Dietitians and Nutritionists
SOC code 29-1031 · O*NET-SOC 29-1031.00 · Extensive preparation needed · Healthcare
Bright Outlook — O*NET expects rapid growth for this occupation
Dietitians and Nutritionists pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$76,400
a year
Hourly
$36.73
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$77,130
$37.08 per hour
Middle 50%
$63,080 – $89,340
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$49,090 – $103,720
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
77,570
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
- 10th percentile
- $49,090
- $23.60/hr
- 25th percentile
- $63,080
- $30.33/hr
- Median percentile
- $76,400
- $36.73/hr
- 75th percentile
- $89,340
- $42.95/hr
- 90th percentile
- $103,720
- $49.87/hr
Job outlook · federal projection 2024–34
+6%
Growing faster than average
90,900
jobs in 2024
95,900
projected for 2034
About 5,000 more jobs
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics employment projections, 2024–34. Projections describe the broader occupation group and are estimates, not guarantees.
What do dietitians and nutritionists do?
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.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- 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.
How to qualify for this work
Most people in this role hold post-baccalaureate certificate — 53% of workers surveyed reported it as their level of education.
Preparation level: zone 5 — Extensive preparation needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Education reported by people doing this job
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate53%
- Master's Degree33%
- Bachelor's Degree10%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree3%
Common questions
How much does a dietitians and nutritionists earn?
The national median is $76,400 a year. The full range runs from $49,090 at the 10th percentile to $103,720 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a dietitians and nutritionists without a degree?
Not usually — this occupation sits in preparation zone 5, where the typical entry route is most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree). The education breakdown above shows what people in the role actually reported.
Is dietitians and nutritionists in demand?
Federal projections expect employment to grow by about 6% between 2024 and 2034 — growing faster than average. Openings also come from people retiring or changing jobs, which the growth figure does not count.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension4.0/5
- Active Listening4.0/5
- Speaking4.0/5
- Critical Thinking4.0/5
- Writing3.9/5
- Monitoring3.9/5
Knowledge areas
- Biology4.4/5
- Medicine and Dentistry4.3/5
- English Language4.1/5
- Therapy and Counseling4.1/5
- Customer and Personal Service4.0/5
- Psychology3.9/5
- Education and Training3.8/5
- Mathematics3.6/5
Transferable strengths: Social Perceptiveness, Judgment and Decision Making, Service Orientation, Complex Problem Solving.