Jobs Similar to Cooks (Restaurant)
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to cooks (restaurant), according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Cooks (Fast Food), Cooks (Short Order) and Butchers and Meat Cutters.
Cooks (Restaurant): $37,390 median pay · usual preparation: High school.
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
The 20 most similar careers
| # | Career | Similarity | Median pay (vs. Cooks (Restaurant)) | Usual preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cooks, Fast FoodSame group | 82% | $30,890−17% | High school |
| 2 | Cooks, Short OrderSame group | 80% | $35,880−4% | High school |
| 3 | Butchers and Meat Cutters | 79% | $40,140+7% | High school |
| 4 | Cooks, Institution and CafeteriaSame group | 79% | $37,4500% | High school |
| 5 | Bakers | 78% | $37,160−1% | High school |
| 6 | Food Preparation WorkersSame group | 78% | $35,320−6% | High school |
| 7 | Slaughterers and Meat Packers | 74% | $40,130+7% | High school |
| 8 | Cooks, Private HouseholdSame group | 74% | $47,940+28% | Training or associate |
| 9 | Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | 73% | $35,360−5% | High school |
| 10 | Chefs and Head Cooks | 73% | $62,470+67% | Training or associate |
| 11 | Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products | 73% | $35,730−4% | High school |
| 12 | Dishwashers | 72% | $34,810−7% | High school |
| 13 | Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | 71% | $38,300+2% | High school |
| 14 | Fast Food and Counter Workers | 71% | $31,200−17% | High school |
| 15 | Driver/Sales Workers | 70% | $38,770+4% | High school |
| 16 | Baristas | 70% | $31,200Broader BLS group · not compared | High school |
| 17 | Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | 70% | $33,980−9% | High school |
| 18 | Stockers and Order Fillers | 70% | $37,3300% | High school |
| 19 | Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders | 70% | $41,590+11% | High school |
| 20 | Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 69% | $35,510−5% | High school |
- 1Cooks, Fast Food
82% similar · $30,890 (−17%) · High school · Same group
- 2Cooks, Short Order
80% similar · $35,880 (−4%) · High school · Same group
- 3Butchers and Meat Cutters
79% similar · $40,140 (+7%) · High school
- 4Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
79% similar · $37,450 (0%) · High school · Same group
- 5Bakers
78% similar · $37,160 (−1%) · High school
- 6Food Preparation Workers
78% similar · $35,320 (−6%) · High school · Same group
- 7Slaughterers and Meat Packers
74% similar · $40,130 (+7%) · High school
- 8Cooks, Private Household
74% similar · $47,940 (+28%) · Training or associate · Same group
- 9Food Servers, Nonrestaurant
73% similar · $35,360 (−5%) · High school
- 10Chefs and Head Cooks
73% similar · $62,470 (+67%) · Training or associate
- 11Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products
73% similar · $35,730 (−4%) · High school
- 12Dishwashers
72% similar · $34,810 (−7%) · High school
- 13Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers
71% similar · $38,300 (+2%) · High school
- 14Fast Food and Counter Workers
71% similar · $31,200 (−17%) · High school
- 15Driver/Sales Workers
70% similar · $38,770 (+4%) · High school
- 16Baristas
70% similar · $31,200 (broader group) · High school
- 17Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers
70% similar · $33,980 (−9%) · High school
- 18Stockers and Order Fillers
70% similar · $37,330 (0%) · High school
- 19Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders
70% similar · $41,590 (+11%) · High school
- 20Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
69% similar · $35,510 (−5%) · High school
Similarity: weighted correlation of O*NET 31.0 transferable skills (35%), knowledge (25%), work activities (15%) and interests (15%). Pay and schooling do not change it. Pay change compares BLS May 2025 national medians; careers with only a broader BLS group wage are not compared. “Same group”: the same BLS occupation group (SOC minor group). Methodology
Similar jobs that pay more
Only careers that usually need no more preparation than cooks (restaurant).
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for cooks (restaurant) also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where cooks (restaurant) is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
- Butchers and Meat Cutters (89)
- Bakers (88)
- Slaughterers and Meat Packers (81)
- Food Servers, Nonrestaurant (80)
- Fast Food and Counter Workers (78)
- Baristas (77)
- Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders (77)
- Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers (75)
- Bartenders (74)
- Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers (74)
Questions about jobs like cooks (restaurant)
What jobs are most similar to cooks (restaurant)?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Cooks (Fast Food) (82% similar), Cooks (Short Order) (80% similar), Butchers and Meat Cutters (79% similar), Cooks (Institution and Cafeteria) (79% similar) and Bakers (78% similar).
Which jobs like cooks (restaurant) pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Chefs and Head Cooks ($62,470, +67%; usually training or an associate degree), Cooks (Private Household) ($47,940, +28%; usually training or an associate degree) and Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders ($41,590, +11%; usually a high school diploma) have the highest BLS median pay compared with cooks (restaurant) ($37,390). Without more preparation than cooks (restaurant) usually need: Food Cooking Machine Operators and Tenders, Butchers and Meat Cutters and Slaughterers and Meat Packers.
How is the similarity percentage worked out?
We compare how important each transferable skill, knowledge area, work activity and interest area is in both jobs (O*NET 31.0 ratings) with a weighted correlation. 100% would mean the same profile. Unlike our career-change matches, pay and extra schooling do not lower the similarity on this page.