Dishwashers vs Food Preparation Workers: Similar Median Pay, Different Work

Dishwashers vs Food Preparation Workers: what changes?

Consider Dishwashers if you want to clean dishes, kitchen, food preparation equipment, or utensils. Consider Food Preparation Workers if you would rather perform a variety of food preparation duties other than cooking, such as preparing cold foods and shellfish, slicing meat, and brewing coffee or tea. Both list no formal educational credential; compare training and prior experience separately.

Try this next: Compare three local entry-level postings for Dishwashers and Food Preparation Workers. List the duties, credentials, prior experience, and paid training each employer actually asks for. Try a supervised class or sample project from each field before choosing a program.

BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. National medians are not starting offers. Occupation size is not a count of vacancies. View the BLS data.

Compare the practical differences

Dishwashers

National median pay (2025): $34,810
Route into the job: No formal educational credential; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Wash dishes, glassware, flatware, pots, or pans, using dishwashers or by hand.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 68,900

Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 1% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full Dishwashers brief

Food Preparation Workers

National median pay (2025): $35,320
Route into the job: No formal educational credential; One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing
Prior related experience: No prior related occupation is typically required; employer requirements vary.
Training and licensing: One month or less of on-the-job training, in addition to any qualifying education or licensing.
Work to investigate: Clean and sanitize work areas, equipment, utensils, dishes, or silverware.
Annual openings (2025–2035): 135,700

Know before you choose

BLS projects employment to shrink 3% from 2025 to 2035. Openings can still occur when existing workers leave.

See the full Food Preparation Workers brief

How the national numbers differ

Dishwashers has the edge on projected growth

Dishwashers is at -1% projected growth, compared with -3% projected growth for Food Preparation Workers.

Food Preparation Workers has the edge on annual openings

Food Preparation Workers is at 135,700 annual openings, compared with 68,900 annual openings for Dishwashers.

National pay benchmarks are very similar.

Compare actual offers, expected paid hours, schedule, and benefits before treating either career as the higher-paying option.

46.1/ 100

Dishwashers

46.3/ 100

Food Preparation Workers

Each available metric is ranked from 0 to 100 against the careers on ChooseField. The weighted average uses this profile: pay 30%, growth 25%, openings 30%, preparation level 15%. Missing values are not scored as zero; their weights are redistributed across available metrics. Occupation size has zero weight: employment is not accessible vacancies. Preparation categories do not measure admission difficulty or years without earnings. The score summarizes national measures; local opportunities and personal fit still need separate consideration.

Detailed evidence