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Dietetic technician: pay, job outlook and how to become one
- $29,720lowest 10% earn less
- $33,88025th percentile
- $37,640median
- $45,75075th percentile
- $54,020top 10% earn more
A dietetic technician earned a median of $37,640 a year in May 2025[1]. Jobs are projected to grow 2.7% from 2025 to 2035, a little below the 3.5% for all occupations[2][3].
How much do dietetic technicians make?
In May 2025 the median wage for dietetic technicians was $37,640 a year, or $18.09 an hour[1]. Half of workers earned more and half earned less[1]. The average was $40,630 a year, or $19.54 an hour[8]. The median for all occupations in the US was $50,980[5].
Here is the range from lower to higher paid workers:
| Percentile | Annual wage | Hourly wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th[4][9] | $29,720 | $14.29 |
| 25th[4][9] | $33,880 | $16.29 |
| Median[1] | $37,640 | $18.09 |
| 75th[4][9] | $45,750 | $22.00 |
| 90th[4][9] | $54,020 | $25.97 |
A percentile is a boundary. The lowest-paid 10% of workers earned less than $29,720[4]. BLS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary[10].
These figures cover full-time and part-time wage and salary workers. They leave out the self-employed, bonuses that are not tied to production, and the cost of benefits[11].
Pay by state and city
Oregon had the highest median wage among the 44 states and DC with published data, at $54,670[12]. New York ($50,420) and Colorado ($47,810) came next[12]. Mississippi had the lowest listed median, $28,690[12].
California had the most jobs, with 6,310[13]. Michigan (3,060), Florida (2,420), Pennsylvania (2,300) and Maryland (1,670) followed[13].
Among metro areas with at least 100 jobs, Columbus, OH had the highest median at $50,920[14]. San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA followed at $50,690, and Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA at $50,570[14]. The metro area with the most jobs was Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA with 2,550, ahead of New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ with 1,430[15].
Show median pay in 44 states and DC
| State | Median per year | Jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Oregon[12] | $54,670 | 60 |
| New York | $50,420 | 1,580 |
| Colorado | $47,810 | 230 |
| Minnesota | $47,610 | 170 |
| Washington | $47,000 | 290 |
| California | $46,410 | 6,310 |
| Arizona | $45,970 | 370 |
| Hawaii | $43,580 | 130 |
| Illinois | $42,550 | 590 |
| Maine | $42,320 | 40 |
| Connecticut | $42,040 | 330 |
| New Hampshire | $41,830 | 230 |
| Ohio | $41,380 | 660 |
| Delaware | $41,280 | 150 |
| District of Columbia | $40,810 | 190 |
| Utah | $40,580 | 890 |
| New Jersey | $40,530 | 400 |
| Montana | $40,040 | 100 |
| Massachusetts | $39,760 | 910 |
| Rhode Island | $39,400 | 50 |
| Oklahoma | $38,840 | 130 |
| Virginia | $38,790 | 460 |
| Wisconsin | $38,750 | 410 |
| Nebraska | $37,760 | 100 |
| Nevada | $37,630 | 370 |
| New Mexico | $37,580 | 100 |
| South Carolina | $36,770 | 450 |
| Michigan | $36,420 | 3,060 |
| Missouri | $36,100 | 290 |
| North Dakota | $35,890 | 90 |
| Iowa | $35,220 | 350 |
| West Virginia | $35,210 | 260 |
| Kansas | $35,060 | 140 |
| Florida | $34,740 | 2,420 |
| Georgia | $34,240 | 490 |
| Pennsylvania | $34,090 | 2,300 |
| Maryland | $33,710 | 1,670 |
| Idaho | $32,620 | 170 |
| Arkansas | $31,900 | 210 |
| Indiana | $31,660 | 690 |
| North Carolina | $31,010 | 1,300 |
| Texas | $30,280 | 1,360 |
| Kentucky | $28,970 | 430 |
| Louisiana | $28,860 | 190 |
| Mississippi | $28,690 | 120 |
How to become a dietetic technician
BLS lists an associate's degree as the typical education for entry. It lists no work experience in a related job and no typical on-the-job training[7].
- First: complete an associate's degree[7].
- Next: expect to work under a dietitian's supervision, since that is how O*NET describes the job[16].
In an O*NET survey of 17 workers, 35% said an associate's degree was required and 27% said a postsecondary certificate[17]. Another 15% said some college courses[17]. This is a small survey, so treat it as a rough picture.
The survey figures above show the range of education workers reported[17].
What dietetic technicians do
They help provide food service and nutrition programs under a dietitian. They may plan and cook meals from set guidelines, teach basics of food and nutrition, or counsel individuals[16]. Common tasks reported to O*NET include:
- Watching patients' food intake and body weight, and telling the dietitian about changes or problems[18].
- Assessing nutrition needs by reviewing a person's dietary history[18].
- Preparing large meals from recipes and working out food quantities[18].
- Supervising food production or service, or helping dietitians plan it[18].
- Planning menus and helping people choose and prepare food[18].
- Joining meetings with other health care staff about patient care[18].
- Helping dietitians research food, nutrition or food service systems[18].
- Standardizing recipes and testing new products[18].
Job outlook
BLS projects employment to grow 2.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 32,100 to 32,900 jobs, a change of +900[2]. For all occupations the projected growth is 3.5%[3]. These counts include self-employed workers[2]. About 0.4% of dietetic technicians were self-employed in 2025[19].
BLS projects about 4,200 openings a year[6]. That count includes jobs that open when people retire or switch occupations, not only new jobs[6]. Each year, 5.3% of workers leave the labor force and 7.5% move to a different occupation[20].
Is it a good fit?
Pay is below the all-occupations median, with a median of $37,640 against $50,980[1][5]. The typical entry education is an associate's degree, with no required experience[7]. Growth of 2.7% is a little slower than the 3.5% for all occupations[2][3]. The job suits people who want to work in food service and nutrition under a dietitian's supervision[16]. Pay differs by place, so check your own state and metro area[12][14].
Frequently asked questions
- How much does a dietetic technician make an hour?
- The median hourly wage was $18.09 in May 2025[1]. The lowest-paid 10% earned less than $14.29 and the highest-paid 10% earned more than $25.97[9].
- What degree do you need to be a dietetic technician?
- BLS lists an associate's degree as the typical entry education[7].
Facts and sources
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median wage for Dietetic Technicians in the US was $37,640 per year and $18.09 per hour. Half of workers earned more and half earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: employment of Dietetic Technicians is projected to grow 2.7% from 2025 to 2035, from about 32,100 to 32,900 jobs (a change of +900). These counts include self-employed workers. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections: employment in all occupations is projected to grow 3.5% from 2025 to 2035. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, annual wage percentiles for Dietetic Technicians: 10th percentile $29,720, 25th percentile $33,880, 75th percentile $45,750, 90th percentile $54,020. The 10th percentile means 10% of workers earned less. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the median annual wage for all occupations in the US was $50,980. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS Employment Projections: about 4,200 openings for Dietetic Technicians are projected each year, on average, from 2025 to 2035. Openings include jobs that open when workers retire or move to other occupations, not only new jobs. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, typical path into Dietetic Technicians: education needed for entry: Associate's degree; work experience in a related occupation: None; typical on-the-job training: None. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS OEWS, May 2025: the mean (average) wage for Dietetic Technicians was $40,630 per year and $19.54 per hour. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, hourly wage percentiles for Dietetic Technicians: 10th percentile $14.29, 25th percentile $16.29, 75th percentile $22.00, 90th percentile $25.97. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: a percentile wage is a boundary. The median (50th percentile) separates the highest-paid 50% from the lowest-paid 50% of workers in the occupation. OEWS publishes percentile wages, not a starting salary. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS FAQ: OEWS covers part-time and full-time workers paid a wage or salary. It does not cover the self-employed, owners and partners in unincorporated firms, household workers or unpaid family workers. OEWS wages do not include nonproduction bonuses or employer costs of benefits such as health insurance or retirement contributions. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage for Dietetic Technicians in every state with published data, May 2025 (table on this page). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, states with the most Dietetic Technicians jobs: California 6,310; Michigan 3,060; Florida 2,420; Pennsylvania 2,300; Maryland 1,670. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the highest median annual wage for Dietetic Technicians (areas with at least 100 jobs): Columbus, OH $50,920; San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA $50,690; Oxnard-Thousand Oaks-Ventura, CA $50,570; New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ $49,800; Stockton-Lodi, CA $49,420; Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI $48,230; Denver-Aurora-Centennial, CO $48,210; Modesto, CA $48,130. BLS OEWS, May 2025
- BLS OEWS, May 2025, metro areas with the most Dietetic Technicians jobs: Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA 2,550 (median $45,450); New York-Newark-Jersey City, NY-NJ 1,430 (median $49,800); Detroit-Warren-Dearborn, MI 1,200 (median $36,800); Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD 980 (median $35,160); Miami-Fort Lauderdale-West Palm Beach, FL 740 (median $35,050); Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV 740 (median $37,060). BLS OEWS, May 2025
- O*NET description of Dietetic Technicians. O*NET OnLine
- O*NET 29-2051.00 survey of workers (17 respondents), education level they say is required: Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree 35%, Post-Secondary Certificate 27%, Some College Courses 15%, Less than a High School Diploma 10%, High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) 8%, Bachelor's Degree 7% (levels under 5% not listed). O*NET OnLine
- O*NET task list for Dietetic Technicians. O*NET OnLine
- BLS Employment Projections: 0.4% of Dietetic Technicians were self-employed in 2025. BLS Employment Projections
- BLS Employment Projections, 2025-35 annual average for Dietetic Technicians: 5.3% of workers leave the labor force each year and 7.5% move to a different occupation. BLS Employment Projections
- Related occupations (O*NET) with BLS pay, growth and entry education. O*NET OnLine
This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. CareerFacts has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.