 Employment
and Earnings
Dietitians and
nutritionists hold about 57,000 jobs in the United States. More than
half of all jobs are in hospitals, nursing care facilities, outpatient
care centers, or offices of physicians and other health practitioners.
State and local government agencies provide additional jobs -- mostly in
correctional facilities, health departments, and other
public-health-related areas. Some dietitians and nutritionists are
employed in special food services, an industry made up of firms
providing food services on contract to facilities such as colleges and
universities, airlines, correctional facilities, and company cafeterias.
 Other
jobs are in public and private educational services, community care
facilities for the elderly (which includes assisted-living facilities),
individual and family services, home health care services, and the
Federal Government -- mostly in the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs.
Some dietitians are self-employed, working as consultants to facilities
such as hospitals and nursing care facilities or providing dietary
counseling to individuals.
In terms of earnings,
the median annual earnings of dietitians and nutritionists is about
$46,980. The middle 50 percent earn between $38,430 and $57,090. The
lowest 10 percent earn less than $29,860, and the highest 10 percent
earned more than $68,330. Median annual earnings in the industries
employing the largest numbers of dietitians and nutritionists are about:
|
Outpatient
care centers |
$49,950 |
|
General
medical and surgical hospitals |
$47,320 |
|
State
government |
$46,690 |
|
Nursing care
facilities |
$46,660 |
|
Local
government |
$43,250 |
According to the
American Dietetic Association, median annualized wages for registered
dietitians varied by practice area as follows:
- $53,800 in
consultation and business
- $60,000 in food
and nutrition management
- $60,200 in
education and research
- $48,800 in
clinical nutrition/ambulatory care
- $50,000 in
clinical nutrition/long-term care
- $44,800 in
community nutrition
- $45,000 in
clinical nutrition/acute care.
Salaries also vary by
years in practice, education level, and geographic region.
Note: Some resources in this section are provided by the US Department
of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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