Cooks, Fast Food vs Food Preparation Workers
Median pay is about $4k higher for Food Preparation Workers. Both usually start with the same education: no formal credential.
marks the higher pay or growth. Education, difficulty and the AI rows depend on what you want, so they are not marked.
| Measure | Cooks, Fast Food | Food Preparation Workers |
|---|---|---|
| Pay | ||
| Median pay | $30,890 | $35,320, higher |
| Entry pay 25th percentile | $27,260 | $29,950, higher |
| Experienced pay 75th percentile | $37,260 | $38,550, higher |
| Outlook, 2025 to 2035 | ||
| Projected growth | +0.6% Stable, higher | -3.0% Declining |
| Openings a year | 86,400 | 135,700 |
| Getting in | ||
| Typical education | No formal credential | No formal credential |
| Difficulty modeled | 1.6 / 5 | 1.6 / 5 |
| AI | ||
| Displacement risk modeled | Moderate | Moderate |
| AI exposure modeled, percentile | 25th pct | 21st pct |
Where the skills differ
Only Cooks, Fast Food
- Active Learning
Only Food Preparation Workers
- Mathematics
Both lean on active listening, speaking, reading comprehension, critical thinking, monitoring.
More comparisons
Compare Cooks, Fast Food with
Compare Food Preparation Workers with
Pay and outlook: BLS (OEWS 2025, Employment Projections 2025-2035). Skills: O*NET 30.3. Difficulty, displacement risk and AI exposure are modeled estimates. How these numbers are made.