Dietetic Technicians earn a median of $37,640 per year ($18.09/hr) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Employment is projected to grow 2.7% through 2035, with about 4,200 openings a year (BLS EP, 2025–2035). Typical entry-level education: Associate's degree.
- SOC 29-2051
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Dietetic Technician in four numbers
- Median pay
- $37,640a year, or $18.09/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $30KTop 10% $54K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +2.7%About as fast as averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+2.7%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +2.7% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 4,20032,100 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202532.1K
- Projected 203532.9K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 32.1K Projected 2035 32.9K - Typical education
- Associate'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Less than high school9.7%
- High school7.5%
- Certificate26.9%
- Some college14.6%
- Associate's34.6%
- Bachelor's6.7%
Highest education held by dietetic technicians Segment Value Less than high school 9.7% High school 7.5% Certificate 26.9% Some college 14.6% Associate's 34.6% Bachelor's 6.7%
Also advertised as: Cook Chill Technician (CCT), Diet Assistant, Diet Clerk, Diet Tech (Diet Technician), Diet Tech (Dietetic Technician), Diet Technician Registered (DTR).
Pay
How much do Dietetic Technicians make?
Every dietetic technician in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$37,640
Middle half earn $33,880 to $45,750
- 10th
- $29,720
- 25th
- $33,880
- 75th
- $45,750
- 90th
- $54,020
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $29,720 |
| 25th | $33,880 |
| Median | $37,640 |
| 75th | $45,750 |
| 90th | $54,020 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $37,640
- Median hourly wage
- $18.09/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $40,630
- People employed
- 31,560
Versus all US occupations
At $37,640, Dietetic Technicians earn 26% below the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $13,340 a year.
Versus healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
Inside the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical group, where the middle occupation pays $102,760, this is 63% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $54,020 or more while the bottom 10% earn $29,720, a gap of 1.8×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 5% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Highest-paying state
Oregon pays the most at $54,670, and still leads at $52,892 once local prices are taken into account.
Pay by state
Which states pay Dietetic Technicians the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Oregon | $54,670 | $52,892 | 60 |
| 2New York | $50,420 | $46,719 | 1,580 |
| 3Colorado | $47,810 | $46,394 | 230 |
| 4Minnesota | $47,610 | $48,276 | 170 |
| 5Washington | $47,000 | $43,920 | 290 |
| 6California | $46,410 | $41,917 | 6,310 |
| 7Arizona | $45,970 | $45,661 | 370 |
| 8Hawaii | $43,580 | $39,636 | 130 |
| 9Illinois | $42,550 | $42,568 | 590 |
| 10Maine | $42,320 | $43,606 | 40 |
Job outlook
Is Dietetic Technician a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
About as fast as average. +2.7% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Dietetic Technicians | +2.7% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
About as fast as average
BLS projects employment of Dietetic Technicians to change 2.7% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 900 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 4,200 openings are projected each year, 13.1% of the 32,100 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Dietetic Technician
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Associate's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Some preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as dietetic technicians.
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree34.6%
- Post-Secondary Certificate26.9%
- Some College Courses14.6%
- Less than a High School Diploma9.7%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)7.5%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 34.6% |
| Post-Secondary Certificate | 26.9% |
| Some College Courses | 14.6% |
| Less than a High School Diploma | 9.7% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 7.5% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Dietetic Technician do?
Assist in the provision of food service and nutritional programs, under the supervision of a dietitian. May plan and produce meals based on established guidelines, teach principles of food and nutrition, or counsel individuals.
Day-to-day tasks
- Supervise food production or service or assist dietitians or nutritionists in food service supervision or planning.
- Analyze menus or recipes, standardize recipes, or test new products.
- Conduct nutritional assessments of individuals, including obtaining and evaluating individuals' dietary histories, to plan nutritional programs.
- Observe and monitor patient food intake and body weight, and report changes, progress, and dietary problems to dietician.
- Plan menus or diets or guide individuals or families in food selection, preparation, or menu planning, based upon nutritional needs and established guidelines.
- Provide dietitians with assistance researching food, nutrition, or food service systems.
- Attend interdisciplinary meetings with other health care professionals to discuss patient care.
- Develop job specifications, job descriptions, or work schedules.
O*NET core tasks, ordered by reported importance.
Working conditions and hours
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely importantDealing with customers or the public is very important.
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayMeeting strict deadlines at least weekly.
Conflict situations
NeverEvery dayHandling conflict situations at least monthly.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Speaking3.4
- Active Listening3.3
- Reading Comprehension3.1
- Writing3.1
- Critical Thinking3.1
- Active Learning3.1
- Learning Strategies3.1
- Monitoring3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Speaking | 3.4 |
| Active Listening | 3.3 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.1 |
| Writing | 3.1 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.1 |
| Active Learning | 3.1 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.1 |
| Monitoring | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness3.1
- Instructing3.1
- Service Orientation3.1
- Complex Problem Solving3.1
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1
- Coordination3.0
- Time Management3.0
- Persuasion2.9
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.1 |
| Instructing | 3.1 |
| Service Orientation | 3.1 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.1 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.1 |
| Coordination | 3.0 |
| Time Management | 3.0 |
| Persuasion | 2.9 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Medical software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Calendar and scheduling software
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software
- Internet browser software
- Inventory management software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Dietetic Technician?
O*NET Occupational Interests (RIASEC), scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Dietetic Technician |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 4 |
| Investigative | 3 |
| Artistic | 3 |
| Social | 5 |
| Enterprising | 3 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around teaching, helping and working directly with other people, combined with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data.
- Social5.0
- Conventional3.8
- Realistic3.8
- Investigative3.5
- Enterprising2.6
- Artistic2.5
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Dietetic Technician
O*NET related occupations
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Community and Social Service
- Healthcare Support
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Community and Social Service
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
More healthcare practitioners and technical careers
Median annual pay, with dietetic technicians highlighted
- Anesthesiologist$391,490
- Physician Assistant$135,880
- Nurse Practitioner$132,300
- Physical Therapist$102,760
- Dental Hygienist$98,100
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographer$96,590
- Radiologic Technologist and Technician$80,110
- Surgical Technologist$64,650
- Dietetic Technician$37,640
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Anesthesiologist | $391,490 |
| Physician Assistant | $135,880 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $132,300 |
| Physical Therapist | $102,760 |
| Dental Hygienist | $98,100 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | $96,590 |
| Radiologic Technologist and Technician | $80,110 |
| Surgical Technologist | $64,650 |
| Dietetic Technician | $37,640 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Dietetic Technician appears on
Questions
Dietetic Technician: frequently asked questions
How much do Dietetic Technicians make?
Dietetic Technicians earn a median of $37,640 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025), 26% below the $50,980 median for all US occupations. That works out at $18.09/hr. The middle half earn between $33,880 and $45,750. The top 10% earn $54,020 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Dietetic Technician?
Usually a two-year degree rather than a four-year one. BLS lists an associate's degree as the typical entry-level education for Dietetic Technicians. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 34.6% hold associate's degree or other 2-year degree.
Is Dietetic Technician a growing career?
It is stable rather than fast-growing: employment is projected to change 2.7% over 2025–2035, about the same as the 3.5% projected across all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 4,200 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Dietetic Technician do?
Assist in the provision of food service and nutritional programs, under the supervision of a dietitian. A core O*NET task: supervise food production or service or assist dietitians or nutritionists in food service supervision or planning. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Electronic mail software, Medical software.
Which states pay Dietetic Technicians the most?
The highest state medians for Dietetic Technicians are Oregon ($54,670), New York ($50,420), Colorado ($47,810) (BLS OEWS, May 2025).
What personality type suits a Dietetic Technician?
O*NET scores Dietetic Technicians highest on the Social, Conventional and Realistic interest areas, so the work mixes teaching, helping and working directly with other people with organising, following procedures and working precisely with data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ISFJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.