Dietetic Technicians
Health ScienceO*NET 29-2051.00United States
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.
- Median annual earnings
- $37,554
- Projected change
- +5.6%
- Typical education
- Associate degree
- Employment
- 35.02K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
34.6% of the workforce
Growing to 36.98K by 2035
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These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.
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The work
What dietetic technicians do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- Observe and monitor patient food intake and body weight, and report changes, progress, and dietary problems to dietician.
- Prepare a major meal, following recipes and determining group food quantities.
- Conduct nutritional assessments of individuals, including obtaining and evaluating individuals' dietary histories, to plan nutritional programs.
- 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.
- Attend interdisciplinary meetings with other health care professionals to discuss patient care.
- Provide dietitians with assistance researching food, nutrition, or food service systems.
- Select, schedule, or conduct orientation or in-service education programs.
- Analyze menus or recipes, standardize recipes, or test new products.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $29,630
- 25th percentile
- $33,795
- 50th percentile
- $37,554
- 75th percentile
- $46,069
- 90th percentile
- $54,468
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $37,554 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+5.6%average or slower
202535,020 jobs
2035 projected36,980 jobs
1,960 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- Associate degree
- 34.6%
- Certificate
- 26.9%
- High school diploma or less
- 17.2%
- Some college
- 14.6%
- Bachelor's degree
- 6.7%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Service Orientation
- Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Persuasion
- Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Quality Control Analysis
- Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
- Negotiation
- Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.
- Systems Evaluation
- Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Dietetic Technicians544 postings
- 02Nutrition Assistants382 postings
- 03Diet Technicians330 postings
- 04Diet Clerks321 postings
- 05Nutrition Technicians259 postings
- 06Nutrition Services Technicians156 postings
- 07Nutrition Services Assistants143 postings
- 08Nutrition Care Assistants111 postings
- 09School Nutrition Managers104 postings
- 10Registered Dietetic Technicians93 postings
- 11Nutrition Clerks91 postings
- 12Nutrition Services Attendants91 postings
- 13Nutrition Services Associates88 postings
- 14Child Nutrition Assistants80 postings
- 15School Nutrition Assistants80 postings
- 16Technicians78 postings
- 17Dietary Clerks74 postings
- 18Nutrition Coordinators72 postings
- 19Nutrition Associates65 postings
- 20Child Nutrition Managers64 postings
Top employers
- 01Compass Group148 postings
- 02Corewell Health146 postings
- 03Encompass Health102 postings
- 04Morrison Healthcare90 postings
- 05Intermountain Health77 postings
- 06Edjoin.Org75 postings
- 07United States Department of Veterans Affairs75 postings
- 08University of Pittsburgh Medical Center73 postings
- 09HCA Healthcare62 postings
- 10Providence54 postings
- 11Sanford Health46 postings
- 12CommonSpirit Health40 postings
- 13Memphis-Shelby County Schools39 postings
- 14Dietary Solutions36 postings
- 15Mercy34 postings
- 16Trinity Health33 postings
- 17MedStar32 postings
- 18AdventHealth30 postings
- 19Kaiser Permanente29 postings
- 20Advocate Aurora Health28 postings
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