What do they do?

Perform a variety of food preparation duties other than cooking, such as preparing cold foods and shellfish, slicing meat, and brewing coffee or tea.

Also known as:

Cafeteria Aide, Deli Clerk (Delicatessen Clerk), Diet Aide, Dietary Aide, Dietary Assistant, Expo (Expeditor), Food Prep (Food Preparer), Food Preparation Worker, Food Service Aide, Food Service Worker, Kitchen Assistant, Kitchen Helper, Kitchen Worker, Nutrition Aide, Pantry Cook, Salad Maker, Sandwich Artist, Sandwich Maker, Slicer

Typical Wages

Projected Growth Rate

Employment of Food Preparation Workers is projected to Decline 4 percent from 2022 to 2032

Projected Employment For All United States

No Data Available
  • -4.8%

    Change

    Select a state to see its job growth rate ranking
    157,100

    Job Openings

    Select a state to see its net job growth ranking

Best colleges for Food Preparation Workers

Search

Colleges with the most graduates that become Food Preparation Workers

Search

Looking for colleges that offer a specific major? Use the College Match Tool to find your best-matched schools and discover your estimated Net Price!

Education Level

Percent of workers in this field with these degrees:

  • High school diploma equivalent  (42%)
  • Less than high school diploma  (24%)
  • Some college, no degree  (20%)
  • Bachelor's degree  (7%)
  • Associate's degree  (6%)
  • Master's degree  (1%)
  • Doctorate or Professional Degree  (<1%)

Typical College Majors

Most Popular Majors that prepare Food Preparation Workers

Select Type of Degree:

People in this career often know a lot about:

  • Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.

People in this career often do these activities:

  • Clean food preparation areas, facilities, or equipment.
  • Clean tableware.
  • Operate cash registers.
  • Process customer bills or payments.
  • Store supplies or goods in kitchens or storage areas.
  • Arrange food for serving.
  • Package food or supplies.
  • Assess equipment functioning.
  • Cook foods.
  • Record operational or production data.
  • Serve food or beverages.
  • Stock serving stations or dining areas with food or supplies.
  • Prepare foods for cooking or serving.
  • Move equipment, supplies or food to required locations.
  • Clean food service areas.
  • Distribute resources to patrons or employees.
  • Cut cooked or raw foods.
  • Remove trash.
  • Measure ingredients.
  • Report information to managers or other personnel.
  • Assist chefs or caterers with food or drink preparation.
  • Present food or beverage information or menus to customers.
  • Prepare hot or cold beverages.
  • Mix ingredients.

This page includes data from:

O*NET OnLine Career data: O*NET 28.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (“USDOL/ETA”). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA

U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Logo Occupation statistics: USDOL U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics

careeronestop logo Videos: CareerOneStop, USDOL/ETA and the Minnesota Department of Employment & Economic Development

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Join thousands of students and parents learning about finding the right college, admissions secrets, scholarships, financial aid, and more.

College Raptor Loading Screen College Raptor Loading Screen