Nutrition director vs department director

The differences between nutrition directors and department directors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 4-6 years to become both a nutrition director and a department director. Additionally, a department director has an average salary of $97,804, which is higher than the $80,617 average annual salary of a nutrition director.

The top three skills for a nutrition director include patients, nutrition services and menu planning. The most important skills for a department director are patient care, patients, and healthcare.

Nutrition director vs department director overview

	Nutrition Director	Department Director
Yearly salary	$80,617	$97,804
Hourly rate	$38.76	$47.02
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	32,743	73,424
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Average age	47	47
Years of experience	6	6

What does a nutrition director do?

A Nutrition Director directs and supervises all aspects of an organization's nutrition guidelines and initiatives. They also ensure the provision of safe, nutritious food services to members of organizations.

What does a department director do?

A Department Director spearheads and oversees the operations of a department, ensuring efficiency and smooth workflow. Although their responsibilities vary upon the functions of a department, they typically have the power to decide on projects and programs. Their responsibilities include setting goals, establishing budgets and guidelines, representing the department at meetings and media coverages, liaising with external business partners, managing staff, and monitoring the progress of operations. Moreover, a Department Director leads and encourages staff to reach goals while implementing the company's policies and regulations.

Nutrition director vs department director salary

Nutrition directors and department directors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Nutrition Director	Department Director
Average salary	$80,617	$97,804
Salary range	Between $39,000 And $165,000	Between $64,000 And $148,000
Highest paying City	Tewksbury, MA	New York, NY
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	New Jersey
Best paying company	Eagle Pack Pet Food	Anna Jaques Hospital
Best paying industry	-	Finance

Differences between nutrition director and department director education

There are a few differences between a nutrition director and a department director in terms of educational background:

	Nutrition Director	Department Director
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 57%
Most common major	Dietetics	Business
Most common college	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	University of Pennsylvania

Nutrition director vs department director demographics

Here are the differences between nutrition directors' and department directors' demographics:

	Nutrition Director	Department Director
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 24.8% Female, 75.2%	Male, 52.8% Female, 47.2%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.5% Asian, 8.0% White, 61.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%	Black or African American, 10.4% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 14.3% Asian, 7.9% White, 62.4% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between nutrition director and department director duties and responsibilities

Nutrition director example responsibilities.

Manage the WIC budget and execute budget amendments for the fiscal year.
Manage food allergies and special diets by providing nutritious alternatives and creating student-specific menus.
Ensure all menus meet USDA requirements.
Enter all MDS forms need for facility.
Cater to even the most severe allergies and intolerances.
Develop and revise processes and forms for screening, assessment, MDS reviews and other nutrition interventions.

Department director example responsibilities.

Manage and direct bureau operations, and provide oversight of criminal investigations of statewide importance.
Establish and develop relationships with ERP and consulting vendors with the goal of maximizing comparative advantage and cost efficient solution development.
Ensure compliance with all CMS regulations.
Provide public education in the areas of fire department capabilities and history as well as CPR classes.
Follow up and coordination of rehabilitation services.
Cross-Train pre-operative and PACU staff to optimize efficiency.

Nutrition director vs department director skills

Common nutrition director skills

Patients, 22%
Nutrition Services, 8%
Menu Planning, 6%
Food Safety, 5%
Nutrition Education, 5%
Patient Satisfaction, 4%

Common department director skills

Patient Care, 15%
Patients, 14%
Healthcare, 13%
Oversight, 8%
Human Resources, 5%
Payroll, 4%

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Nutrition Director
Nutrition Director vs Department Director

Updated January 8, 2025

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