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Dietetics & Nutrition Services

Instructional content for this group of programs is defined in codes 51.3101 - 51.3199.

Types of Degrees Dietetics & Nutrition Services Majors Are Earning

People majoring in Dietetics & Nutrition Services have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	28
Associate’s Degree	166
Bachelor’s Degree	2,190
Master’s Degree	2,728
Doctor’s Degree	60

What Dietetics & Nutrition Services Majors Need to Know

Studies in Dietetics & Nutrition Services build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Dietetics & Nutrition Services graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Dietetics & Nutrition Services emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 5.0 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 4.1 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Medicine and Dentistry — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Therapy and Counseling — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set built by a Dietetics & Nutrition Services program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Social Perceptiveness — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.6 / 7.

Abilities

The cognitive and physical abilities most relevant to Dietetics & Nutrition Services careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Deductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Inductive Reasoning — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Dietetics & Nutrition Services graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.5 / 7
Assisting and Caring for Others	4.5 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.2 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.1 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.0 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	4.0 / 7
Working with Computers	4.0 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.0 / 7
Analyzing Data or Information	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Dietetics & Nutrition Services professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
CyberSoft NutriBase	Data base user interface and query software	—
The Nutrition Company FoodWorks	Analytical or scientific software	—
ValuSoft MasterCook	Data base user interface and query software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Spreadsheet software	Spreadsheet software	—
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	—
ESHA Research The Food Processor	Analytical or scientific software	—
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Axxya Systems Nutritionist Pro	Analytical or scientific software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Dietetics & Nutrition Services graduates include:

• Menu Planner
• Nutrition Counselor
• Dietary Aide
• Nutrition Coordinator
• Oncology Dietitian
• Dietist
• Clinical Nutritionist
• Sports Nutritionist
• Research Dietitian
• Diet Counselor
• Nutritionist
• Clinical Dietician
• Teaching Dietitian
• Renal Dietitian
• Diet Therapist

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Dietetics & Nutrition Services graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Post-baccalaureate certificate	45.2%
Master’s degree	28.2%
Bachelor’s degree	9.5%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	8.1%
Postsecondary certificate	4.1%
Some college courses	2.2%
Less than a high school diploma	1.5%
High school diploma or equivalent	1.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Dietetics & Nutrition Services?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 87.3% of Dietetics & Nutrition Services degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	4,526	87.3%
Men	660	12.7%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Dietetics & Nutrition Services graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	3,304	63.7%
Asian	269	5.2%
Hispanic or Latino	668	12.9%
Black or African American	395	7.6%
American Indian / Alaska Native	26	0.5%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	4	0.1%
Two or More Races	173	3.3%
Race Unknown	187	3.6%
International Students	160	3.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Dietetics & Nutrition Services Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Dietetics & Nutrition Services graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$43,296
4 years	$49,100
5 years	$54,879

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $54,879 — roughly 27% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Dietetics & Nutrition Services Programs

Fully online options are documented by IPEDS for Dietetics & Nutrition Services. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Associate’s	3	2
Bachelor’s	8	7
Master’s	34	19
Doctoral (Research)	2	1

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Dietetics & Nutrition Services Worth It?

Looking purely at the federal earnings tracker, Dietetics & Nutrition Services graduates earn a median of $49,100 four years after completion — roughly 29% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Health Care Professions	994,689
Registered Nursing, Nursing Administration, Nursing Research and Clinical Nursing	311,372
Practical Nursing, Vocational Nursing and Nursing Assistants	99,987
Allied Health Diagnostic, Intervention, and Treatment Professions	90,379
Health and Medical Administrative Services	90,166
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services	80,693
Public Health	41,086
Mental and Social Health Services and Allied Professions	33,946
Medicine	29,737
Rehabilitation and Therapeutic Professions	29,603
Dental Support Services and Allied Professions	24,761
Communication Disorders Sciences and Services	23,250

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.