| HMS Host | 7.29% | 10,342 |
| Food Runner/Busser | 7.36% | 124,680 |
| Mixologist | 7.68% | 53,872 |
| Banquet Captain | 8.43% | 60,883 |
Similar prep cook jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| Deli/Bakery Clerk | 6.78% | 105,572 |
| Head Waitress | 7.02% | 72,324 |
| HMS Host | 7.29% | 10,342 |
| Food Runner/Busser | 7.36% | 124,680 |
| Mixologist | 7.68% | 53,872 |
| Banquet Captain | 8.43% | 60,883 |
Foreign languages spoken by prep cooks
The most common foreign language among prep cooks is Spanish at 71.4%. The second-most popular foreign language spoken is French at 10.4% and German is the third-most popular at 3.3%.
- Spanish, 71.4%
- French, 10.4%
- German, 3.3%
- Italian, 3.1%
- Portuguese, 1.7%
- Other, 10.1%
Prep cook languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 71.4% |
| French | 10.4% |
| German | 3.3% |
| Italian | 3.1% |
| Portuguese | 1.7% |
| Other | 10.1% |
