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Dietary assistant salary
Average dietary assistant salary
$13.57
Average Dietary Assistant Salary
The average salary for a dietary assistant in the United States is around $28,234 annually or $14 per hour. This figure can vary based on several factors, including geographic location, years of experience, and the specific industry in which one is employed.
Factors Influencing Salary
Dietary assistants in metropolitan areas often command higher salaries due to increased demand and a higher cost of living. For instance, positions in states like California and New York tend to offer salaries above the national average.
Salary by Experience Level
Experience plays a significant role in salary determination. Entry-level dietary assistants may start around $25,000, while those with several years of experience can earn upwards of $35,000 annually.
Highest Paying States
The highest-paying states for dietary assistants include:
- California
- New York
- Massachusetts
- Washington
Understanding these dynamics will help you navigate your career path effectively and aim for positions that align with your financial goals.
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Where can a Dietary Assistant earn more?
Dietary assistant salaries by experience level
Dietary assistant salary estimates from across the web
Average dietary assistant salary by state
The highest-paying states for dietary assistants are Washington, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. The lowest average dietary assistant salary states are Oklahoma, Mississippi, and Georgia.
- State view
- County view
Highest paying states for dietary assistants
| Rank | State | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhode Island | $32,840 | $15.79 |
| 2 | Maine | $31,435 | $15.11 |
| 3 | Washington | $35,034 | $16.84 |
| 4 | Minnesota | $29,221 | $14.05 |
| 5 | Oregon | $30,945 | $14.88 |
| 6 | Massachusetts | $32,063 | $15.41 |
| 7 | Michigan | $29,109 | $13.99 |
| 8 | New York | $32,021 | $15.39 |
| 9 | Colorado | $30,855 | $14.83 |
| 10 | New Hampshire | $27,710 | $13.32 |
| 11 | Vermont | $30,656 | $14.74 |
| 12 | Alaska | $28,125 | $13.52 |
| 13 | Connecticut | $30,130 | $14.49 |
| 14 | Iowa | $25,620 | $12.32 |
| 15 | South Dakota | $26,366 | $12.68 |
| 16 | North Dakota | $27,308 | $13.13 |
| 17 | California | $31,909 | $15.34 |
| 18 | Utah | $28,472 | $13.69 |
| 19 | District of Columbia | $32,947 | $15.84 |
| 20 | Delaware | $28,336 | $13.62 |
| 21 | Wisconsin | $25,520 | $12.27 |
| 22 | Pennsylvania | $26,385 | $12.69 |
| 23 | Ohio | $24,870 | $11.96 |
| 24 | Nebraska | $24,871 | $11.96 |
| 25 | Idaho | $25,557 | $12.29 |
| 26 | Indiana | $24,162 | $11.62 |
| 27 | Illinois | $26,842 | $12.90 |
| 28 | Hawaii | $28,382 | $13.65 |
| 29 | Arizona | $26,781 | $12.88 |
| 30 | Maryland | $28,040 | $13.48 |
| 31 | Florida | $25,078 | $12.06 |
| 32 | Montana | $25,653 | $12.33 |
| 33 | South Carolina | $24,511 | $11.78 |
| 34 | Kentucky | $23,161 | $11.14 |
| 35 | New Jersey | $26,529 | $12.75 |
| 36 | Nevada | $25,538 | $12.28 |
| 37 | West Virginia | $22,809 | $10.97 |
| 38 | Kansas | $22,292 | $10.72 |
| 39 | Wyoming | $24,303 | $11.68 |
| 40 | North Carolina | $23,099 | $11.11 |
| 41 | Virginia | $25,153 | $12.09 |
| 42 | Texas | $23,319 | $11.21 |
| 43 | Tennessee | $19,572 | $9.41 |
| 44 | Mississippi | $21,344 | $10.26 |
| 45 | Missouri | $22,069 | $10.61 |
| 46 | New Mexico | $22,977 | $11.05 |
| 47 | Georgia | $20,337 | $9.78 |
| 48 | Arkansas | $21,903 | $10.53 |
| 49 | Alabama | $18,738 | $9.01 |
| 50 | Oklahoma | $21,495 | $10.33 |
| 51 | Louisiana | $18,138 | $8.72 |
Highest paying cities for dietary assistants
The highest-paying cities for dietary assistants are Everett, WA, Chili, NY, and Attleboro, MA.
| Rank | City | Avg. salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Everett, WA | $35,084 | $16.87 |
| 2 | Chili, NY | $32,465 | $15.61 |
| 3 | Attleboro, MA | $31,950 | $15.36 |
| 4 | Fort Collins, CO | $31,011 | $14.91 |
| 5 | Norwich, CT | $30,281 | $14.56 |
| 6 | Maplewood, MN | $29,232 | $14.05 |
| 7 | Dearborn, MI | $29,031 | $13.96 |
| 8 | Columbia, MD | $28,006 | $13.46 |
| 9 | Berwyn, IL | $26,925 | $12.94 |
| 10 | Green Bay, WI | $25,955 | $12.48 |
| 11 | Dubuque, IA | $25,751 | $12.38 |
| 12 | Daytona Beach, FL | $25,147 | $12.09 |
| 13 | Columbus, OH | $24,530 | $11.79 |
| 14 | Lafayette, IN | $24,176 | $11.62 |
| 15 | Charlotte, NC | $23,026 | $11.07 |
| 16 | Bowling Green, KY | $23,012 | $11.06 |
| 17 | Atlanta, GA | $20,363 | $9.79 |
| 18 | Dothan, AL | $18,643 | $8.96 |
| 19 | Alexandria, LA | $18,202 | $8.75 |
Dietary assistant salary details
A dietary assistant's salary ranges from $22,000 a year at the 10th percentile to $35,000 at the 90th percentile.
What is a dietary assistant's salary?
| Percentile | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90th Percentile | $35,000 | $2,917 | $17 |
| 75th Percentile | $31,000 | $2,583 | $15 |
| Average | $28,234 | $2,353 | $14 |
| 25th Percentile | $25,000 | $2,083 | $12 |
| 10th Percentile | $22,000 | $1,833 | $11 |
Highest paying dietary assistant jobs
The highest paying types of dietary assistants are culinary assistant, deli clerk, and catering assistant.
| Job title | Annual salary | Monthly salary | Hourly rate | Job openings |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Food Service Worker | $28,753 | $2,396 | $13.82 | 169,323 |
| Food Prep/Dishwasher | $29,964 | $2,497 | $14.41 | 113,200 |
| Kitchen Staff | $29,816 | $2,485 | $14.33 | 154,513 |
| Bakery Clerk | $28,651 | $2,388 | $13.77 | 67,778 |
| Deli Worker | $28,578 | $2,382 | $13.74 | 37,658 |
| Food Service Aide | $29,461 | $2,455 | $14.16 | 96,923 |
Top companies hiring dietary assistants now:
Which companies pay dietary assistants the most?
Dietary assistant salaries at Lifespan and Trinity Health are the highest-paying according to our most recent salary estimates. In addition, the average dietary assistant salary at companies like Lane Regional Medical Center and Beaumont Health are highly competitive.
| Rank | Company | Average salary | Hourly rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lifespan | $36,126 | $17.37 |
| 2 | Trinity Health | $31,517 | $15.15 |
| 3 | Lane Regional Medical Center | $30,911 | $14.86 |
| 4 | Beaumont Health | $30,756 | $14.79 |
| 5 | HealthTrust | $30,395 | $14.61 |
| 6 | LifePoint Health | $30,302 | $14.57 |
| 7 | Woodside Senior Communities | $29,982 | $14.41 |
| 8 | RHA Health Services | $29,497 | $14.18 |
| 9 | W Holding Company | $29,460 | $14.16 |
| 10 | East Boston Neighborhood Health Center | $29,432 | $14.15 |
| 11 | Universal Health Services | $29,426 | $14.15 |
| 12 | Eastern Niagara Hospital | $29,262 | $14.07 |
| 13 | Providence Health & Services | $29,224 | $14.05 |
| 14 | Life Care Centers of America | $29,178 | $14.03 |
| 15 | Neighborhood Healthcare | $29,143 | $14.01 |
| 16 | Samaritas | $28,965 | $13.93 |
| 17 | King's Daughters Medical Center | $28,928 | $13.91 |
| 18 | Hca Hospital Services Of San Diego | $28,792 | $13.84 |
| 19 | Johns Hopkins Medicine | $28,726 | $13.81 |
| 20 | American Senior Benefits | $28,682 | $13.79 |
Wage gap by gender, race and education
Dietary assistant salary trends
The average dietary assistant salary has risen by $7,365 over the last ten years. In 2014, the average dietary assistant earned $20,869 annually, but today, they earn $28,234 a year. That works out to a 22% change in pay for dietary assistants over the last decade.
Compare dietary assistant salaries for cities or states with the national average over time.
Average dietary assistant salary over time
Compare dietary assistant salaries for individual cities or states with the national average.
Dietary assistant salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $28,200 | $13.57 | +4.9% |
| 2024 | $26,900 | $12.91 | +4.3% |
| 2023 | $25,700 | $12.36 | +4.2% |
| 2022 | $24,600 | $11.83 | +5.7% |
| 2021 | $23,200 | $11.16 | +5.9% |
Recently added dietary assistant salaries
| Company | Job | Location | Date added | Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Volunteers of America National Services | Dietary Assistant PRN | Montrose, CO | 06/27/2025 | $37,190 |
| Mission Senior Living | Dietary Assistant | Butte-Silver Bow, MT | 06/27/2025 | $25,044 |
| Peopleready | Dietary Assistant | Pittsburgh, PA | 06/25/2025 | $35,479 |
| Corewell Health | Dietary Assistant I | Dearborn, MI | 06/25/2025 | $31,305 |
| Apostolic Christian Highland Oaks | Dietary Assistant-Full A P | Elgin, IL | 06/24/2025 | $33,392 |
| Ellenville Regional Hospital | Dietary Assistant | Ellenville, NY | 06/19/2025 | $39,110 |
| HCA Healthcare | Dietary Assistant PRN | Englewood, CO | 06/18/2025 | $43,785 |
| Sanford Health | Dietary Assistant | Velva, ND | 06/18/2025 | $34,957 |
| The Evangelical Lutheran Good Samaritan Society | Dietary Assistant | Nome, ND | 06/18/2025 | $34,957 |
| Lifespace Communities | Dietary Assistant | Minneapolis, MN | 06/17/2025 | $31,305 |
Dietary assistant salary FAQs
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