Who Earns What

How much does a Diet technician make?

US Dietetic Technicians
$37,640

a year · about $18 an hour

A typical Diet technician in the United States makes $37,640 a year, about $18 an hour, below a typical US worker ($50,980) (median, May 2025, US Bureau of Labor Statistics).

What do they do?

They track what patients eat and their weight, then report changes or food problems to a dietitian. They may also help plan menus and supervise meal preparation so it follows nutrition guidelines.

Did you know? In some U.S. hospitals, dietetic technicians screen newly admitted patients for nutrition risks within 24 hours, asking about food intake, allergies, and health.

Is that a lot?

Compared with jobs you know
This job$37,640
Typical worker$50,980
Elementary teacher$63,970
Doctor$244,180
Cashier$32,880

If 100 people had this job

Most earn between $29,720 and $54,020
42 of 100
not many

How do you become one?

In the United States, an associate degree is typical; an accredited dietetic-technician program is a common route. For DTR/NDTR, the associate route includes at least 450 supervised-practice hours and a national exam; a bachelor's-degree route is also available.

School needed: Vocational school or a few years' experience

Good for people who like helping and teaching and keeping things organized

Why does pay differ?

In the United States, pay can differ with experience, education, specialty or job title, and whether someone supervises others. It also varies by location and employer setting, such as a hospital, school, or clinic.

Where does it pay most?

Highest in New York ($50,420), lowest in Texas ($30,280).

See every state
Whole US$37,640
New York$50,420
California$46,410
Illinois$42,550
Ohio$41,380
Utah$40,580
Indiana$31,660
North Carolina$31,010
Texas$30,280

Top 5 and bottom 3 states, typical (median) yearly pay.

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Who earns more?
Data table and sources
Diet technician pay in the United States (May 2025, median and spread) — Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lower earner (10th from bottom)Typical person (median)Higher earner (10th from top)People in this job
$29,720$37,640$54,020about 32,000
States where Diet technicians earn the most (median, May 2025)
StateTypical person (median)People in this job
New York$50,420about 2,000
California$46,410about 6,000
Illinois$42,550about 590
Ohio$41,380about 660
Utah$40,580about 890

Official definition: 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.

Source: US Bureau of Labor Statistics, OEWS May 2025 (bls.gov); descriptions and related jobs from O*NET 31.0. Figures as of May 2025, full-time yearly pay (hourly × 2,080 hours). bls.gov/oes · O*NET OnLine

Pages used for the text

Data: US BLS OEWS, May 2025 · 1 USD = 150 JPY