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Everything You Need to
Know to Become a Nutritionist
Nutritionist and Registered Dietitian Education, Jobs and Salary Overview
Know to Become a Nutritionist
Nutritionist and Registered Dietitian Education, Jobs and Salary Overview
Find Nutrition Schools | Natural Healers Career Resource Center
| | With rising concern about health and wellness, and with obesity, diabetes and heart disease at epidemic proportions, the need for qualified nutritionists has never been greater. If you are interested in a satisfying and rewarding career helping people learn to eat right and stay healthy in this growing field, you'll first need the proper education to fulfill the state licensing and certification requirements. |
Nutritionist and Dietitian Education
A successful career as a dietitian or nutritionist starts with a bachelor's degree. Nutrition and dietetics are diverse fields, with many opportunities. So it makes sense that there are several areas to choose from in most nutrition programs that can give you the basic education you need, including dietetics, fitness nutrition and food service systems management. Your course work will include the basics, such as nutrition, foods, chemistry, biochemistry, biology and physiology.
A nutritionist or dietitian who chooses to work in private practice might choose business and/or psychology classes to help prepare themselves for the responsibilities involved with entrepreneurship. You may also choose other useful electives such as statistics, mathematics, sociology and economics.
Once you have your degree, you may consider continuing with a master's degree in nutrition, focusing on research in alternative medicine, advances in nutritional sciences, nutritional immunology or experimental nutrition, to name just a few. An advanced degree will help you gain a higher position and salary in an institution, as well as improve your knowledge base in a chosen specialty.
As of 2007, there were 281 bachelor's degree programs and 22 master's degree programs approved by the American Dietetic Association's Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education.
Nutritionist & Dietitian Licensure
In most states, a license is required to practice as a nutritionist or dietitian. In 46 states, there are laws governing dietetics licensure, and 35 of those states require a license. Twelve other states require certification, and one requires registration, a lower level of qualification. The Commission on Dietetic Registration of the American Dietetic Association (ADA) awards the Registered Dietitian credential to those who pass a certification exam after completing their academic coursework and supervised experience.
Dietitian and Nutrition Salaries and Job Outlook
As you plan which nutrition programs to pursue, you might want to evaluate current information on nutrition salaries as well as the nutrition jobs growth outlook.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the job outlook for the next decade is positive with a 9 percent increase expected by 2016, from the current 57,000 nutrition jobs growing to around 62,000.
Currently, average salaries for nutrition jobs range from $38,000 to $57,000, with a median income of $46,980 in May 2006. There are several specialty areas that command higher salaries, such as outpatient care center nutritionist jobs, paying an average of $49,950. Other hospital nutrition jobs in general medical and surgical hospitals will pay about $47,320. According to the American Dietetic Association, the median annual wages for registered dietitians in 2005 varied by in the area of specialty: $53,800 for private consultants, $60,000 for food and nutrition management, and $60,200 for education and research positions.
Other areas—varying by education level, specialty and geographic region—include median wages of $48,800 in clinical nutrition and ambulatory care, $50,000 in clinical nutrition and long-term care, and $44,800 in community nutrition.
Whatever focus you choose, now is a great time to get into the nutrition field. Not only will you be able to help people with their health and well being, but you also will be involved in a healthy industry that promotes your own personal development and good health.
Find a Nutrition School or Training Program in Your Area
Source:
Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2008.
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