How much does a dietetic technician make?

The median pay is $18.09 per hour — roughly $37,500 a year, with the real range running from about $14.29/hr (10th percentile) to $25.97/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

Do you need a degree to be a dietetic technician?

The typical entry-level education is: Associate degree. Overall preparation level: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).

What does a dietetic technician actually do all day?

Observe and monitor patient food intake and body weight, and report changes, progress, and dietary problems to dietician. Conduct nutritional assessments of individuals, including obtaining and evaluating individuals' dietary histories, to plan nutritional programs. Prepare a major meal, following recipes and determining group food quantities.

Health Care

Dietetic Technicians

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.

What it pays
Dietetic Technicians earn a median of $18.09/hr — about $37,500 a year. The lowest-paid 10% earn $14.29/hr; the top 10% earn $25.97/hr. (Annual figures are approximate: hourly × 2,080.)

What you'd actually do

Observe and monitor patient food intake and body weight, and report changes, progress, and dietary problems to dietician.
Conduct nutritional assessments of individuals, including obtaining and evaluating individuals' dietary histories, to plan nutritional programs.
Prepare a major meal, following recipes and determining group food quantities.
Supervise food production or service or assist dietitians or nutritionists in food service supervision or planning.
Plan menus or diets or guide individuals or families in food selection, preparation, or menu planning, based upon nutritional needs and established guidelines.
Develop job specifications, job descriptions, or work schedules.

How you get there

Typical entry-level education: Associate degree. Overall preparation: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).

The feel of the work

The work is mostly indoors; you're around people constantly; time pressure is a real part of the job. (Compared against the other 818 careers in the guide.)

Working for yourself

About 0.7% of dietetic technicians are self-employed.

Who it tends to fit

This work tends to fit people who are people-focused, hands-on and organized and detail-focused.

Work a simulated shift in this job — freeMake the real decisions this job involves, then see what your choices say about you.

Related careers

Quick questions

How much does a dietetic technician make?: The median pay is $18.09 per hour — roughly $37,500 a year, with the real range running from about $14.29/hr (10th percentile) to $25.97/hr (90th percentile). Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Do you need a degree to be a dietetic technician?: The typical entry-level education is: Associate degree. Overall preparation level: medium preparation (Job Zone 3 of 5).
What does a dietetic technician actually do all day?: Observe and monitor patient food intake and body weight, and report changes, progress, and dietary problems to dietician. Conduct nutritional assessments of individuals, including obtaining and evaluating individuals' dietary histories, to plan nutritional programs. Prepare a major meal, following recipes and determining group food quantities.

Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS. Tasks & interests: O*NET. Career pathways shown in the app are draft archetypes — verify before relying on them. Trailhead is a free career guide for students — honest numbers, no hype.

Trailhead is operated by FLEXVermont LLC. It is intended for high-school students age 13 and older, and the educators and families who support them, and is not directed to children under 13. Trailhead is provided for general informational and educational purposes only. It does not offer professional, financial, or career advice, and its wage figures and pathways are estimates that may not fit your situation — they should not be relied on as the sole basis for any decision.