Healthcare Practitioners
Dietitians and Nutritionists
Also called: Clinical Dietician, Clinical Dietitian, Clinical Nutritionist, Dietitian
US median pay
$76,400
per year, 2025
Job growth 2025–35
+7.7%
faster than average
Openings a year (US)
5,700
86,300 employed
Typical entry education
Bachelor's degree
Preparation 5/5 · Extensive preparation
What this job is
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.
What they do 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.
- Coordinate diet counseling services.
- Develop curriculum and prepare manuals, visual aids, course outlines, and other materials used in teaching.
Skills and knowledge that matter most
Skills
- Social Perceptiveness4.0/5
- Judgment and Decision Making4.0/5
- Service Orientation3.9/5
- Complex Problem Solving3.9/5
- Instructing3.8/5
- Coordination3.8/5
- Persuasion3.4/5
- Time Management3.2/5
Knowledge
- 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
Importance rated by people working in the job (1 = not important, 5 = extremely important).
Education and preparation
Preparation level 5 of 5 — Extensive preparation. Usually a graduate degree (master's, PhD, MD, JD) and extensive experience.
Typical entry education (BLS): Bachelor's degree.
Highest education of people in this job:
- Post-baccalaureate certificate53%
- Master's degree33%
- Bachelor's degree10%
Who this job suits
Mostly Social
Helping, teaching and caring for people
Investigative
Ideas, research and solving problems
Enterprising
Leading, persuading and starting things
Based on the Holland (RIASEC) interest profile for this occupation.