Food Preparation

Food Preparation Workers

SOC 35-2021

Do the chopping, mixing, and prep that keeps a kitchen stocked.

Median pay

$35k

$30k to $39k typical range

Outlook

Declining

148k openings / yr

Education

No formal credential

AI exposure

19%

modeled estimate · 47th pct in Microsoft's data

Future-proof

20/100

Key skills

Active Listening
Speaking
Critical Thinking
Reading Comprehension
Monitoring
Mathematics

Where this ranks

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Pay and outlook from BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2024-2034). Skills and work activities from O*NET 30.3. AI exposure and future-proof scores are modeled estimates. How we model AI exposure.