Post job

Chief dietitian vs nutrition counselor

The differences between chief dietitians and nutrition counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a chief dietitian and a nutrition counselor. Additionally, a chief dietitian has an average salary of $65,808, which is higher than the $49,744 average annual salary of a nutrition counselor.

The top three skills for a chief dietitian include medical nutrition, nutrition education and quality improvement. The most important skills for a nutrition counselor are patients, counsel clients, and blood pressure.

Chief dietitian vs nutrition counselor overview

Chief DietitianNutrition Counselor
Yearly salary$65,808$49,744
Hourly rate$31.64$23.92
Growth rate7%7%
Number of jobs18,74734,105
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 71%Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Average age4242
Years of experience22

Chief dietitian vs nutrition counselor salary

Chief dietitians and nutrition counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

Chief DietitianNutrition Counselor
Average salary$65,808$49,744
Salary rangeBetween $32,000 And $133,000Between $30,000 And $82,000
Highest paying City--
Highest paying state--
Best paying company--
Best paying industry--

Differences between chief dietitian and nutrition counselor education

There are a few differences between a chief dietitian and a nutrition counselor in terms of educational background:

Chief DietitianNutrition Counselor
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 71%Bachelor's Degree, 68%
Most common majorDieteticsDietetics
Most common collegeUniversity of Maryland - College ParkPurdue University

Chief dietitian vs nutrition counselor demographics

Here are the differences between chief dietitians' and nutrition counselors' demographics:

Chief DietitianNutrition Counselor
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 15.5% Female, 84.5%Male, 14.2% Female, 85.8%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 7.9% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.7% Asian, 9.7% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 11.7% Asian, 8.8% White, 66.5% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage8%8%

Differences between chief dietitian and nutrition counselor duties and responsibilities

Chief dietitian example responsibilities.

  • Manage the anemia status of patients by reviewing necessary lab data and initiating or adjusting medication doses.
  • Monitor adherence to MDS schedule, care plan completion, and DOH regulations.
  • Provide individual and group nutrition counseling, including interactive nutrition and culinary sessions to low-income multicultural communities.
  • Provide clinical nutrition coverage as needed for medical-surgical, telemetry, intensive care unit, behavioral health and rehabilitative floors.

Nutrition counselor example responsibilities.

  • Provide ambulatory care to all outpatients including, diabetics, pediatric, allergy / GI issues, weight loss.
  • Take measurements for BMI as needed.
  • Assist and develop custom/specialized menus for participants who require meal accommodations due to allergies, intolerances, or medical conditions.
  • Assist in clinical inpatient setting as needed, where TPN consultations are frequently perform.

Chief dietitian vs nutrition counselor skills

Common chief dietitian skills
  • Medical Nutrition, 22%
  • Nutrition Education, 21%
  • Quality Improvement, 17%
  • Clinical Nutrition, 16%
  • Food Service Operations, 14%
  • Educational Materials, 10%
Common nutrition counselor skills
  • Patients, 29%
  • Counsel Clients, 8%
  • Blood Pressure, 6%
  • Weight Management, 5%
  • Diabetes Management, 4%
  • Eating Disorders, 4%

Browse healthcare practitioner and technical jobs