Dietitians and Nutritionists: Career Profile
Plan and conduct food service or nutritional programs to assist in the promotion of health and control of disease. May supervise activities of a department providing quantity food services, counsel individuals, or conduct nutritional research.
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What Tasks Do Dietitians and Nutritionists Do?
Typical responsibilities of dietitians and nutritionists span:
- Assess nutritional needs, diet restrictions, and current health plans to develop and implement dietary-care plans and provide nutritional counseling.
- Evaluate laboratory tests in preparing nutrition recommendations.
- Counsel individuals and groups on basic rules of good nutrition, healthy eating habits, and nutrition monitoring to improve their quality of life.
- Advise patients and their families on nutritional principles, dietary plans, diet modifications, and food selection and preparation.
- Incorporate patient cultural, ethnic, or religious preferences and needs in the development of nutrition plans.
- Consult with physicians and health care personnel to determine nutritional needs and diet restrictions of patient or client.
- Record and evaluate patient and family health and food history, including symptoms, environmental toxic exposure, allergies, medication factors, and preventive health-care measures.
- Develop recipes and menus to address special nutrition needs, such as low glycemic, low histamine, or gluten- or allergen-free.
Skills and Knowledge
Successful dietitians and nutritionists combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The competencies that matter most in this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Types of Dietitians and Nutritionists Jobs
People in this occupation may also be known by titles such as:
- Administrative Dietitian
- Clinical Dietician
- Clinical Dietitian
- Clinical Nutritionist
- Community Dietitian
- Consultant Dietitian
- Diet Consultant
- Diet Counselor
How Many Dietitians and Nutritionists Are There?
There are roughly 3,110,858 dietitians and nutritionists working in the United States today. Demand is forecast to grow by +1.4% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Dietitians and Nutritionists
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $125,305 |
| Hourly median | $60.24 |
| 10th percentile | $82,225 |
| 25th percentile | $103,765 |
| 75th percentile | $146,845 |
| 90th percentile | $168,385 |
Compensation varies based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $93,640 |
| Oregon | $84,990 |
| Hawaii | $82,230 |
| Washington | $81,050 |
| Alaska | $81,010 |
| Massachusetts | $80,840 |
| Connecticut | $79,720 |
| New York | $79,310 |
| Maryland | $78,410 |
| New Jersey | $78,080 |
| District of Columbia | $77,010 |
| Rhode Island | $76,710 |
| Vermont | $76,100 |
| Minnesota | $75,600 |
| Virginia | $75,210 |
| Georgia | $74,010 |
| Colorado | $72,590 |
| Michigan | $72,550 |
| Florida | $71,890 |
| Delaware | $71,140 |
| Wyoming | $70,760 |
| Louisiana | $70,440 |
| Ohio | $69,990 |
| Nevada | $69,740 |
| Wisconsin | $69,450 |
| Iowa | $68,880 |
| Nebraska | $68,560 |
| Illinois | $67,760 |
| Oklahoma | $67,430 |
| New Mexico | $67,370 |
| South Carolina | $67,010 |
| West Virginia | $66,660 |
| Texas | $66,640 |
| Kentucky | $66,250 |
| Pennsylvania | $66,020 |
| Montana | $65,590 |
| Arizona | $65,330 |
| Alabama | $65,240 |
| Maine | $65,180 |
| Idaho | $65,140 |
| Kansas | $64,930 |
| North Carolina | $64,910 |
| New Hampshire | $64,620 |
| Indiana | $63,830 |
| Tennessee | $62,630 |
| North Dakota | $62,520 |
| South Dakota | $62,420 |
| Missouri | $62,340 |
| Mississippi | $61,890 |
| Utah | $61,170 |
| Arkansas | $60,740 |
| Puerto Rico | $46,000 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Earnings for dietitians and nutritionists vary by region. These regions lead on median pay:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $90,427 | 16.8% | 1.00 |
| New England | $77,536 | 5.9% | 1.22 |
| Middle Atlantic | $74,859 | 18.3% | 1.19 |
| Great Lakes | $69,056 | 12.7% | 0.87 |
| Southeast | $68,682 | 23.5% | 0.95 |
| Plains States | $67,499 | 6.8% | 0.97 |
| Southwest | $66,580 | 12.8% | 1.00 |
| Rocky Mountains | $63,158 | 2.4% | 1.16 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Dietitians and Nutritionists
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vallejo, CA | CA | $108,490 | 90 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $106,520 | 810 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $102,600 | 100 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $101,820 | 1,550 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | CA | $100,580 | 600 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | CA | $99,530 | 100 |
| Modesto, CA | CA | $99,480 | 110 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | CA | $97,460 | 50 |
Which Industries Hire Dietitians and Nutritionists
The bulk of dietitians and nutritionists are found across these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 51,390 | $75,060 |
| Accommodation and Food Services | 7,250 | $70,650 |
| Educational Services | 2,550 | $62,150 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 1,320 | $66,060 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1,200 | $72,110 |
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 1,110 | $66,880 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 940 | $76,870 |
| Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation | 730 | $62,400 |
Below are examples of industries where dietitians and nutritionists work:
Tech Stack
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
Daily working conditions for dietitians and nutritionists is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Telephone Conversations
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Contact With Others
Getting Started in This Career
Typical dietitians and nutritionists positions require a master’s degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
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- Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses (Supplemental)
- Clinical Nurse Specialists (Primary-Short)
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Degree Programs
Students preparing for dietitians and nutritionists typically earn programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
3 programs across 1 majors
About the Data
This profile draws on the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-1031.00 (Dietitians and Nutritionists).
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