Healthcare · Career brief

Dietitians and Nutritionists

Is it a good career to pursue?

The 30-second read

Dietitians and Nutritionists at a glance

Six signals to look at before you spend time on the full guide.

1Pay

$76,400

Above the middle on pay

2025 national median. Above the middle of ChooseField careers for pay.

2Demand

7.7%

Steady projected growth

Projected employment growth for 2025–2035. Top quarter for growth among careers on ChooseField.

3Openings

5,700

Moderate opening volume

Average openings per year in 2025–2035, including replacement hiring. Near the middle of ChooseField careers for openings.

4Route in

Bachelor's degree

A bachelor's degree is typically expected

Bachelor's degree. Prior related work is not typically required.

5The work

People-centered

Helping, teaching, or working directly with people matters

Assess nutritional needs, diet restrictions, and current health plans to develop and implement dietary-care plans and provide nutritional counseling.

6The catch

Know this first

What could make this a poor fit

Training continues through internship/residency after the degree path.

ChooseField take

The standout national signal is growth; it ranks in the top quarter of ChooseField careers. It makes the most sense if people-centered work appeals to you and you are comfortable with a bachelor's-degree path. Main tradeoff: Training continues through internship/residency after the degree path.

Before choosing, compare:Recreational Therapists Registered Nurse Exercise Physiologists

National labor-market measures: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 projections. Work-profile signals: O*NET. See sources and caveats.

Compare Dietitians and Nutritionists with another field Explore rankings in Healthcare Open shareable infographic

Want the evidence behind the snapshot?

Market and path

Pay, outlook, and the route in

National median pay (2025)

$76,400

A midpoint for workers nationwide, not a starting salary.

2025–2035 outlook

7.7%employment growth5,700openings per year

Openings include replacement hiring, not only newly created jobs.

Typical entry route

Bachelor's degree; Internship or residency follows qualifying education. Check its duration, pay, and licensing requirements

BLS reports the usual education, related experience, and on-the-job training, not a guaranteed minimum for every employer.

2025 employment

86,300

Estimated workers in this occupation across the United States.

Source: BLS 2025 wages and 2025–2035 occupational projections ↗ · Dietitians and nutritionists (29-1031).

Actual responsibilities

What you would be trusted to own

Selected O*NET task statements, not a list of traits that applies to almost every career.

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.
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.

Decision-changing realities

What could make this a poor fit

Training continues through internship/residency after the degree path.
The helping mission includes documentation, direct care, and safety-critical routines where a missed detail can affect a patient.

Work profile

What the work emphasizes

O*NET importance scores. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Assisting and Caring for Others4.6
Getting Information4.5
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.4
Documenting/Recording Information4.2
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others4.2

Interest profile

Career interests

O*NET interest scores describe work someone may enjoy, not personality requirements. Bars are relative to the highest score shown within this chart.

Relative mix of the interest scores below, not percentages of your workday.

Social5.5
Investigative4.8
Enterprising3.4
Conventional3.4
Realistic3.0
Artistic2.4

Preparation

What the training must make you competent at

Subject matter

Biology Medicine and Dentistry Therapy and Counseling Psychology

Before choosing the major or training

Run a cheaper test first

Try an approved first-aid, CPR, patient-care, or health-science workshop. Use supervised training or simulation only.
Ask an early-career worker which beginner task consumes the most time, what makes new hires quit, and what school or training failed to simulate.

The fuller career guide

How the evidence fits together

Pay and demand: reading the benchmark

The pay and outlook figures describe Dietitians and nutritionists nationally. They do not establish the salary or number of vacancies available in your area.

Median pay is the middle wage across workers, not a starting offer. Projected openings include replacements as well as growth; neither measure predicts an individual worker's job security.

Before choosing a program

O*NET lists Active Listening, Critical Thinking, Reading Comprehension among this occupation's skills. Ask a program to show the assignments, supervised practice, and assessment that develop these skills. Compare those examples with local job descriptions.

Common questions

Questions people ask about this career

Can I enter this occupation without related work experience?

BLS does not assign a related-experience requirement to the occupation. Employers may still ask for placements, supervised practice, a portfolio, or experience with particular tools. Check entry-level vacancies separately from experienced roles.

What should I check before paying for training?

Get the full prerequisite and completion timeline, total cost, placement arrangements, and any licensing eligibility in writing. Ask local employers whether they hire graduates from the route you are considering and whether paid training is available.

Adjacent options