Dieticians and Nutritionists - Careers, Jobs, Education, Training

Dieticians and nutritionists tell us why we should eat our veggies, much like our parents. These workers plan nutrition programs and supervise the preparation and serving of meals. They promote healthy eating habits and recommend dietary modifications, such as the use of less salt for those with high blood pressure or the reduction of fat and sugar intake for those who are overweight. They are the folks who tell us we can eat frozen yogurt after we’ve had our balanced meal!

Dietitians manage food service systems for institutions such as hospitals and schools, promote sound eating habits through education, and conduct research. They also work in public health clinics, home health agencies, and health maintenance organizations to evaluate individual needs, develop nutritional care plans, and instruct individuals and their families.

Increased public interest in nutrition has led to job opportunities in food manufacturing, advertising, and marketing. In these areas, dietitians analyze foods, prepare literature for distribution, or report on issues such as the nutritional content of recipes, dietary fiber, or vitamin supplements. As long as people continue to be health conscious, these workers will be busy as they help us develop healthy eating habits.

Dietitians and nutritionists held about 49,000 jobs in 2002. More than half of all jobs were in hospitals, nursing care facilities, outpatient care centers, or offices of physicians. State and local government agencies provided about one job in five, mostly in correctional facilities, health departments, and other public health-related areas.

Some dietitians and nutritionists were employed in special food services, an industry which provides food services to colleges and universities, airlines, correctional facilities, and company cafeterias. Other jobs were in public and private educational services, community care facilities for the elderly, individual and family services, and home healthcare services .

Dietitians were also self-employed, working as consultants to facilities such as hospitals and nursing care facilities or providing dietary counseling to individual clients.

Employment of dietitians is expected to grow about as fast as the average for all occupations through 2012 as a result of increasing emphasis on disease prevention through improved dietary habits. A growing and aging population will boost the demand for meals and nutritional counseling in hospitals, nursing care facilities, schools, prisons, community health programs, and home healthcare agencies.

Public interest in nutrition and increased emphasis on health education and healthy lifestyles will also increase demand for these workers, especially in management.

Dietitians and nutritionists need at least a bachelor’s degree in dietetics, foods and nutrition, food service systems management, or a related area. An experienced dietitian may advance to assistant director, associate director, or director of a dietetic department, or may become self-employed. Some dietitians specialize in areas such as pediatric dietetics. Others may leave the occupation to become sales representatives for equipment, pharmaceutical, or food manufacturers.

Typical annual earnings of dietitians and nutritionists were $41,170 in 2002. According to the American Dietetic Association, typical annual income for registered dietitians in 2002 varied by practice area as follows: $60,000 in consultation and business; $55,000 in food and nutrition management; $54,800 in education and research; $44,000 in clinical nutrition/ambulatory care; $43,300 in clinical nutrition/long-term care; $43,200 in community nutrition; and $40,800 in clinical nutrition/acute care. Salaries also vary by years in practice, educational level, geographic region, and size of the community.

If you are interested in this occupation or are wondering about related occupations, use the links below to continue your exploration. Always remember, the more effort you put into exploring possible careers, the easier it will be for you to discover the best career choices for you!

Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook: http://www.bls.gov/oco/.