Jobs Similar to Cooks (Short Order)
The careers below use the most similar skills, knowledge and work activities to cooks (short order), according to O*NET 31.0. The closest are Cooks (Fast Food), Cooks (Restaurant) and Food Preparation Workers.
Cooks (Short Order): $35,880 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 (Short Order)) | Usual preparation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cooks, Fast FoodSame group | 81% | $30,890−14% | High school |
| 2 | Cooks, RestaurantSame group | 80% | $37,390+4% | High school |
| 3 | Food Preparation WorkersSame group | 78% | $35,320−2% | High school |
| 4 | Butchers and Meat Cutters | 77% | $40,140+12% | High school |
| 5 | Cooks, Institution and CafeteriaSame group | 76% | $37,450+4% | High school |
| 6 | Fast Food and Counter Workers | 74% | $31,200−13% | High school |
| 7 | Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers | 74% | $33,980−5% | High school |
| 8 | Food Servers, Nonrestaurant | 73% | $35,360−1% | High school |
| 9 | Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners | 73% | $35,510−1% | High school |
| 10 | Cooks, Private HouseholdSame group | 72% | $47,940+34% | Training or associate |
| 11 | Stockers and Order Fillers | 71% | $37,330+4% | High school |
| 12 | Baristas | 71% | $31,200Broader BLS group · not compared | High school |
| 13 | Driver/Sales Workers | 70% | $38,770+8% | High school |
| 14 | Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers | 70% | $38,300+7% | High school |
| 15 | Bartenders | 70% | $34,340−4% | High school |
| 16 | Bakers | 70% | $37,160+4% | High school |
| 17 | Slaughterers and Meat Packers | 69% | $40,130+12% | High school |
| 18 | Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products | 69% | $35,7300% | High school |
| 19 | Waiters and Waitresses | 69% | $35,230−2% | High school |
| 20 | Shampooers | 68% | $32,600−9% | High school |
- 1Cooks, Fast Food
81% similar · $30,890 (−14%) · High school · Same group
- 2Cooks, Restaurant
80% similar · $37,390 (+4%) · High school · Same group
- 3Food Preparation Workers
78% similar · $35,320 (−2%) · High school · Same group
- 4Butchers and Meat Cutters
77% similar · $40,140 (+12%) · High school
- 5Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria
76% similar · $37,450 (+4%) · High school · Same group
- 6Fast Food and Counter Workers
74% similar · $31,200 (−13%) · High school
- 7Dining Room and Cafeteria Attendants and Bartender Helpers
74% similar · $33,980 (−5%) · High school
- 8Food Servers, Nonrestaurant
73% similar · $35,360 (−1%) · High school
- 9Maids and Housekeeping Cleaners
73% similar · $35,510 (−1%) · High school
- 10Cooks, Private Household
72% similar · $47,940 (+34%) · Training or associate · Same group
- 11Stockers and Order Fillers
71% similar · $37,330 (+4%) · High school
- 12Baristas
71% similar · $31,200 (broader group) · High school
- 13Driver/Sales Workers
70% similar · $38,770 (+8%) · High school
- 14Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers
70% similar · $38,300 (+7%) · High school
- 15Bartenders
70% similar · $34,340 (−4%) · High school
- 16Bakers
70% similar · $37,160 (+4%) · High school
- 17Slaughterers and Meat Packers
69% similar · $40,130 (+12%) · High school
- 18Graders and Sorters, Agricultural Products
69% similar · $35,730 (0%) · High school
- 19Waiters and Waitresses
69% similar · $35,230 (−2%) · High school
- 20Shampooers
68% similar · $32,600 (−9%) · 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 (short order).
- Butchers and Meat Cutters77% similar · $40,140 (+12%)
- Slaughterers and Meat Packers69% similar · $40,130 (+12%)
- Driver/Sales Workers70% similar · $38,770 (+8%)
- Meat, Poultry, and Fish Cutters and Trimmers70% similar · $38,300 (+7%)
- Cooks, Restaurant80% similar · $37,390 (+4%)
- Cooks, Institution and Cafeteria76% similar · $37,450 (+4%)
Thinking of a career change?
Similar is not the same as a good next step. Our career-change list for cooks (short order) also weighs pay drops and extra schooling, and puts jobs outside the field first.
Jobs that can lead here
Careers where cooks (short order) is one of the best career-change matches (match score in brackets).
Questions about jobs like cooks (short order)
What jobs are most similar to cooks (short order)?
By O*NET 31.0 data, the closest are Cooks (Fast Food) (81% similar), Cooks (Restaurant) (80% similar), Food Preparation Workers (78% similar), Butchers and Meat Cutters (77% similar) and Cooks (Institution and Cafeteria) (76% similar).
Which jobs like cooks (short order) pay more?
Among the 20 most similar careers, Cooks (Private Household) ($47,940, +34%; usually training or an associate degree), Butchers and Meat Cutters ($40,140, +12%; usually a high school diploma) and Slaughterers and Meat Packers ($40,130, +12%; usually a high school diploma) have the highest BLS median pay compared with cooks (short order) ($35,880). Without more preparation than cooks (short order) usually need: Butchers and Meat Cutters, Slaughterers and Meat Packers and Driver/Sales Workers.
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.