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Salary comparison

Dietetic Technicians vs. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses: Who Earns More?

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses out-earn Dietetic Technicians by $27K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Dietetic Technicians land at $37,640 and Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses at $64,400. The education gap is real: dietetic technician programs typically require bachelor's degree, while licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse programs require postsecondary nondegree award. Top-paying state for Dietetic Technicians is Oregon ($54,670); for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses it's Washington ($83,150).

Dietetic Technicians
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Median salary
$37,640
$64,400
Hourly rate
$18.09/hr
$30.96/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$29,720
$49,740
Senior level (90th %)
$54,020
$83,440
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Postsecondary nondegree award
U.S. employment
31,560
648,410
Job growth (10-year)
2.5%
2.6%
Category
Healthcare
Healthcare
Top-paying state
Oregon
Washington

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Dietetic Technicians median pay.

State
Dietetic Technicians
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Oregon
$54,670
$80,470
Colorado
$47,810
$73,880
Washington
$47,000
$83,150
California
$46,410
$79,750
Arizona
$45,970
$77,070
Illinois
$42,550
$75,000
Maine
$42,320
$73,200
Connecticut
$42,040
$73,690
New Hampshire
$41,830
$77,110
District of Columbia
$40,810
$75,740
New Jersey
$40,530
$75,160
Massachusetts
$39,760
$80,220
Rhode Island
$39,400
$80,090
Nevada
$37,630
$76,160
Maryland
$33,710
$74,660

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Dietetic Technicians or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses earn more nationally. The median is $37,640 for Dietetic Technicians versus $64,400 for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses, a difference of $27K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Dietetic Technicians or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?

Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses has the better 10-year outlook at 2.6% projected growth, compared to 2.5% for the other field. Both are from BLS Employment Projections.

Which requires more education, Dietetic Technicians or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?

Dietetic Technicians typically requires bachelor's degree. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses requires postsecondary nondegree award. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Dietetic Technicians get paid the most?

Oregon is the top-paying state for Dietetic Technicians at $54,670/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Dietetic Technicians vs. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In Oregon, Dietetic Technicians earn $54,670 vs. $80,470 for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Dietetic Technicians salary breakdownView →Full Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses salary breakdownView →Best cities for Dietetic Technicians by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses by take-home payExplore →How to become a dietetic techniciansGuide →How to become a licensed practical and licensed vocational nursesGuide →