Dietitians and Nutritionists: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)
Healthcare Practitioners and Technical · SOC 29-1031 · O*NET 29-1031.00
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.
Dietitians and Nutritionists fall under the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical category in the U.S. occupational classification. Dietitians and Nutritionists earn a median salary of $73,850 per year, ranking in the top 30% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +5.5% job growth through 2034, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Entry into this field typically requires a bachelor's degree followed by a master's or doctoral degree, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.
What do dietitians and nutritionists earn?
The median annual wage for dietitians and nutritionists is $73,850. That puts dietitians and nutritionists at #244 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. This salary is above the U.S. median for individual workers and reflects a stable, credentialed occupation. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.
| 10th percentile (entry-level) | $48,830 |
| 25th percentile | $61,260 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $73,850 |
| 75th percentile | $85,200 |
| 90th percentile (top earners) | $101,760 |
| Median hourly wage | $35.50/hr |
Is dietitians and nutritionists a growing career?
The 10-year outlook for dietitians and nutritionists is +5.5%, projected to grow at roughly the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 90K positions in 2024 to 95K in 2034, a net change of 5K. Average growth signals a healthy, resilient occupation that mirrors broader U.S. employment trends. Job availability tends to track regional economic conditions.
What do dietitians and nutritionists do every day?
According to O*NET task surveys of working dietitians and nutritionists, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.
- 1.Consult with physicians and health care personnel to determine nutritional needs and diet restrictions of patient or client.
- 2.Record and evaluate patient and family health and food history, including symptoms, environmental toxic exposure, allergies, medication factors, and preventive health-care measures.
- 3.Coordinate diet counseling services.
- 4.Develop curriculum and prepare manuals, visual aids, course outlines, and other materials used in teaching.
- 5.Plan, conduct, and evaluate dietary, nutritional, and epidemiological research.
- 6.Plan and conduct training programs in dietetics, nutrition, and institutional management and administration for medical students, health-care personnel, and the general public.
- 7.Evaluate laboratory tests in preparing nutrition recommendations.
- 8.Write research reports and other publications to document and communicate research findings.
Top skills for dietitians and nutritionists
O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.
What education does my child need to become dietitians and nutritionist?
Becoming a dietitians and nutritionist typically requires a bachelor's degree followed by a master's, doctoral, or professional degree, plus state licensure or board certification depending on specialty. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.
Based on O*NET surveys of incumbents — what people in this job actually have, not what employers list as required.
Related careers your child might also consider
How parents help teens explore careers like this
Solyo helps parents map a teen's interests to specific careers, then back to the colleges and majors that lead there. Salary, outlook, and education data come from BLS and O*NET — the same sources high school counselors use — but presented for the parent's planning lens, not the student's exploration view.
Common questions parents ask about dietitians and nutritionists
What is the median salary for dietitians and nutritionists?
The median annual salary for dietitians and nutritionists is $73,850 according to the latest Bureau of Labor Statistics data.
Is dietitians and nutritionists a growing career?
BLS projects +5.5% growth for dietitians and nutritionists from 2024 through 2034, which is average growth projected to grow at roughly the US average.
What education does my child need to become dietitians and nutritionist?
The typical entry path requires a bachelor's degree followed by a master's or doctoral degree, plus any state licensure or certification specific to the role. Programs that align well with this career can be filtered inside Solyo's college search.
What careers are similar to dietitians and nutritionists?
Related occupations within the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical category share education paths and skill profiles, so they're a useful starting set when a teen is uncertain. The "Related careers" section below lists nearby options.
Salary data sourced from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment Statistics program. Skills, tasks, and education distribution from the O*NET database. Job outlook from the BLS Employment Projections 2024–2034 release.