Dietetic Technicians Salary
The median pay for a dietetic technicians in Reading, PA is $34,090/year ($16.39/hour), per BLS data. The range runs from $29K at the entry level to $46K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 97.06), that's roughly $35,123 in purchasing power. A 2-bedroom apartment runs $1,575/month, about 66.5% of take-home, which is tight.
So what does $34K get you in Reading?
Groceries, utilities, transportation, and healthcare scaled from national averages by Reading’s Regional Price Parity (97.06). Rent from HUD Fair Market Rents. Taxes estimated for single filer, standard deduction. * Healthcare is the employee-paid share only (premiums + out-of-pocket). Actual costs vary by coverage type: employer-sponsored, ACA marketplace, or uninsured.
About dietetic technicians
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What this looks like in Reading
Dietetic technicians pay in Reading tracks closely to the national median, $34K locally vs. $38K nationwide, a 9% difference. The catch: housing math doesn't keep up. A 2-bedroom at the HUD median rents for $1,575/month, which is 66.6% of the median worker's take-home, past the 30% guideline most planners use. Cost of living (RPP 97.06) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Use the affordability calculator above to model your specific situation.
Compared to nearby metros
Median pay for dietetic technicians in metros near Reading, adjusted for local cost of living.
| Metro | Median pay | COL-adjusted |
|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington | $35K | $34K |
| Allentown-Bethlehem-Easton | $37K | $37K |
| Pittsburgh | $32K | $34K |
| Harrisburg-Carlisle | $34K | $35K |
COL-adjusted = median salary ÷ (BEA Regional Price Parity ÷ 100). Expresses purchasing power in national-average dollars.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Reading, PA
Entry-level dietetic technicians (10th percentile) start around $29K. Mid-career wages sit at $34K. Top earners bring in $46K or more, a $16K spread from bottom to top.
Dietetic Technicians pay across states
Median income ranked highest to lowest, compared to the national figure
View Dietetic Technicians salary in all states
| State | Median salary | vs. national | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oregon | $55K | +45% | 60 |
| New York | $50K | +34% | 1,580 |
| Colorado | $48K | +27% | 230 |
| Minnesota | $48K | +26% | 170 |
| Washington | $47K | +25% | 290 |
| California | $46K | +23% | 6,310 |
| Arizona | $46K | +22% | 370 |
| Hawaii | $44K | +16% | 130 |
| Illinois | $43K | +13% | 590 |
| Maine | $42K | +12% | 40 |
| Connecticut | $42K | +12% | 330 |
| New Hampshire | $42K | +11% | 230 |
| Ohio | $41K | +10% | 660 |
| Delaware | $41K | +10% | 150 |
| District of Columbia | $41K | +8% | 190 |
| Utah | $41K | +8% | 890 |
| New Jersey | $41K | +8% | 400 |
| Montana | $40K | +6% | 100 |
| Massachusetts | $40K | +6% | 910 |
| Rhode Island | $39K | +5% | 50 |
| Oklahoma | $39K | +3% | 130 |
| Virginia | $39K | +3% | 460 |
| Wisconsin | $39K | +3% | 410 |
| Nebraska | $38K | +0% | 100 |
| Nevada | $38K | -0% | 370 |
| New Mexico | $38K | -0% | 100 |
| South Carolina | $37K | -2% | 450 |
| Michigan | $36K | -3% | 3,060 |
| Missouri | $36K | -4% | 290 |
| North Dakota | $36K | -5% | 90 |
| Iowa | $35K | -6% | 350 |
| West Virginia | $35K | -6% | 260 |
| Kansas | $35K | -7% | 140 |
| Florida | $35K | -8% | 2,420 |
| Georgia | $34K | -9% | 490 |
| Pennsylvania | $34K | -9% | 2,300 |
| Maryland | $34K | -10% | 1,670 |
| Idaho | $33K | -13% | 170 |
| Arkansas | $32K | -15% | 210 |
| Indiana | $32K | -16% | 690 |
| North Carolina | $31K | -18% | 1,300 |
| Texas | $30K | -20% | 1,360 |
| Kentucky | $29K | -23% | 430 |
| Louisiana | $29K | -23% | 190 |
| Mississippi | $29K | -24% | 120 |
Showing 1–10 of 45 states
BLS does not publish data for every state when sample sizes are too small
Track dietetic technicians salary changes
BLS updates this data quarterly. We'll email you when Reading numbers change.
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Frequently asked questions
Can a dietetic technician afford a 2BR apartment alone in Reading?
It’s a stretch — at the median salary of $34K, rent takes 66.6% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,575/month. The 30% guideline puts the comfortable ceiling at roughly $700/month in rent — so roommates or a 1-bedroom would ease the math significantly.
What’s the entry-level salary for dietetic technicians in Reading?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new dietetic technicians typically earn — is $29K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $1,756/month. At HUD’s $1,575/month FMR, rent would take 90% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is dietetic technician a high-paying job in Reading?
Pay here is roughly in line with the national average — $34K locally vs. $38K nationally, a 9% difference.
How does Reading compare to the national average for dietetic technicians?
Reading pays $34K median vs. the U.S. average of $38K — that’s -9%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 97.06), the purchasing-power equivalent is $35K — below the national median.
How much do dietetic technicians make in Reading, PA?
The median is $34,090 a year, that works out to about $16 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $29,270, and experienced dietetic technicians can clear $45,750. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $34K enough to live in Reading?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $2,365/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,575/month, which eats 66.6% of your paycheck. That's above the 30% rule of thumb, housing will be a stretch at the median salary, though you can manage with roommates or a smaller place.
How far does a dietetic technicians salary go in Reading?
Reading has a Regional Price Parity of 97.06 (100 is the national average). That's below average, your money stretches further here than the raw salary number suggests. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median dietetic technicians salary is worth about $35,123 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do dietetic technicians get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.