Dietetic Technicians
Median wage · national
$37,640
Range: $34K – $46K
Employed
32K
Openings/yr
4K
Typically: associate's degree
Dietitian
Dietitian earn $76,400 nationally at the median. The middle 50% of workers fall between $63,080 and $89,340. Where you land depends on specialization, employer, and experience.
About Dietitian
This page sets out what the federal data says about working as a dietitian: what the job pays, how fast it is growing, and what it takes to get in. Most people arrive through a degree in Dietetics & Nutrition and what it leads to, though it is not the only route.
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.
- Median Wage
- $76,400
- Employed Nationally
- 78K
- Openings / Year
- 5,700
- Entry Education
- Bachelor's degree
- Job Zone
- Zone 5: Extensive Preparation
Also known as:
Administrative Dietitian
Clinical Dietician
Clinical Dietitian
Clinical Nutritionist
Community Dietitian
How Much Do Dietitians Make?
Most dietitians take home around $76,400 a year, above what most college graduates make. Half earn somewhere between $63,080 and $89,340, so where you land depends a lot on employer, specialty and city. A solid living in most parts of the country. Source: BLS.
A wage on its own says nothing about whether the degree behind it pays for itself, which is a question of lifetime earnings set against the total cost of getting there.
$76,400
National Median (Annual)
Above the national median for college graduates.
$63K–$89K
Middle 50% Range
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
Earnings Range
$63,080
Entry-level
$76,400
Median
$89,340
Experienced
What Do Dietitians Do?
This is what the job actually looks like on a Tuesday: 5 core activities and 5 skills the work depends on. Read it before the salary, because pay matters less than whether you would want to spend your days doing this. Source: O*NET.
What You'll Do
- 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.
Core Skills Employers Look For
Speaking
Judgment and Decision Making
Critical Thinking
Social Perceptiveness
Reading Comprehension
Who Thrives Here
S
Social
Working closely with people, teaching, advising, or helping others navigate challenges is a defining feature of this career's daily work.
I
Investigative
This career demands analytical thinking: researching problems, interpreting data, and applying logical reasoning to find practical solutions.
E
Enterprising
Leadership, influence, and business acumen are rewarded here, where managing teams, driving decisions, or persuading others shapes career outcomes.
Where Do Dietitians Work?
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Work Setting
Mixed
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Physical Demands
Light
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Stress Level
Moderate
Moderate pressure. Regular deadlines exist but are generally manageable with experience.
What Is the Job Outlook for Dietitians?
Through 2035 the BLS expects this field to change by +7.7%, meaning it is growing at about the same pace as everything else, so expect steady demand. Around 5,700 roles open up each year, which is the number that matters most if you are starting out. Source: BLS.
Growth rates are only meaningful next to other occupations, and the full list of careers with their projected growth puts this one in context.
↗ +7.7%
10-Year Growth (2025–2035)
About as fast as average.
5,700
Annual Openings
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
78K
Currently Employed
Total US employment as of BLS May 2025.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025.
Where the Jobs Are
The five states below employ the most Dietitian professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $76,400 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 8,720 | $98,850 | +29.4% |
| 2 | New York | 5,330 | $82,480 | +8.0% |
| 3 | Texas | 5,320 | $74,440 | -2.6% |
| 4 | Florida | 4,370 | $76,050 | -0.5% |
| 5 | Pennsylvania | 4,270 | $67,410 | -11.8% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
How to Get Here
To get hired here you will usually need a bachelor's degree. The 3 programs below are the most common routes in, ordered by how many people actually graduate from each one.
The next most common path is a Nutrition Sciences program and the colleges offering it, which suits a different kind of applicant.
Typical Entry Education
Bachelor's degree
Job Zone
Zone 5: Extensive Preparation
Extensive education (usually a master's or doctoral degree) plus years of field experience is required to qualify for most positions.
Degree Programs That Lead Here
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dietetics & Nutrition | 5,644 | $55,753 | 270 |
| 2 | Nutrition Sciences | 5,514 | $60,053 | 169 |
| 3 | Foods & Nutrition | 4,014 | $54,945 | 265 |
Top Colleges for Aspiring Dietitians
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Berkeley Berkeley, CA | 93 | $13,481 | $92,446 |
| 2 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | 93 | $6,541 | $71,588 |
| 3 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI | 91 | $13,138 | $83,648 |
| 4 | University of Chicago Chicago, IL | 91 | $14,860 | $91,885 |
| 5 | University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Chapel Hill, NC | 90 | $11,655 | $72,200 |
| 6 | University of California-Davis Davis, CA | 90 | $14,741 | $80,838 |
Plan Your Path
Once you've sized up Dietitian, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
College ROI Calculator
See if the degree that leads to Dietitian pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
College Cost Calculator
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Compare Colleges
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
College Match Quiz
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
Dietitian Pros & Cons
Strong earnings and growing demand make Dietitian a compelling path. The 2 strengths and 1 trade-offs below are drawn from BLS wage data and employment projections.
PROS
- Above-average pay At $76,400 median annually, this career pays meaningfully more than most college-graduate roles. Financial return on education is typically strong.
- Steady job outlook The BLS projects +7.7% growth through 2035, keeping pace with the national average. Demand is stable and annual openings remain consistent.
CONS
- Extensive preparation before reaching full earning potential This is a Job Zone 5 occupation, extensive education (usually a master's or doctoral degree) plus years of field experience is required to qualify for most positions. Most workers in this field spend their first several years at entry-level pay well below the $76,400 median while building the experience employers require.
Dietitian Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Dietitian professionals earn?
Around $76,400 a year for the typical worker, above the national median for full-time workers. The middle 50% of earners fall between $63,080 and $89,340. Treat the national figure as a starting point rather than a promise: employer size, industry and city all move it.
Is Dietitian a good career?
Yes, for the right person, but the commitment is significant. The $76,400 median wage reflects years of training most workers invest, and the path to a first career-level role typically spans 8 to 12 or more years. Job growth of +7.7% through 2035 means demand is real. The harder question is whether the education investment at your specific program will pay off. School selection matters enormously at this preparation level.
How long does it take to work as Dietitians?
Plan on 8 to 12 or more years of combined education and supervised training before qualifying for career-level roles. A bachelor's degree is the typical minimum credential. Degree programs like Dietetics & Nutrition are typical entry paths. Early-career pay during this ramp-up period will be meaningfully below the $76,400 national median. Factor that gap into any program ROI calculation.
What is the job outlook for Dietitian?
Employment is projected to change by +7.7% through 2035, about as fast as average compared with other occupations. Around 5,700 roles open each year once you count people retiring and moving on, which matters more to someone starting out than the growth rate does. 78K people do this job nationwide today, so it is an established field rather than a niche one. Source: BLS May 2025.
What skills do Dietitian professionals need?
Mainly Speaking, Judgment and Decision Making, Critical Thinking, Social Perceptiveness, and Reading Comprehension. Notice how many of those are habits rather than facts: they come from doing the work, not from a lecture. That is why programs with an internship or co-op requirement put you ahead of people who only studied the theory. Source: O*NET.
Related Findings
-
10 Six-Figure Careers That Do Not Need a Bachelor's Degree
Air traffic controllers earn more than the typical bachelor's-degree career, with an associate degree. The occupations that pay six figures without four years of college.
- No bachelor degree
- High paying careers
- Associate degree
- Trades
- Median wage
-
Does a Master's Degree Pay Off? Barely, on Average
Group every career by the degree it requires and master's-level jobs pay a median of about $91,000, statistically tied with bachelor's-level work. The premium hides in a few fields.
- Master's degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Median wage
- Graduate school
- Career outcomes
-
Growing and Paying $80K Plus: The Careers That Do Both
Only 106 of 393 federal careers both pay a median above $80,000 and grow faster than the typical job. Here is the rare set that clears both bars.
- Career growth
- Median wage
- High-paying careers
- Job outlook
- Career change
Continue Exploring
Browse our full directory: every college, major, program, and career we track, all built from verified government data.
Colleges
Discover 3,811 verified US colleges and universities. Compare admissions, costs, outcomes, and earnings across every accredited institution nationwide.
Majors
Explore 38 fields of study spanning STEM, health, business, and the humanities. See earnings, top programs, and demand.
Programs
Browse 375 specific degree programs. See completion counts, earnings outcomes, and the colleges awarding the most graduates each year.
Careers
Look up 395 BLS occupations. Get median wages, growth projections, education requirements, and the majors leading to each career.