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The differences between dietary aides and dietitians 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 dietitian. Additionally, a dietitian has an average salary of $58,480, 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 dietitian are patients, medical nutrition therapy, and rehabilitation.
| Dietary Aide | Dietitian | |
| Yearly salary | $28,005 | $58,480 |
| Hourly rate | $13.46 | $28.12 |
| Growth rate | 9% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 44,494 | 6,164 |
| Job satisfaction | 3 | 2.5 |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| 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 dietitian's role is to assist clients in their journey to achieve their health goals. Typically, a dietitian's responsibilities revolve around interviewing and assessing a client's diet needs and goals, learning their preferences and restrictions such as allergies, and crafting a personalized nutrition plan. Moreover, it is essential for a dietitian to monitor a client's progress and maintain information on all accounts. There are also instances where one may promote healthy eating habits to the public, all while keeping abreast of the latest nutrition studies.
Dietary aides and dietitians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Dietary Aide | Dietitian | |
| Average salary | $28,005 | $58,480 |
| Salary range | Between $22,000 And $35,000 | Between $43,000 And $78,000 |
| Highest paying City | Vancouver, WA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Washington | California |
| Best paying company | Lifespan | University of California |
| Best paying industry | Hospitality | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a dietary aide and a dietitian in terms of educational background:
| Dietary Aide | Dietitian | |
| Most common degree | High School Diploma, 50% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Business | Dietetics |
| Most common college | - | University of Maryland - College Park |
Here are the differences between dietary aides' and dietitians' demographics:
| Dietary Aide | Dietitian | |
| Average age | 41 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 28.2% Female, 71.8% | Male, 11.7% Female, 88.3% |
| 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, 8.4% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 9.8% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 6% | 8% |