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The differences between dietetic interns and nutrition specialists can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 1-2 years to become both a dietetic internship and a nutrition specialist. Additionally, a dietetic internship has an average salary of $64,038, which is higher than the $53,989 average annual salary of a nutrition specialist.
The top three skills for a dietetic internship include patients, diabetes education and medical nutrition therapy. The most important skills for a nutrition specialist are patients, PET, and nutritional care.
| Dietetic Internship | Nutrition Specialist | |
| Yearly salary | $64,038 | $53,989 |
| Hourly rate | $30.79 | $25.96 |
| Growth rate | 7% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 52,765 | 20,074 |
| Job satisfaction | - | - |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 2 |
In a dietetic internship, an intern primarily performs support tasks to gain industry insights and experience while under a dietitian's directives and supervision. Their duties typically include conducting research and analyses, gathering and analyzing data from previous projects and studies, participating in the development of new meal and nutritional plans, and assisting in food delivery operations. They also take part in assessing a patient's health and treatment plans, providing nutrition education as necessary. Additionally, an intern must produce regular reports and uphold the facility's policies.
Nutrition specialists are skilled professionals who possess detailed knowledge of foods that are necessary for human health and growth. These specialists are required to provide comprehensive nutrition services to patients who are admitted to community health centers and specialty clinics for medical nutrition therapy. They must create diets and meal plans for patients based on their medical and dietary needs. Nutrition specialists must also organize community outreach efforts and other funded nutrition programs to encourage participation from professionals and lay groups.
Dietetic interns and nutrition specialists have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Dietetic Internship | Nutrition Specialist | |
| Average salary | $64,038 | $53,989 |
| Salary range | Between $30,000 And $132,000 | Between $34,000 And $84,000 |
| Highest paying City | - | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | - | Alaska |
| Best paying company | - | Children's Hospital Colorado |
| Best paying industry | - | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a dietetic internship and a nutrition specialist in terms of educational background:
| Dietetic Internship | Nutrition Specialist | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 80% | Bachelor's Degree, 54% |
| Most common major | Dietetics | Dietetics |
| Most common college | University of Maryland - College Park | Pennsylvania State University |
Here are the differences between dietetic interns' and nutrition specialists' demographics:
| Dietetic Internship | Nutrition Specialist | |
| Average age | 42 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 10.2% Female, 89.8% | Male, 26.5% Female, 73.5% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.8% Asian, 9.8% White, 67.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% | Black or African American, 9.5% Unknown, 3.7% Hispanic or Latino, 12.1% Asian, 7.7% White, 66.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 8% | 8% |