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The differences between food scientists and dietitians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 2-4 years to become a food scientist, becoming a dietitian takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a food scientist has an average salary of $74,345, which is higher than the $58,480 average annual salary of a dietitian.
The top three skills for a food scientist include product development, project management and food safety. The most important skills for a dietitian are patients, medical nutrition therapy, and rehabilitation.
| Food Scientist | Dietitian | |
| Yearly salary | $74,345 | $58,480 |
| Hourly rate | $35.74 | $28.12 |
| Growth rate | 8% | 7% |
| Number of jobs | 93,145 | 6,164 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 2.5 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Years of experience | 4 | 2 |
A food scientists' job is primarily to improve food in terms of quality and packaging and create new food products. This job may include ensuring products comply with health and safety standards as well as developing excellent quality food processing, storage, and transportation procedures. They will collaborate with project groups to make new products starting from conceptualization to commercialization. Moreover, they work on the release of potential brands and improve nutritional quality, especially the flavor and texture of food. Also, they assist the company in leading product improvements and innovations.
A dietitian's role is to assist clients in their journey to achieve their health goals. Typically, a dietitian's responsibilities revolve around interviewing and assessing a client's diet needs and goals, learning their preferences and restrictions such as allergies, and crafting a personalized nutrition plan. Moreover, it is essential for a dietitian to monitor a client's progress and maintain information on all accounts. There are also instances where one may promote healthy eating habits to the public, all while keeping abreast of the latest nutrition studies.
Food scientists and dietitians have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Food Scientist | Dietitian | |
| Average salary | $74,345 | $58,480 |
| Salary range | Between $45,000 And $121,000 | Between $43,000 And $78,000 |
| Highest paying City | Napa, CA | San Francisco, CA |
| Highest paying state | Ohio | California |
| Best paying company | LexisNexis Reed Tech | University of California |
| Best paying industry | Education | Health Care |
There are a few differences between a food scientist and a dietitian in terms of educational background:
| Food Scientist | Dietitian | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 74% | Bachelor's Degree, 66% |
| Most common major | Food Science | Dietetics |
| Most common college | Cornell University | University of Maryland - College Park |
Here are the differences between food scientists' and dietitians' demographics:
| Food Scientist | Dietitian | |
| Average age | 40 | 42 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 38.4% Female, 61.6% | Male, 11.7% Female, 88.3% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 4.0% Unknown, 2.8% Hispanic or Latino, 8.0% Asian, 11.9% White, 73.1% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% | Black or African American, 8.4% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 10.9% Asian, 9.8% White, 66.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9% |
| LGBT Percentage | 19% | 8% |