Food Preparation Workers
Perform a variety of food preparation duties other than cooking, such as preparing cold foods and shellfish, slicing meat, and brewing coffee or tea.
- O*NET-SOC code
35-2021.00 - Preparation Job Zone 1-2: Very Little to Some Preparation Needed
Wages
Median annual wage, U.S.$35,320
Employment, U.S.893,600
Median hourly wage$16.98
| 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $25,810 | $29,950 | $35,320 | $38,550 | $45,340 |
By state (51)
| State | Employment | Median annual | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alabama | 17,680 | $27,930 | 1.46 |
| Alaska | 2,800 | $35,720 | 1.50 |
| Arizona | 16,590 | $36,750 | 0.89 |
| Arkansas | 5,500 | $27,660 | 0.73 |
| California | 112,750 | $39,350 | 1.08 |
| Colorado | 12,080 | $38,960 | 0.73 |
| Connecticut | 12,250 | $36,650 | 1.26 |
| Delaware | 2,400 | $35,930 | 0.86 |
| District of Columbia | 3,970 | $39,600 | 0.98 |
| Florida | 73,100 | $35,920 | 1.28 |
| Georgia | 26,450 | $35,250 | 0.94 |
| Hawaii | 5,950 | $38,160 | 1.65 |
| Idaho | 4,670 | $31,510 | 0.95 |
| Illinois | 34,820 | $34,850 | 0.99 |
| Indiana | 16,200 | $29,700 | 0.88 |
| Iowa | 4,170 | $30,360 | 0.47 |
| Kansas | 7,680 | $30,280 | 0.93 |
| Kentucky | 15,390 | $26,850 | 1.34 |
| Louisiana | 30,920 | $23,620 | 2.78 |
| Maine | 4,560 | $36,030 | 1.24 |
| Maryland | 13,280 | $35,500 | 0.84 |
| Massachusetts | 13,620 | $38,900 | 0.65 |
| Michigan | 17,380 | $31,180 | 0.69 |
| Minnesota | 24,620 | $34,850 | 1.45 |
| Mississippi | 7,870 | $26,240 | 1.18 |
| Missouri | 13,650 | $31,510 | 0.81 |
| Montana | 2,990 | $33,860 | 1.02 |
| Nebraska | 6,890 | $35,210 | 1.17 |
| Nevada | 11,420 | $33,460 | 1.28 |
| New Hampshire | 3,420 | $36,780 | 0.87 |
| New Jersey | 24,730 | $35,540 | 1.00 |
| New Mexico | 6,850 | $33,370 | 1.37 |
| New York | 62,380 | $35,610 | 1.12 |
| North Carolina | 24,960 | $30,260 | 0.88 |
| North Dakota | 980 | $36,800 | 0.40 |
| Ohio | 19,480 | $34,530 | 0.61 |
| Oklahoma | 7,430 | $28,540 | 0.76 |
| Oregon | 11,860 | $37,450 | 1.05 |
| Pennsylvania | 17,940 | $30,840 | 0.51 |
| Rhode Island | 2,830 | $35,470 | 0.98 |
| South Carolina | 14,460 | $32,180 | 1.09 |
| South Dakota | 3,270 | $30,430 | 1.24 |
| Tennessee | 19,780 | $28,700 | 1.05 |
| Texas | 81,280 | $30,650 | 1.01 |
| Utah | 10,530 | $33,540 | 1.06 |
| Vermont | 1,350 | $36,550 | 0.77 |
| Virginia | 16,340 | $34,900 | 0.69 |
| Washington | 19,510 | $40,910 | 0.96 |
| West Virginia | 2,960 | $28,360 | 0.73 |
| Wisconsin | 17,990 | $34,070 | 1.06 |
| Wyoming | 1,620 | $36,110 | 1.00 |
Similar occupations
Similarity is our measure: the cosine of importance x level over all 120 O*NET skills, knowledge areas and abilities. It is not an O*NET finding. More.
Circles are the 20 most similar occupations, coloured by Job Zone. Lines join pairs where one is among the other's 10 most similar; darker lines are pairs O*NET also lists as related. Drag a circle to move it out of the way; select one to open it.
| # | Occupation | Job Zone | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cooks, Restaurant | 1-2 | 0.950 |
| 2 | Cooks, Short Order | 1-2 | 0.950 |
| 3 | Cooks, Fast Food | 1-2 | 0.944 |
| 4 | Butchers and Meat Cutters | 1-2 | 0.941 |
| 5 | Bakers | 1-2 | 0.939 |
| 6 | Laundry and Dry-Cleaning Workers | 1-2 | 0.936 |
| 7 | Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | 1-2 | 0.934 |
| 8 | Painting, Coating, and Decorating Workers | 1-2 | 0.933 |
| 9 | Stockers and Order Fillers | 1-2 | 0.929 |
| 10 | Postal Service Mail Sorters, Processors, and Processing Machine Operators | 1-2 | 0.925 |
One skill away
Among the 50 occupations most similar to Food Preparation Workers, those at the same Job Zone or lower, where exactly one skill rated at least 3 in importance needs a level more than 0.75 points higher (on O*NET's 0-7 level scale). Our definition. Change the thresholds.
| Occupation | Skill to build | Level gap | Similarity |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bakers | Time Management | 0.76 | 0.939 |
| Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | Coordination | 0.76 | 0.934 |
| Stockers and Order Fillers | Reading Comprehension | 0.88 | 0.929 |
| Waiters and Waitresses | Service Orientation | 1.00 | 0.920 |
| Shoe and Leather Workers and Repairers | Critical Thinking | 0.88 | 0.900 |
| Painters, Construction and Maintenance | Critical Thinking | 1.00 | 0.893 |
| Molders, Shapers, and Casters, Except Metal and Plastic | Operation and Control | 1.74 | 0.890 |
Software to learn next
Software used by at least 3 of the 20 occupations most similar to Food Preparation Workers, excluding software Food Preparation Workers already lists and any you named. Ranked by how many of them use it, weighted by how much more common it is among them than across all occupations (lift). Our ranking.
| Software | Similar jobs using it | Lift |
|---|---|---|
| RestaurantPlus PRO | 3 of 20 | 34.6x |
| Plexis Software Plexis POS | 3 of 20 | 19.8x |
| Eko | 3 of 20 | 4.2x |
| 5 of 20 | 1.7x | |
| Microsoft Windows | 5 of 20 | 1.0x |
| Email software | 5 of 20 | 0.8x |
| SAP software | 3 of 20 | 0.5x |
| Microsoft Outlook | 10 of 20 | 0.7x |
| Web browser software | 4 of 20 | 0.4x |
| Microsoft Word | 12 of 20 | 0.7x |
Skills
From O*NET data. Importance is rated 1 to 5 and level 0 to 7.
| Skill | Type | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|---|
| Active Listening | Essential skill | 3.00 | 2.38 |
| Time Management | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 2.12 |
| Service Orientation | Transferable skill | 3.00 | 2.00 |
| Coordination | Transferable skill | 2.88 | 2.12 |
| Speaking | Essential skill | 2.88 | 2.12 |
| Critical Thinking | Essential skill | 2.75 | 2.00 |
| Social Perceptiveness | Transferable skill | 2.62 | 2.12 |
| Reading Comprehension | Essential skill | 2.62 | 2.00 |
| Monitoring | Essential skill | 2.50 | 1.88 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | Transferable skill | 2.38 | 2.00 |
| Quality Control Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.12 | 1.75 |
| Complex Problem Solving | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Instructing | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Learning Strategies | Essential skill | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Active Learning | Essential skill | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Operations Monitoring | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Mathematics | Essential skill | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Persuasion | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Management of Personnel Resources | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.50 |
| Systems Analysis | Transferable skill | 2.00 | 1.50 |
| Writing | Essential skill | 1.88 | 1.75 |
| Negotiation | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.62 |
| Systems Evaluation | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.38 |
| Troubleshooting | Transferable skill | 1.88 | 1.00 |
| Operation and Control | Transferable skill | 1.75 | 0.88 |
| Management of Financial Resources | Transferable skill | 1.50 | 0.50 |
| Management of Material Resources | Transferable skill | 1.50 | 0.50 |
| Equipment Selection | Transferable skill | 1.12 | not rated |
| Equipment Maintenance | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Installation | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Operations Analysis | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Programming | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Repairing | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Science | Essential skill | 1.00 | not rated |
| Technology Design | Transferable skill | 1.00 | not rated |
Knowledge (33) and abilities (52)
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Customer and Personal Service | 3.27 | 2.55 |
| Food Production | 2.94 | 2.19 |
| Production and Processing | 2.69 | 2.84 |
| English Language | 2.44 | 1.92 |
| Administration and Management | 2.34 | 1.68 |
| Psychology | 1.81 | 1.53 |
| Education and Training | 1.78 | 1.20 |
| Public Safety and Security | 1.76 | 1.24 |
| Administrative | 1.69 | 1.05 |
| Personnel and Human Resources | 1.67 | not rated |
| Chemistry | 1.62 | not rated |
| Communications and Media | 1.62 | not rated |
| Economics and Accounting | 1.62 | not rated |
| Philosophy and Theology | 1.62 | 1.26 |
| Mathematics | 1.57 | not rated |
| Foreign Language | 1.57 | 0.78 |
| Physics | 1.53 | not rated |
| Transportation | 1.53 | not rated |
| Therapy and Counseling | 1.49 | not rated |
| Law and Government | 1.48 | not rated |
| Computers and Electronics | 1.47 | not rated |
| Mechanical | 1.46 | not rated |
| Sales and Marketing | 1.45 | not rated |
| Telecommunications | 1.45 | not rated |
| Medicine and Dentistry | 1.43 | not rated |
| Design | 1.40 | not rated |
| History and Archeology | 1.39 | not rated |
| Biology | 1.34 | not rated |
| Engineering and Technology | 1.33 | not rated |
| Fine Arts | 1.31 | not rated |
| Sociology and Anthropology | 1.31 | not rated |
| Building and Construction | 1.21 | not rated |
| Geography | 1.17 | not rated |
| Name | Importance | Level |
|---|---|---|
| Near Vision | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Oral Comprehension | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Trunk Strength | 3.00 | 3.00 |
| Finger Dexterity | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Manual Dexterity | 2.88 | 2.88 |
| Arm-Hand Steadiness | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Speech Recognition | 2.88 | 2.75 |
| Speech Clarity | 2.88 | 2.50 |
| Oral Expression | 2.88 | 2.38 |
| Information Ordering | 2.75 | 2.50 |
| Category Flexibility | 2.62 | 2.62 |
| Deductive Reasoning | 2.62 | 2.12 |
| Problem Sensitivity | 2.62 | 2.12 |
| Selective Attention | 2.62 | 2.00 |
| Extent Flexibility | 2.50 | 2.50 |
| Inductive Reasoning | 2.50 | 2.00 |
| Stamina | 2.50 | 2.00 |
| Far Vision | 2.38 | 2.25 |
| Written Comprehension | 2.25 | 2.12 |
| Static Strength | 2.25 | 2.00 |
| Visual Color Discrimination | 2.25 | 1.88 |
| Multilimb Coordination | 2.12 | 1.88 |
| Time Sharing | 2.12 | 1.88 |
| Auditory Attention | 2.00 | 2.12 |
| Control Precision | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Dynamic Strength | 2.00 | 2.00 |
| Depth Perception | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Flexibility of Closure | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Perceptual Speed | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Visualization | 2.00 | 1.88 |
| Speed of Closure | 2.00 | 1.75 |
| Gross Body Coordination | 2.00 | 1.62 |
| Number Facility | 2.00 | 1.62 |
| Fluency of Ideas | 1.88 | 1.75 |
| Hearing Sensitivity | 1.88 | 1.75 |
| Memorization | 1.88 | 1.75 |
| Originality | 1.88 | 1.75 |
| Written Expression | 1.88 | 1.75 |
| Wrist-Finger Speed | 1.88 | 1.50 |
| Mathematical Reasoning | 1.88 | 1.38 |
| Gross Body Equilibrium | 1.88 | 1.25 |
| Explosive Strength | 1.75 | 1.00 |
| Spatial Orientation | 1.75 | 0.88 |
| Reaction Time | 1.62 | 0.75 |
| Speed of Limb Movement | 1.50 | 0.62 |
| Rate Control | 1.38 | 0.38 |
| Dynamic Flexibility | 1.25 | not rated |
| Response Orientation | 1.25 | not rated |
| Peripheral Vision | 1.12 | not rated |
| Glare Sensitivity | 1.00 | not rated |
| Night Vision | 1.00 | not rated |
| Sound Localization | 1.00 | not rated |
Software used
Examples from O*NET data. "Hot" and "in demand" are O*NET flags for technologies often listed in job postings.
- Microsoft Excel hot
- Microsoft Office software hot
- Barrington Software CookenPro Commercial
- CBORD Foodservice Suite
- CBORD NetRecipe
- Culinary Software Services ChefTec
- EGS CALCMENU
- Master Cook Deluxe Professional Cook
- Mealmaster Cookbook Wizard
- MicroBlast Recipe Wizard for Windows
- Quizlet
- Recipe software
- ValuSoft MasterCook
- YouTube
- iPro
Where it concentrates
Metro areas ranked by BLS location quotient: the occupation's share of the area's jobs divided by its share of all US jobs. Above 1 means more concentrated than the nation. Metros employing fewer than 100 are left out.
| Metro area | Employment | Location quotient | Median annual |
|---|---|---|---|
| Slidell-Mandeville-Covington, LA | 2,070 | 3.68 | $24,380 |
| Lake Charles, LA | 1,940 | 3.32 | $23,380 |
| Monroe, LA | 1,630 | 3.25 | $22,430 |
| Lafayette, LA | 3,260 | 3.16 | $22,920 |
| Hammond, LA | 870 | 3.15 | $22,740 |
| Shreveport-Bossier City, LA | 2,860 | 3.06 | $22,980 |
| Alexandria, LA | 980 | 2.83 | $22,080 |
| New Orleans-Metairie, LA | 7,250 | 2.83 | $26,200 |
| Baton Rouge, LA | 5,800 | 2.46 | $24,450 |
| Houma-Bayou Cane-Thibodaux, LA | 1,150 | 2.39 | $22,810 |