Healthcare Practitioners
Dietetic Technicians
Also called: Cook Chill Technician (CCT), Diet Assistant, Diet Clerk, Diet Tech (Diet Technician)
US median pay
$37,640
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+2.7%
about average or slower
Openings a year (US)
4,200
32,100 employed
Typical entry education
Associate's degree
Preparation 3/5 · Medium preparation
What this job is
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 they do day to 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.
- 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.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Social Perceptiveness3.1/5
- Service Orientation3.1/5
- Judgment and Decision Making3.1/5
- Instructing3.1/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.1/5
- Time Management3.0/5
- Coordination3.0/5
- Quality Control Analysis2.9/5
Knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service4.8/5
- English Language4.5/5
- Education and Training4.2/5
- Mathematics4.0/5
- Public Safety and Security4.0/5
- Administration and Management3.9/5
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 3 of 5 — Medium preparation. Usually vocational training, an associate's degree or an apprenticeship.
Typical entry education (BLS): Associate's degree.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Associate's degree35%
- Post-secondary certificate27%
- Some college15%
Who this job suits
Mostly Social
Helping, teaching and caring for people
Conventional
Organising data, details and procedures
Realistic
Hands-on work with tools, machines, plants or animals
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.