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Job outlook for dietary aides in the United States
Dietary aide job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected dietary aide job growth rate is 9% from 2018-2028.
About 372,900 new jobs for dietary aides are projected over the next decade.
Dietary aide salaries have increased 14% for dietary aides in the last 5 years.
There are over 306,907 dietary aides currently employed in the United States.
There are 44,494 active dietary aide job openings in the US.
The average dietary aide salary is $28,005.
Are dietary aide jobs in demand?
Dietary aide job and salary trends over time
Dietary aide jobs over time
Dietary aide job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 306,907 | 0.09% |
| 2020 | 308,551 | 0.09% |
| 2019 | 323,823 | 0.10% |
| 2018 | 325,514 | 0.10% |
| 2017 | 327,899 | 0.10% |
Average dietary aide salary over time
Dietary aide salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $28,005 | $13.46 | +6.0% |
| 2025 | $26,415 | $12.70 | +4.6% |
| 2024 | $25,243 | $12.14 | +2.4% |
| 2023 | $24,648 | $11.85 | +0.6% |
| 2022 | $24,508 | $11.78 | +1.2% |
Dietary aide jobs by state
Most common states for dietary aides
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 150 | 14% |
| 2 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 870 | 13% |
| 3 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 390 | 13% |
| 4 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 356 | 11% |
| 5 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 214 | 11% |
| 6 | Alaska | 739,795 | 80 | 11% |
| 7 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 567 | 10% |
| 8 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 180 | 10% |
| 9 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 135 | 10% |
| 10 | Michigan | 9,962,311 | 896 | 9% |
| 11 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 118 | 9% |
| 12 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 75 | 9% |
| 13 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 65 | 9% |
| 14 | Vermont | 623,657 | 55 | 9% |
| 15 | Pennsylvania | 12,805,537 | 1,055 | 8% |
| 16 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 735 | 8% |
| 17 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 583 | 8% |
| 18 | Wisconsin | 5,795,483 | 485 | 8% |
| 19 | Kentucky | 4,454,189 | 352 | 8% |
| 20 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 84 | 8% |
Most common cities for dietary aides
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Highland Park | 10 | 34% | $24,797 |
| 2 | Topeka | 16 | 13% | $24,736 |
| 3 | Birmingham | 21 | 10% | $22,411 |
| 4 | Cincinnati | 26 | 9% | $25,497 |
| 5 | Dayton | 10 | 7% | $25,673 |
| 6 | Minneapolis | 20 | 5% | $30,240 |
| 7 | Fort Wayne | 12 | 5% | $25,232 |
| 8 | Spokane | 11 | 5% | $35,825 |
| 9 | Indianapolis | 31 | 4% | $24,878 |
| 10 | Cleveland | 15 | 4% | $26,662 |
| 11 | Saint Paul | 12 | 4% | $30,234 |
| 12 | Omaha | 12 | 3% | $26,477 |
| 13 | Wichita | 12 | 3% | $24,674 |
| 14 | Denver | 12 | 2% | $30,096 |
| 15 | Chicago | 26 | 1% | $24,699 |
| 16 | Philadelphia | 20 | 1% | $27,355 |
| 17 | Jacksonville | 13 | 1% | $23,978 |
| 18 | Columbus | 12 | 1% | $25,767 |
| 19 | San Antonio | 11 | 1% | $23,438 |
| 20 | New York | 31 | 0% | $31,936 |
Dietary Aide job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of dietary aide experts
The University of Mississippi
Melinda Valliant Ph.D.
Professor and Chair, Director, Center for Health and Sports PerformanceThe University of Mississippi
Department of Nutrition & Hospitality Management
What skills stand out on Dietary Aide resumes?
Melinda Valliant Ph.D.: Volunteer or paid experience in a health-related or food service field; knowledge of general nutrition, food allergies, texture modifications, special diets, factors that impact dietary intake, i.e., economic, environmental (access), social (living arrangements), etc.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Dietary Aides?
Melinda Valliant Ph.D.: Word processing, excel, timely communication/documentation