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The differences between dietary aides and diet technicians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a dietary aide and a diet technician. Additionally, a diet technician has an average salary of $33,164, which is higher than the $28,005 average annual salary of a dietary aide.
The top three skills for a dietary aide include patients, meal trays and food service. The most important skills for a diet technician are patients, patient care, and food service.
| Dietary Aide | Diet Technician | |
| Yearly salary | $28,005 | $33,164 |
| Hourly rate | $13.46 | $15.94 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 2% |
| Number of jobs | 44,494 | 24,858 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | - |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
A dietary aide is responsible for assisting food preparations and ensuring that the meals adhere to an individual's specific diet plans. Dietary aides must strictly follow sanitation standards and hygiene procedures to guarantee the safety and quality of the service. They also help in facilitating kitchen maintenance, keeping every area clean and organized. Dietary aides must also have comprehensive knowledge of nutritional guidelines to provide information and share suggestions as necessary to improve the service and preparations.
A Diet Technician identifies patients with nutritional risk using scoring guidelines and initiates referrals for dietetic assessment. They oversee food production or service and assist dietitians or nutritionists in food service supervision and planning.
Dietary aides and diet technicians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Dietary Aide | Diet Technician | |
| Average salary | $28,005 | $33,164 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $35,000 | Between $26,000 And $41,000 |
| Highest paying City | Vancouver, WA | - |
| Highest paying state | Washington | - |
| Best paying company | Lifespan | - |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | - |
There are a few differences between a dietary aide and a diet technician in terms of educational background:
| Dietary Aide | Diet Technician | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Dietetics |
| Most common college | - | - |
Here are the differences between dietary aides' and diet technicians' demographics:
| Dietary Aide | Diet Technician | |
| Average age | 41 | 41 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 28.2% Female, 71.8% | Male, 13.4% Female, 86.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 14.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 5.8% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% | Black or African American, 14.5% Unknown, 4.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.3% Asian, 5.8% White, 62.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 6% |