Nutrition director vs unit director

The differences between nutrition directors and unit 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 unit director. Additionally, a nutrition director has an average salary of $80,617, which is higher than the $74,346 average annual salary of a unit director.

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

Nutrition director vs unit director overview

	Nutrition Director	Unit Director
Yearly salary	$80,617	$74,346
Hourly rate	$38.76	$35.74
Growth rate	28%	28%
Number of jobs	32,743	41,585
Job satisfaction	-	-
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
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 unit director do?

A unit director is a management professional who is responsible for directing and managing a group of medical professionals in an organization. This director must manage the daily clinical and administrative duties for those professionals involved in the mental health hospitalization programs. The director must assist in recruiting healthcare professionals to maximize the branch and margin profits of the medical establishment. This director should also attend meetings with the OCFS program to discuss the performance and outcome measures of the program.

Nutrition director vs unit director salary

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

	Nutrition Director	Unit Director
Average salary	$80,617	$74,346
Salary range	Between $39,000 And $165,000	Between $42,000 And $131,000
Highest paying City	Tewksbury, MA	Fairfield, CT
Highest paying state	Massachusetts	Connecticut
Best paying company	Eagle Pack Pet Food	Palo Alto Networks
Best paying industry	-	Manufacturing

Differences between nutrition director and unit director education

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

	Nutrition Director	Unit Director
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 57%	Bachelor's Degree, 60%
Most common major	Dietetics	Nursing
Most common college	University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill	University of Pennsylvania

Nutrition director vs unit director demographics

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

	Nutrition Director	Unit Director
Average age	47	47
Gender ratio	Male, 24.8% Female, 75.2%	Male, 46.0% Female, 54.0%
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, 12.9% Unknown, 4.2% Hispanic or Latino, 13.8% Asian, 7.5% White, 60.9% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.7%
LGBT Percentage	12%	12%

Differences between nutrition director and unit 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.

Show more

Unit director example responsibilities.

Prepare and manage payroll and purchasing, which include balancing of accounts within budgetary limits; establish daily interaction with clients.
Manage operational organizing of stock and equipment, order supplies and oversee building maintenance, cleanliness and security.
Provide case management services to residents in the Alzheimer's unit.
Migrate all operations to a new ERP and retail system with a successful implementation.
Develop and implement a program which assure quality of life for mid- stage Alzheimer's residents.
Oversee labor, as well as, payroll, purchases, complete work orders, and operating supplies.

Show more

Nutrition director vs unit director skills

Common nutrition director skills

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

Common unit director skills

Patients, 23%
Patient Care, 21%
Customer Service, 14%
Cleanliness, 7%
Staff Development, 6%
Customer Satisfaction, 5%

Nutrition Director vs. similar jobs

Nutrition Director related careers

Nutrition Director related jobs

What similar roles do

Updated January 8, 2025

Browse executive management jobs

A
B
C
D
E
F
G
H
I
J
K
L
M
N
O
P
Q
R
S
T
U
V
W
X
Y
Z