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Dietitians and Nutritionists
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.
Other titles employers use
Clinical Dietician · Clinical Dietitian · Clinical Nutritionist · Dietitian · Nutritionist · Oncology Dietitian · Outpatient Dietitian · Registered Dietician
Inside the work
What you would actually do.
6 responsibilities that define the role, before job titles and workplaces change the details.
- 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.
Who it suits
Would this work hold your attention?
This career often appeals to people drawn to helping, analytical and persuading work.
- Analytical
- Investigating questions, testing ideas, and solving problems
- Persuading
- Leading, selling, starting projects, or making a case
Skills and strengths
What you would get good at.
Compare the skills the work relies on, the subjects behind it, and the abilities that make it easier to learn.
Core skills
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Social Perceptiveness
- Judgment and Decision Making
Subjects to know
- Biology
- Medicine and Dentistry
- English Language
- Therapy and Counseling
- Customer and Personal Service
Useful strengths
- Oral Comprehension
- Written Comprehension
- Oral Expression
- Written Expression
- Problem Sensitivity
Working day
Picture yourself doing it.
These measures show how much of the day involves people, movement, conversation, and hands-on work.
| Measure | Out of 5 | What that means here |
|---|---|---|
| Close to other people | 3.5 | Shared rooms, but not shoulder to shoulder |
| On your feet | 2.4 | Mostly seated |
| Talking face to face | 4.9 | Continuous — the job is conversations |
| Working with your hands | 1.5 | Little of the day |
Preparation
How people prepare for this work.
Employers usually ask for a bachelor's degree. Other routes may also lead into the field.
- A master's degree 87%
- A four-year degree 10%
- A two-year degree 3%
Tools of the work
Technology you may use.
- Spreadsheet software
- Office suite software
- Electronic mail software
- Presentation software
- Word processing software
- Analytical or scientific software
- Medical software
- Data base user interface and query software
Opportunity near you
See where this work is growing.
Choose a state to compare the size of the field, annual openings, and expected hiring change.
- People doing this work
- 12,500
- Job openings each year
- 920
- Expected hiring change, 2022–2032
- 19.0%
Compare every available state
| State | People doing it | Job openings each year | Expected change |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 12,500 | 920 | 19.0% |
| New York | 6,880 | 130 | 23.1% |
| Texas | 5,230 | 380 | 17.0% |
| Florida | 5,120 | 370 | 14.3% |
| Pennsylvania | 3,780 | 250 | 6.5% |
| New Jersey | 3,370 | 230 | 10.5% |
| Ohio | 2,970 | 190 | 2.8% |
| North Carolina | 2,850 | 210 | 16.8% |
| Missouri | 2,700 | 180 | 6.7% |
| Illinois | 2,290 | 150 | 5.0% |
| Michigan | 2,210 | 150 | 3.8% |
| Washington | 2,110 | 190 | 17.2% |
| Colorado | 2,080 | 150 | 16.9% |
| Minnesota | 1,970 | 130 | 4.8% |
| Virginia | 1,960 | 130 | 5.4% |
| Tennessee | 1,910 | 140 | 20.9% |
| Arizona | 1,850 | 140 | 22.5% |
| Georgia | 1,830 | 130 | 13.0% |
| Maryland | 1,610 | 110 | 9.5% |
| Wisconsin | 1,610 | 110 | 6.6% |
| Indiana | 1,440 | 100 | 7.5% |
| Kentucky | 1,330 | 90 | 9.0% |
| South Carolina | 1,110 | 80 | 14.4% |
| Utah | 1,090 | 80 | 26.7% |
| Oklahoma | 1,000 | 70 | 6.4% |
| Connecticut | 990 | 70 | 11.2% |
| Louisiana | 980 | 60 | 5.4% |
| Oregon | 940 | 70 | 16.0% |
| Massachusetts | 930 | 60 | 8.1% |
| Arkansas | 920 | 60 | 10.8% |
| Mississippi | 860 | 60 | 8.9% |
| Iowa | 840 | 60 | 10.5% |
| Puerto Rico | 830 | 60 | 15.3% |
| Alabama | 810 | 60 | 8.0% |
| Nevada | 760 | 60 | 18.8% |
| West Virginia | 720 | 50 | 7.5% |
| New Mexico | 550 | 40 | 12.2% |
| Kansas | 530 | 40 | 6.0% |
| Nebraska | 510 | 40 | 8.5% |
| Idaho | 490 | 40 | 16.7% |
| Delaware | 420 | 30 | 13.5% |
| Montana | 370 | 30 | 19.4% |
| District of Columbia | 350 | 20 | 9.4% |
| New Hampshire | 340 | 20 | 9.7% |
| Maine | 330 | 20 | — |
| Rhode Island | 330 | 20 | 6.5% |
| South Dakota | 270 | 20 | 12.5% |
| North Dakota | 210 | 20 | 10.5% |
| Vermont | 210 | 10 | 10.5% |
| Alaska | 150 | 10 | 15.4% |
| Wyoming | 120 | 10 | 9.1% |
| Virgin Islands | 10 | 0 | −50.0% |
Career to college
Build a path toward this work.
Start with a related major, then compare colleges where students complete that field.
Where to study
Colleges with strong activity in these fields.
Start with program size, admission, and likely cost. Open a college for the full picture.
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University
- Degrees each year
- 261
- Admit rate
- 57%
- Annual cost after aid
- $18,000
University of Nebraska-Lincoln
- Degrees each year
- 146
- Admit rate
- 77%
- Annual cost after aid
- $15,000
University of Houston
- Degrees each year
- 134
- Admit rate
- 70%
- Annual cost after aid
- $13,000
The University of Alabama
- Degrees each year
- 131
- Admit rate
- 76%
- Annual cost after aid
- $22,000
Johnson & Wales University-Providence
- Degrees each year
- 117
- Admit rate
- 84%
- Annual cost after aid
- $28,000
Kansas State University
- Degrees each year
- 217
- Admit rate
- 79%
- Annual cost after aid
- $15,000
Arizona State University Digital Immersion
- Degrees each year
- 83
- Admit rate
- 64%
- Annual cost after aid
- —
Oklahoma State University-Main Campus
- Degrees each year
- 78
- Admit rate
- 71%
- Annual cost after aid
- $16,000
Compare every college offering foods, nutrition, and related services