Dietitians and Nutritionists

Summary

Dietitians and nutritionists are experts in food.

Quick Facts: Dietitians and Nutritionists
2010 Median Pay	$53,250 per year $25.60 per hour
Entry-Level Education	Bachelor’s degree
Work Experience in a Related Occupation	None
On-the-job Training	Internship/residency
Number of Jobs, 2010	64,400
Job Outlook, 2010-20	20% (Faster than average)
Employment Change, 2010-20	12,700

What Dietitians and Nutritionists Do

Dietitians and nutritionists are experts in food and nutrition. They advise people on what to eat in order to lead a healthy lifestyle or achieve a specific health-related goal.

Work Environment

Dietitians and nutritionists work in many settings, including hospitals, cafeterias, nursing homes, and schools. Some are self-employed with their own practice.

How to Become a Dietitian or Nutritionist

Most dietitians and nutritionists have a bachelor’s degree and have participated in supervised training. Also, many states require dietitians and nutritionists to be licensed.

Pay

The median annual wage of dietitians and nutritionists was $53,250 in May 2010.

Job Outlook

Employment of dietitians and nutritionists is expected to increase 20 percent from 2010 to 2020, faster than the average for all occupations.

Similar Occupations

Compare the job duties, education, job growth, and pay of dietitians and nutritionists with similar occupations.

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Contacts for More Information

Learn more about dietitians and nutritionists by contacting these additional resources.

What Dietitians and Nutritionists Do About this section

Dietitians oversee meal programs in places like hospitals, schools, and nursing homes.

Dietitians and nutritionists are experts in food and nutrition. They advise people on what to eat in order to lead a healthy lifestyle or achieve a specific health-related goal.

Duties

Dietitians and nutritionists typically do the following:

• Explain nutrition issues
• Assess patients’ and clients’ health needs and diet
• Develop meal plans, taking both cost and clients’ preferences into account
• Evaluate the effects of meal plans and change the plans as needed
• Promote better nutrition by giving talks to groups about diet, nutrition, and the relationship between good eating habits and preventing or managing specific diseases
• Keep up with the latest nutritional science research

Some dietitians and nutritionists provide customized information for specific individuals. For example, a dietitian or nutritionist might teach a patient with high blood pressure how to use less salt when preparing meals. Others work with groups of people who have similar needs. A dietitian or nutritionist might, for example, plan a diet with reduced fat and sugar to help overweight people lose weight.

Although all dietitians and nutritionists do similar tasks, there are several specialties within the occupations. The following are examples of types of dietitians and nutritionists:

Clinical dietitians provide medical nutrition therapy. They work in hospitals, long-term care facilities, and other institutions. They create both individualized and group nutritional programs based on the health needs of patients or residents. Clinical dietitians may further specialize, such as working only with patients with kidney diseases. They may work with other healthcare professionals.

Management dietitians plan meal programs. They work in food service settings such as cafeterias, hospitals, and food corporations. They may be responsible for buying food and for carrying out other business-related tasks. Management dietitians may oversee kitchen staff or other dietitians.

Community dietitians educate the public on topics related to food and nutrition. They often work with specific groups of people, such as pregnant women. They work in public health clinics, government and non-profit agencies, health maintenance organizations (HMOs), and other settings.

Work Environment About this section

Dietitians and nutritionists tailor meal plans to meet the health needs of patients.

Dietitians and nutritionists held about 64,400 jobs in 2010. 

As shown below, nearly one-third of dietitians and nutritionists worked in hospitals in 2010:

About 15 percent of dietitians and nutritionists were self-employed in 2010.

Dietitians and nutritionists work in hospitals, cafeterias, nursing homes, and schools. Some dietitians and nutritionists are self-employed and maintain their own practice. They work as consultants, providing advice to individual clients, or they work for healthcare establishments on a contract basis.    

Work Schedules

Most dietitians and nutritionists work full time, although about 20 percent work part time. Self-employed, consultant dietitians have more flexibility in setting their schedules.

How to Become a Dietitian or Nutritionist About this section

Dietitians and nutritionists explain nutrition issues.

Most dietitians and nutritionists have earned a bachelor’s degree and receive supervised training through an internship or as a part of their coursework. Also, many states require dietitians and nutritionists to be licensed.

Education

Most dietitians and nutritionists have earned a bachelor’s degree in dietetics, foods and nutrition, food service systems management, or a related area. Programs include courses in nutrition, physiology, chemistry, and biology. 

Training

Dietitians and nutritionists typically participate in several hundred hours of supervised training, usually in the form of an internship following graduation from college. However, some programs in dietetics include this training as part of the coursework.

Many dietitians and nutritionists have advanced degrees. 

Licenses and Certification

Most states require licensure of dietitians and nutritionists. Other states require only state registration or certification, and a few have no state regulations.

Most states have enacted state licensure or certification for dietitians or nutritionists or both. The requirements for state licensure and state certification include having a bachelor’s degree in food and nutrition or a related area, supervised practice, and passing an exam.

One way to become licensed is to earn the Registered Dietitian (RD) credential. While the RD is not always required, the qualifications necessary to become an RD are parallel to the qualifications necessary to become a licensed dietitian in all states that require a license. Many employers prefer or require the RD, which is administered by the Commission on Dietetic Registration, the credentialing agency for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

The requirements for the RD credential are similar, but not identical to the licensing requirements in many states. The RD requires dietitians to complete education and supervised practice programs. These programs are accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). In order to maintain the RD credential, Registered Dietitians must complete continuing professional education courses. 

Important Qualities

Analytical skills. Dietitians must keep up to date with the latest nutrition research. They should be able to interpret scientific studies and translate nutrition science into practical eating advice.

Organizational skills. Because there are many aspects to the work of dietitians and nutritionists, they should have the ability to stay organized. Management dietitians, for example, must consider both the nutritional needs of their customers and the costs of meals.

People skills. Dietitians and nutritionists must listen carefully to understand clients’ goals and concerns. They also have to be emphatic to help clients confront and overcome dietary struggles.

Speaking skills. Dietitians and nutritionists must explain complicated topics in a way that people with less technical knowledge understand. For example, a clinical dietitian must be able to clearly tell clients about what to eat and why eating the recommended foods is important.

Pay About this section

The median annual wage of dietitians and nutritionists was $53,250 in May 2010. The median annual wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $33,330, and the top 10 percent earned more than $75,480.

Most dietitians and nutritionists work full time, although about 20 percent work part time. Self-employed, consultant dietitians have more flexibility in setting their schedules.

Job Outlook About this section

Employment of dietitians and nutritionists is expected to increase 20 percent from 2010 to 2020, faster than average for all occupations.

In recent years, there has been increased interest in the role of food in promoting health and wellness, particularly as a part of preventative healthcare in medical settings. The importance of diet in preventing and treating illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease is now well known. More dietitians and nutritionists will be needed to provide care for people with these conditions.  

An aging population also will increase the need for dietitians and nutritionists in nursing homes.

Contacts for More Information About this section

For a list of academic programs, scholarships, and other information about dietitians, visit

Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

For information on the Registered Dietitian (RD) exam and other specialty credentials, visit

Commission on Dietetic Registration