Career profile · 29-2051
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 the work can involve
- 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.
Selected core tasks from O*NET 31.0. Responsibilities vary by employer, specialization and experience.
Preparation and entry routes
This broad O*NET group commonly involves vocational training, related experience or an associate-level route. It does not mean every course in a related subject meets the requirements.
Check the route for the specific occupation where you plan to work. Education, employer experience requirements, occupational licensing and industry certification can be separate steps.
Understand the different credentials →Skills used in this occupation
- Speaking
- Active Listening
- Active Learning
- Critical Thinking
- Learning Strategies
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Knowledge to build
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Education and Training
- Mathematics
- Public Safety and Security
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Common work activities
- Getting Information
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Assisting and Caring for Others
- Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials
Selected from the highest importance ratings available in O*NET 31.0. These describe the occupation, not a particular school's curriculum.
Training subjects to investigate
The federal education-to-occupation crosswalk connects this role to the subjects below. These links do not endorse a school or guarantee that any particular award qualifies a graduate for the job.
Working conditions to consider
These are the most common published responses to selected O*NET work-setting questions. They describe occupation-level survey findings, not every employer or a particular job.
| Work-setting question | Most common response | Share giving that response |
|---|---|---|
| Contact With Others | Constant contact with others | 78.2%08/2021 · sample 16 |
| Exposed to Contaminants | Never | 32.7%08/2021 · sample 16 |
| Exposed to Disease or Infections | Every day | 82.1%08/2021 · sample 16 |
| Spend Time Sitting | Less than half the time | 60.7%08/2021 · sample 16 |
| Spend Time Using Your Hands to Handle, Control, or Feel Objects, Tools, or Controls | Continually or almost continually | 33.2%08/2021 · sample 16 |
| Time Pressure | Every day | 61.0%08/2021 · sample 16 |
| Wear Common Protective or Safety Equipment such as Safety Shoes, Glasses, Gloves, Hearing Protection, Hard Hats, or Life Jackets | Every day | 65.3%08/2021 · sample 16 |
| Work Schedules | Regular (established routine, set schedule) | 99.2%08/2021 · sample 16 |
O*NET 31.0 Work Context, selected topics. Only unsuppressed source responses with sample size at least 10 are shown. A most-common response need not be a majority. Sampling uncertainty applies; source dates vary. Ask employers about actual schedules, accessibility, protective equipment and working conditions.
Software used in the workplace
Use these O*NET examples to ask how a course builds practical digital skills. They are workplace examples, not a required shopping list or confirmation of a school’s curriculum.
- Analytical or scientific software: Axxya Systems Nutritionist Pro, ESHA Research The Food Processor, Gnutrition, NutriGenie Optimal Nutrition
- Calendar and scheduling software: Appointment scheduling software
- Data base user interface and query software: CBORD Nutrition Service Suite, CyberSoft NutriBase, DietMaster Systems Clinical Nutrition, Microsoft Access
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook
- Enterprise resource planning ERP software: Cybersoft Primero Software Suite, LunchByte Systems NUTRIKIDS, eTritionWare
- Internet browser software: Web browser software
- Inventory management software: Food Service Solutions FoodCo
- Medical software: Computrition Nutrition Care Management NCM Select, MEDITECH software, Patient electronic medical record EMR software
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word
Selected categories and examples from O*NET 31.0 Software Skills. Products and employer requirements change. These examples are not endorsements; check the complete official occupation profile.
Pay & employment outlook
Salary estimates for dietetic technicians
The median divides workers into two equally sized groups by pay. It is not a starting salary, a school’s graduate outcome or a promise of employment. Lower percentiles are not automatically new graduates.
National outlook: 2025–2035
- Typical education for entry
- Associate's degree
- Related work experience
- None
- Typical on-the-job training
- None
BLS national employment projections, 2025–2035. Openings include people leaving occupations or the labor force; these are not advertised vacancies. Education categories describe typical entry, not legal eligibility or a guarantee that any specific program is sufficient.
Compare wages across 46 state/DC estimates
| State | Annual median | Hourly median | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arizona | $45,970 | $22.10 | 370 |
| Arkansas | $31,900 | $15.34 | 210 |
| California | $46,410 | $22.31 | 6,310 |
| Colorado | $47,810 | $22.99 | 230 |
| Connecticut | $42,040 | $20.21 | 330 |
| Delaware | $41,280 | $19.85 | 150 |
| District of Columbia | $40,810 | $19.62 | 190 |
| Florida | $34,740 | $16.70 | 2,420 |
| Georgia | $34,240 | $16.46 | 490 |
| Hawaii | $43,580 | $20.95 | 130 |
| Idaho | $32,620 | $15.68 | 170 |
| Illinois | $42,550 | $20.46 | 590 |
| Indiana | $31,660 | $15.22 | 690 |
| Iowa | $35,220 | $16.93 | 350 |
| Kansas | $35,060 | $16.86 | 140 |
| Kentucky | $28,970 | $13.93 | 430 |
| Louisiana | $28,860 | $13.88 | 190 |
| Maine | $42,320 | $20.35 | 40 |
| Maryland | $33,710 | $16.21 | 1,670 |
| Massachusetts | $39,760 | $19.12 | 910 |
| Michigan | $36,420 | $17.51 | 3,060 |
| Minnesota | $47,610 | $22.89 | 170 |
| Mississippi | $28,690 | $13.79 | 120 |
| Missouri | $36,100 | $17.36 | 290 |
| Montana | $40,040 | $19.25 | 100 |
| Nebraska | $37,760 | $18.15 | 100 |
| Nevada | $37,630 | $18.09 | 370 |
| New Hampshire | $41,830 | $20.11 | 230 |
| New Jersey | $40,530 | $19.49 | 400 |
| New Mexico | $37,580 | $18.07 | 100 |
| New York | $50,420 | $24.24 | 1,580 |
| North Carolina | $31,010 | $14.91 | 1,300 |
| North Dakota | $35,890 | $17.25 | 90 |
| Ohio | $41,380 | $19.89 | 660 |
| Oklahoma | $38,840 | $18.67 | 130 |
| Oregon | $54,670 | $26.29 | 60 |
| Pennsylvania | $34,090 | $16.39 | 2,300 |
| Rhode Island | $39,400 | $18.94 | 50 |
| South Carolina | $36,770 | $17.68 | 450 |
| Tennessee | Not published | Not published | 230 |
| Texas | $30,280 | $14.56 | 1,360 |
| Utah | $40,580 | $19.51 | 890 |
| Virginia | $38,790 | $18.65 | 460 |
| Washington | $47,000 | $22.60 | 290 |
| West Virginia | $35,210 | $16.93 | 260 |
| Wisconsin | $38,750 | $18.63 | 410 |
Metropolitan and nonmetropolitan wages
Search the 147 published local-area estimates for this occupation. Metropolitan areas can cross state lines; a city’s postal name is not necessarily the statistical area’s name.
Sources: BLS May 2025 OEWS public downloads and 2025–2035 employment projections, retrieved September 9, 2026. Unpublished estimates stay unavailable. “+” means BLS’s upper reporting threshold ($239,200 annually or $115 hourly). Wages exclude self-employment and nonwage benefits. How to interpret these figures.
Compare the route and prepare for work
Questions to test the fit
- What does an entry-level working day look like, and how does it differ from the experienced role described here?
- Which tasks, work environments and schedules would I enjoy or find difficult?
- What education, supervised practice and credentials do local employers actually request?
- Can I speak with someone in the occupation or arrange a suitable workplace visit?
- How does the complete training cost compare with my realistic budget and available routes?
Sources and attribution
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 CC BY 4.0. Trade School Guides selects and organizes the material and adds explanatory guidance. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed or tested these modifications. Occupation code: 29-2051.00.
Training connections: CIP 2020–SOC 2018 crosswalk. Snapshot: September 8, 2026. See the methodology.