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Dietetics Major

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Dietetics

2,254 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
669 Master's Degrees Annually
#14 in Popularity
$30,130 Median Salary

Types of Degrees Dietetics Majors Are Getting

The following table lists how many dietetics/dietitian graduations there were in 2020-2021 for each degree level.

Education Level Number of Grads
Bachelor’s Degree 2,254
Master’s Degree 669
Graduate Certificate 608
Associate Degree 172
Basic Certificate 65
Undergraduate Certificate 17
Doctor’s Degree 3

What Dietetics Majors Need to Know

In an O*NET survey, dietetics majors were asked to rate what knowledge areas, skills, and abilities were important in their occupations. These answers were weighted on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being the most important.

Knowledge Areas for Dietetics Majors

Dietetics majors often go into careers in which the following knowledge areas are important:

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  • English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  • Food Production - Knowledge of techniques and equipment for planting, growing, and harvesting food products (both plant and animal) for consumption, including storage/handling techniques.
  • Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  • Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.

Skills for Dietetics Majors

dietetics majors are found most commonly in careers in which the following skills are important:

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  • Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.

Abilities for Dietetics Majors

As you progress with your dietetics degree, there are several abilities you should pick up that will help you in whatever related career you choose. These abilities include:

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  • Oral Comprehension - The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Deductive Reasoning - The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Oral Expression - The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Problem Sensitivity - The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Written Comprehension - The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.

What Can You Do With a Dietetics Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with dietetics:

Job Title Job Growth Rate Median Salary
Dietetic Technicians 9.3% $27,140
Dietitians and Nutritionists 14.6% $60,370

Who Is Getting a Bachelor’s Degree in Dietetics?

2,254 Bachelor's Degrees Annually
87% Percent Women
29% Percent Racial-Ethnic Minorities*
This major is dominated by women with about 87% of recent graduates being female.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the countrywide level, the racial-ethnic distribution of dietetics majors is as follows:

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Race/Ethnicity Number of Grads
Asian 89
Black or African American 123
Hispanic or Latino 365
White 1,489
International Students 74
Other Races/Ethnicities 114

Geographic Diversity

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in Dietetics. About 3.3% of those with this major are international students.

How Much Do Dietetics Majors Make?

Salaries According to BLS

Average salaries range from $30,130 to $61,210 (25th to 75th percentile) for careers related to dietetics. This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, according to BLS data from the first quarter of 2020, the typical high school graduate makes between $30,000 and $57,900 a year (25th through 75th percentile). The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $45,600 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,600 and $125,400.

Median Salary for a Dietetics Major  ( 30130 to 61210 )
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250K
Median Salary for a High School Graduate  ( 30000 to 57900 )
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250K
Median Salary for a Bachelor's Degree Holder  ( 45600 to 99000 )
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250K
Median Salary for an Advanced Degree Holder  ( 55600 to 125400 )
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250K

Some degrees associated with dietetics may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. Whatever the case may be, pursuing more education usually means that more career options will be available to you.

Find out what the typical degree level is for dietetics careers below.

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Education Level Percentage of Workers
Less than a High School Diploma 13.5%
High School Diploma - or the equivalent (for example, GED) 34.8%
Some College Courses 3.4%
Associate’s Degree (or other 2-year degree) 1.8%
Bachelor’s Degree 15.4%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master. 13.8%
Master’s Degree 9.9%
Post-Master’s Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Master’s degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees at the doctoral level. 2.0%
Doctoral Degree 3.9%

Online Dietetics Programs

In 2020-2021, 181 schools offered a dietetics program of some type. The following table lists the number of programs by degree level, along with how many schools offered online courses in the field.

Degree Level Colleges Offering Programs Colleges Offering Online Classes
Certificate (Less Than 1 Year) 0 0
Certificate (1-2 years) 6 0
Certificate (2-4 Years) 1 0
Associate’s Degree 15 1
Bachelor’s Degree 43 6
Post-Baccalaureate 0 0
Master’s Degree 60 8
Post-Master’s 6 0
Doctor’s Degree (Research) 1 0
Doctor’s Degree (Professional Practice) 0 0
Doctor’s Degree (Other) 0 0

Is a Degree in Dietetics Worth It?

The median salary for a dietetics grad is $30,130 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

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You may also be interested in one of the following majors related to dietetics.

Major Number of Grads
Clinical Nutrition/Nutritionist 1,013
Dietitian Assistant 637
Other Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services 493
Dietetic Technician 227

References

*The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students, international students, and students whose race/ethnicity was unknown. This number is then divided by the total number of students at the school to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

More about our data sources and methodologies.

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