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Menu planner vs clinical dietitian

The differences between menu planners and clinical dietitians can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 4-6 years to become a menu planner, becoming a clinical dietitian takes usually requires 1-2 years. Additionally, a menu planner has an average salary of $67,011, which is higher than the $59,133 average annual salary of a clinical dietitian.

The top three skills for a menu planner include plan menus, and . The most important skills for a clinical dietitian are patients, patient care, and medical nutrition therapy.

Menu planner vs clinical dietitian overview

Menu PlannerClinical Dietitian
Yearly salary$67,011$59,133
Hourly rate$32.22$28.43
Growth rate15%7%
Number of jobs13,66257,500
Job satisfaction--
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 50%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Average age4242
Years of experience62

Menu planner vs clinical dietitian salary

Menu planners and clinical dietitians have different pay scales, as shown below.

Menu PlannerClinical Dietitian
Average salary$67,011$59,133
Salary rangeBetween $48,000 And $92,000Between $43,000 And $80,000
Highest paying City-San Francisco, CA
Highest paying state-California
Best paying company-University of California
Best paying industry-Health Care

Differences between menu planner and clinical dietitian education

There are a few differences between a menu planner and a clinical dietitian in terms of educational background:

Menu PlannerClinical Dietitian
Most common degreeBachelor's Degree, 50%Bachelor's Degree, 73%
Most common majorCulinary ArtsDietetics
Most common collegeCornell UniversityUniversity of Maryland - College Park

Menu planner vs clinical dietitian demographics

Here are the differences between menu planners' and clinical dietitians' demographics:

Menu PlannerClinical Dietitian
Average age4242
Gender ratioMale, 45.1% Female, 54.9%Male, 8.7% Female, 91.3%
Race ratioBlack or African American, 11.9% Unknown, 5.1% Hispanic or Latino, 16.6% Asian, 9.8% White, 55.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.6%Black or African American, 8.6% Unknown, 3.6% Hispanic or Latino, 11.1% Asian, 10.0% White, 65.8% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.9%
LGBT Percentage9%8%

Differences between menu planner and clinical dietitian duties and responsibilities

Menu planner example responsibilities.

  • Guide production planning activities ranging from developing and revising production schedules, forecasting trends and customer demand, and managing logistics.
  • Develop variety of menu items catering to food allergies and diet restrictions (gluten-free, vegan, etc . )
  • Create the LLC and obtain all necessary food and operating licenses.
  • Direct inbound or outbound logistics operations, such as transportation or warehouse activities, safety performance, or logistics quality management.
  • Develop store receipt projections that tie to the total OTB projection for the month being allocate.
  • Follow and adhere to facility policies and procedures implementing HIPAA requirements

Clinical dietitian example responsibilities.

  • Provide personalize nutrition counseling to clients managing diabetes, lipid disorders, hypertension & obesity.
  • Collaborate with diabetes educator to achieve AADE accreditation for the diabetes education program and to provide education as an instructor.
  • Develop nutrition assessments and provide individual nutrition interventions for post-surgical/medical patients entering rehabilitation.
  • Provide nutritional care for general medical population; assess nutritional status of ICU patients and implement nutritional intervention.
  • Perform nutrition evaluations and education for rehab patients; complete MDS forms and participate in interdisciplinary team meetings.
  • Sole nutrition department member participating in daily and weekly integrative team rounds for oncology and high risk maternity patients.
  • Show more

Menu planner vs clinical dietitian skills

Common menu planner skills
  • Plan Menus, 100%
Common clinical dietitian skills
  • Patients, 35%
  • Patient Care, 9%
  • Medical Nutrition Therapy, 7%
  • Home Health, 5%
  • Nutrition Services, 3%
  • Diabetes, 3%

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