If you are interested in becoming a Nutrition and Dietetics Technician, Registered (NDTR), otherwise known as a Dietetics Technician, Registered (DTR), you must complete education that will enable you to fulfill the criteria of the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). This involves choosing a Dietetic Technician Program that has received ACEND-accreditation. Alternatively, you may also choose a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) or Coordinated Program in Dietetics (CP) if you would rather earn a bachelor’s degree, and this will also qualify you to take the NDTR test. (Our listing of DPD and CP programs nationwide can be found below).
In a Dietetic Technician program, you will usually be pursuing an associate degree. This could be an Associate of Science (AS), Associate of Applied Science (AAS) or Associate of Arts (AA). Dietetic Technician Programs are available in online, on campus and hybrid formats, to fit various lifestyles. In a Dietetic Technician program, you can expect to take the normal general education courses required of all associate degree students, as well as specialized courses such as:
- Applied Food Science
- Human Nutrition
- Food and Culture
- Nutrition Through the Life Cycle
- Nutrition Counseling
- Community Nutrition
- Weight Management
- Diabetes
- Nutrition Medical Terminology
- Nutrition Assessment
- Medical Nutrition Therapy
- Food Service Management
- Dietetic Internship
Your Dietetic Technician program will include at least one semester of a Dietetic Internship, in which you will be placed into a professional situation that will test the skills you have learned in class to that point.
After completing a Dietetic Technician program, you must pass the Nutrition and Dietetics Technician, Registered Examination by the Commission on Dietetic Registration. Then you will have earned the NDTR credential.
ACEND- accredited Dietetic Technician programs are not found in all states. Remember, however, that you can also pursue a DPD or CP program if you prefer to earn a bachelor’s degree to become a NDTR. Those programs are found in more states than Dietetic Technician programs.
The following is a list of all ACEND-accredited Dietetic Technician programs nationwide, as of April 2022:
Alabama
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetic Technician programs in Alabama.
Alaska
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetic Technician programs in Alaska.
Arizona
Central Arizona College, Coolidge, AZ
- Degree: Associate of Applied Science, Nutrition & Dietetic Technician
- Location: online
- Emphases: Medical Nutrition Therapy, Education and Wellness, Food Service Management
- Certificates available: Dietary Manager Training (DMT) Certificate; Nutrition and Foodservice Professional Training Program (NFSPTP) Certificate; Community Nutrition Worker Certificate: Diabetes Care and Education Certificate; Nutrition and Health Promotion Certificate
- Contact: Sheri Steincamp, MS, RDN, CDCES at (520) 494-5775 or [email protected]
Paradise Valley Community College, Phoenix, AZ
- Degree: Associate in Applied Science in Nutrition and Dietetic Technology
- Location: on campus
- Emphases: Medical Nutrition Therapy and Food Service Management
- Contact: Lori Anonsen, MS, RD, ACSM-EP at (602) 787-7295 or [email protected]
Arkansas
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetic Technician programs in Arkansas.
California
Orange Coast College, Costa Mesa, CA
- Degree: Associate of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics Technician
- Location: on campus
- Certificate available: Certified Dietary Manager (CDM) Certificate of Achievement
- Contact: Beth Blake at (714) 432-0202 x 26430 or [email protected]
Merritt College, Oakland, CA
- Degree: Associate of Science in Dietetic Technology
- Location: on campus
- Certificate available: Certificate of Achievement in Dietary Manager (Dietary Service Supervisor)
- Contact: Heather Casale, MS, RD, CNSC at (510) 434-3834 or [email protected]
Santa Rosa Junior College, Santa Rosa, CA
- Degree: Associate of Science in Dietetic Technician
- Location: on campus
- Certificates available: Certified Dietary Manager
- Contact: Jill Tarver at (707) 521-6921 or [email protected]
Colorado
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Colorado.
Connecticut
Gateway Community College, New Haven, CT
- Degree: Associate of Science in Nutrition and Dietetics
- Location: on campus
- Contact: Marcia Doran at (203) 285-2390 or [email protected]
Delaware
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Delaware.
District of Columbia
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in District of Columbia.
Florida
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Florida.
Georgia
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Georgia.
Hawaii
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Hawaii.
Idaho
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Idaho.
Illinois
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Illinois.
Indiana
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Indiana.
Iowa
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Iowa.
Kansas
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Kansas.
Kentucky
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Kentucky.
Louisiana
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Louisiana.
Maine
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Maine.
Maryland
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Maryland.
Massachusetts
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Massachusetts.
Michigan
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Michigan.
Minnesota
Northland Community and Technical College, East Grand Forks, MN
- Degree: Associate of Applied Science in Dietetic Technician
- Location: online
- Contact: Angela Brekken at (218) 793-2484 or [email protected]
Mississippi
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Mississippi.
Missouri
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Missouri.
Montana
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Montana.
Nebraska
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Nebraska.
Nevada
Truckee Meadows Community College, Reno, NV
- Degree: Associate of Applied Science – Dietetic Technician or Associate of Science – Dietetics (two different tracks with differing course requirements)
- Location: on campus
- Certificate available: Skills Certificate, Dietetic Technician
- Contact: Heather Graham Williams at (775) 673-7138 or [email protected]
New Hampshire
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in New Hampshire.
New Jersey
Camden County College, Blackwood, NJ
- Degree: Associate in Applied Science in Dietetic Technology
- Location: on campus
- Certificate available: Culinary Certificate of Achievement
- Contact: Marsha Patrick, MS, RD, FAND at (856) 227-7200 x 4665 or [email protected]
New Mexico
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in New Mexico.
New York
SUNY Suffolk County Community College, Riverhead, NY
- Degree: Associate in Applied Science in Dietetic Technology
- Location: on campus
- Certificates available: Certificate in Culinary Arts: Restaurant Management
- Contact: Jodi Levine, MS, RD, CDN at (631) 548-3724 or [email protected]
SUNY Erie Community College, Williamsville, NY
- Degree: Associate in Applied Science in Food Service Administration – Dietetic Technology- Nutrition Care
- Location: on campus
- Certificate available: Food Preparation and Safety Certificate
- Contact: Renee Gosselin at (716) 851-1377 or [email protected]
North Carolina
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in North Carolina.
North Dakota
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in North Dakota.
Ohio
Cincinnati State Technical and Community College, Cincinnati, OH
- Degree: Associate of Applied Science in Dietetic Technology
- Location: on campus
- Certificates and other degrees available: Dietary Management certificate, Associate of Science in Pre-Nutrition Science
- Contact: Candice Jones, M.Ed., RD, LD, CDCES, FAND at (513) 569-1479 or [email protected]
Cuyahoga Community College, Cleveland, OH
- Degree: Associate of Applied Science in Dietetic Technology
- Location: on campus
- Certificates available: Dietary Management Certificate of Proficiency
- Contact: Judith Kaplan, MS, RD, LD at (216) 987-4613 or [email protected]
Columbus State Community College, Columbus, OH
- Degree: Associate of Applied Science in Dietetic Technician
- Location: on campus
- Certificates available: Dietary Manager Certificate
- Contact: Jan Van Horn, MS, RDN, LD at (614) 287-2580 or [email protected]
Sinclair Community College, Dayton, OH
- Degree: Associate of Applied Science in Nutrition and Dietetics Technician
- Location: on campus
- Certificates available: Short-term technical certificates in Dietary Manager and Dining Assistant
- Contact: David Clark at (937) 512-2756 or [email protected]
Stark State College, North Canton, OH
- Degree: Associate of Applied Science in Dietetic Technician
- Location: on campus
- Certificates available: Dietary Manager
- Contact: Michelle Igleheart at (330) 494-6170 x 5767 or [email protected]
Oklahoma
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Oklahoma.
Oregon
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Oregon.
Pennsylvania
Community College of Allegheny County, Pittsburgh, PA
- Degree: Associate of Science in Dietetic Technician
- Location: hybrid
- Certificates available: ANFP Dietary Manager
- Contact: Miriam Wilson at (412) 237-2640 or [email protected]
Rhode Island
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Rhode Island.
South Carolina
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in South Carolina.
South Dakota
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in South Dakota.
Tennessee
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Tennessee.
Texas
Tarrant County College, Arlington, TX
- Degree: Associate of Science in Dietetic Technician
- Location: on campus
- Certificates available: Dietary Manager Level 1 certificate, Nutrition Specialist I Level 1 certificate, Level 2 Food & Nutrition Coach certificate
- Contact: Christina Lew-Newville, Ed. D., RD, LD at (817) 585-3-51 or [email protected]
Utah
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Utah.
Vermont
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Vermont.
Virginia
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Virginia.
Washington
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Washington.
West Virginia
Pierpont Community and Technical College, Fairmont, WV
- Degree: Associate in Applied Science in Nutrition & Dietetic Technology
- Location: on campus
- Certificates available: Certificate in Applied Science in Food Service Management, Skill Set Certificate in ServSafe
- Contact: Pamela Hamilton at (304) 367-4297 or [email protected]
Wisconsin
Milwaukee Area Technical College, West Allis, WI
- Degree: Associate in Applied Science in Nutrition and Dietetic Technician
- Location: on campus
- Certificates available: Dietary Manager
- Contact: Heidi L. Katte at (414) 456-5364 or [email protected]
Wyoming
There are no ACEND-accredited Dietetics Technician programs in Wyoming.