Explore jobs
Find specific jobs
Explore careers
Explore professions
Best companies
Explore companies
Job outlook for nutrition specialists in the United States
Nutrition specialist job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected nutrition specialist job growth rate is 7% from 2018-2028.
About 5,100 new jobs for nutrition specialists are projected over the next decade.
Nutrition specialist salaries have increased 7% for nutrition specialists in the last 5 years.
There are over 3,515 nutrition specialists currently employed in the United States.
There are 20,074 active nutrition specialist job openings in the US.
The average nutrition specialist salary is $53,989.
Are nutrition specialist jobs in demand?
Nutrition specialist job and salary trends over time
Nutrition specialist jobs over time
Nutrition specialist job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 3,515 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 3,496 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 3,567 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 3,409 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 3,319 | 0.00% |
Average nutrition specialist salary over time
Nutrition specialist salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $53,989 | $25.96 | +3.0% |
| 2025 | $52,432 | $25.21 | +1.5% |
| 2024 | $51,662 | $24.84 | +1.6% |
| 2023 | $50,840 | $24.44 | +0.8% |
| 2022 | $50,421 | $24.24 | +1.7% |
Nutrition specialist jobs by state
Most common states for nutrition specialists
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 78 | 11% |
| 2 | Iowa | 3,145,711 | 307 | 10% |
| 3 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 89 | 10% |
| 4 | Delaware | 961,939 | 85 | 9% |
| 5 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 70 | 9% |
| 6 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 158 | 8% |
| 7 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 103 | 8% |
| 8 | Alaska | 739,795 | 62 | 8% |
| 9 | Vermont | 623,657 | 49 | 8% |
| 10 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 45 | 8% |
| 11 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 511 | 7% |
| 12 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 485 | 7% |
| 13 | Kansas | 2,913,123 | 209 | 7% |
| 14 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 88 | 7% |
| 15 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 648 | 6% |
| 16 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 346 | 6% |
| 17 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 331 | 6% |
| 18 | Oregon | 4,142,776 | 232 | 6% |
| 19 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 65 | 6% |
| 20 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 61 | 6% |
Most common cities for nutrition specialists
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Linden | 1 | 2% | $67,612 |
| 2 | Boston | 6 | 1% | $67,667 |
| 3 | Hollywood | 1 | 1% | $53,400 |
| 4 | Thousand Oaks | 1 | 1% | $63,063 |
| 5 | Union City | 1 | 1% | $67,637 |
| 6 | Des Moines | 1 | 0% | $53,002 |
| 7 | Newark | 1 | 0% | $67,590 |
| 8 | Philadelphia | 1 | 0% | $51,175 |
Nutrition Specialist job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of nutrition specialist experts
University of Illinois at Chicago
University of New Mexico
Texas Christian University
Seattle Pacific University
University of New Haven
Marywood University
Grand Valley State University
Stony Brook University
North Carolina State University
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Bakersfield College
Arizona State University
California State University - Los Angeles
What general advice would you give to a Nutrition Specialist?
Dr. Kerry Smith: The field of Nutrition Science has the potential to be quite lucrative. Those with a degree in Nutrition Science can additionally move into Dietetics and become a Registered Dietician or Registered Sports Dietician. The Sport careers are becoming more robust in the college setting following the NCAA changes regarding to fueling stations a little over a decade ago. Additionally, working in private practice providing nutritional services allows for job flexibility and autonomy. By working in a private practice there are opportunities to offer additional services that are unavailable through standard insurance coverages making your business more marketable and profitable.
What Nutrition Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Kerry Smith: I think having a foundational knowledge of nutrition is imperative in the field. It might sound simple, but it’s no different than physical therapy. In physical therapy, you need to have the foundational knowledge of anatomy in order to progress to other areas. Understanding the foundational ideas in nutrition are imperative and fundamental. From there, staying up to date with the trends in the industry. Currently, we are seeing a rise in weight loss drugs among Americans over the last few years. Additionally, the field is dynamic with constant new quick-fix concepts on how to lose weight or diet. Being able to counsel clientele on the benefits and risks of a constant-evolving field is imperative to being successful. Finally, understanding the emotional and physiological stress food can have on people. Simply counseling a client on solely food and not discussing the emotional connection or addictive tendencies is a disservice to the client and the industry. Clinicians should be constantly looking for ways to strengthen these areas to better serve their clientele and become better informed.
What Nutrition Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Shayna Oshita PhD RD LDN CDCES: We encourage them to be open minded and try different experiences. We remind them of the connections they have made so far and how to foster them to help their future goals.
What general advice would you give to a Nutrition Specialist?
Peter Pribis DrPH, MD, RDN, FAND: First of all, it is now required that dietitians have a master's degree, meaning that if you would like to work in a hospital setting and you only have a bachelor's degree, your chances of getting employment are smaller. Secondly, there are a lot of possibilities provided by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for continuing education, so you can, for example, become certified as a Diabetes Educator or a Weight Management Educator and so on. Use all these opportunities. The more education you have, the better you can take advantage of opportunities as they present themselves.
What Nutrition Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Peter Pribis DrPH, MD, RDN, FAND: There is presently a great need for dietitians. It is probably a combination of two things: people retire, and in the last few years, we have seen falling numbers of students interested in studying nutrition and dietetics. Because of this, presently, I am receiving a lot of emails with offers from universities, hospitals, and food service companies, who are looking for dietitians. Being a dietitian is a very versatile job. You can work in clinical nutrition, meaning that you can work in a hospital with people who have diabetes, weight management issues, and eating disorders. You can work in critical care, pediatrics, and long-term care. You can also work in outpatient clinics, rehabilitation, and food management as director of food and nutrition services. You can work as a community and public health nutritionist. For example, you can work as a coordinator for nutrition health programs, as a health nutritionist, or as a nutritionist you can work for nonprofit organizations. You can also work in education and research, and lastly, you can work as a consultant for food and nutrition companies. You can work as a journal editor. You can work as a spokesman for a food company. You can be a sports nutritionist, and I don’t think that I have listed all the possibilities of how you can actually use your dietetics education. Dietetics is a profoundly rewarding profession as it allows you to make a tangible difference in people's lives. The satisfaction of seeing your efforts translate into positive health outcomes for your clients is unparalleled.
What will help Nutrition Specialists increase their earning potential?
Peter Pribis DrPH, MD, RDN, FAND: I think the greatest skill that will become increasingly important is flexibility. Be prepared to work face-to-face and online via Zoom. Be innovative and creative. Be aware of our fast-changing world and be ready to apply your knowledge and education in every possible way.
What general advice would you give to a Nutrition Specialist?
Maureen McCoy MS RD: Be open to all the possibilities that exist in the world of food and nutrition! The great thing about this field is that there are opportunities in many different areas that you may not have considered before.
Shannon Aguilar MS,RD,LD
Assistant Professor of Practice, Didactic Program DirectorWhat Nutrition Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Shannon Aguilar MS,RD,LD: Be sure to highlight other skills/experience/volunteer work related to nutrition field, such as positions held in student and/or professional nutrition organizations. Explaining what the job responsibilities were and valuing your worth, but understand you still need to gain experience before reaching maximum salary allowance for the job position. If you weren't a member of professional organization, become one and volunteer in your community in positions related to nutrition such as local food bank or other health-related organizations. Continued education in nutrition related topics, which is already an RD requirement, can also help highlight your knowledge for salary potential. Also, any unique skills such as expert in certain social media platforms or other experience not all dietitians have such as IT.
Elizabeth Smith PhD, R.D., LDN
Associate ProfessorWhat general advice would you give to a Nutrition Specialist?
Elizabeth Smith PhD, R.D., LDN: Remain open minded and don't be afraid to try new roles and tasks. Sometimes the area of nutrition you think you will like the least is what you end up loving!
Also, be on time, follow through with what you say you will do and be positive!
What Nutrition Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Elizabeth Smith PhD, R.D., LDN: Be willing to say yes and try something new. It may seem challenging or out of your comfort zone but until you try you don't know if it is the right position for you.
Negotiate your salary based on your prior experiences. Your experiences may be in a different area but show how the skills you learned can be transferable to your nutrition career/ position. Sell yourself but being enthusiast and willing to go above and beyond to meet the companies' goals and mission.
What will help Nutrition Specialists increase their earning potential?
Elizabeth Smith PhD, R.D., LDN: Tech savvy! We have more nutrition professionals working in telehealth and in remote positions.
Critical thinking- my students hear me discuss the importance of critical thinking almost every day. We talk about personalizing/ individualizing diets and wellness plans to fit the person.
Communication skills- this never goes out of date! Communicate often, be clear, and follow up with your communication.
Shannon Aguilar MS,RD,LD
Assistant Professor of Practice, Didactic Program DirectorWhat will help Nutrition Specialists increase their earning potential?
Shannon Aguilar MS,RD,LD: Be sure to highlight other skills/experience/volunteer work related to nutrition field, such as positions held in student and/or professional nutrition organizations. Explaining what the job responsibilities were and valuing your worth, but understand you still need to gain experience before reaching maximum salary allowance for the job position. If you weren’t a member of professional organization, become one and volunteer in your community in positions related to nutrition such as local food bank or other health-related organizations. Continued education in nutrition related topics, which is already an RD requirement, can also help highlight your knowledge for salary potential. Also, any unique skills such as expert in certain social media platforms or other experience not all dietitians have such as IT.
Gina Jarman Hill PhD, RD, LD
Department Chair, Associate ProfessorTexas Christian University
Dietetics And Clinical Nutrition Services
What Nutrition Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Gina Jarman Hill PhD, RD, LD: I have a few pieces of general advice for a new graduate. Be open to possibilities. If you have the opportunity to take on additional roles or projects in your job or in volunteer areas, don't let fear of failure cause you to say no. The connections that you make and the knowledge and experiences that are gained from doing new and different things can result in enormous opportunities down the road that you can't possibly foresee. In addition, consider what your long term goals are and start seeking out education and opportunities to learn in those areas. For example, a new graduate may be interested in an area that they don't have the opportunity to work with in the current job, but may be able to learn more about through volunteering in the community or seeking out independent study that can help prepare them to step up when the opportunities do present themselves. Make sure that you do your best each day at your job so that your colleagues know that you are trustworthy, knowledgeable, have integrity and a good work ethic. Lastly, it can be easy for new graduates to feel intimidated, but your education and experiences have prepared you. Introduce yourself to others that you work with, even if it makes you nervous and be the kind of co-worker that you'd like to work with. Show initiative in your work and volunteer endeavors.
What will help Nutrition Specialists increase their earning potential?
Gina Jarman Hill PhD, RD, LD: I would recommend to negotiate starting salary. Individuals can research to determine what the starting salaries are in the work sites and locations they are applying and make sure that they are advocating for a good starting salary, while also being realistic. Learn if there are opportunities to earn additional money by earning additional certifications and work towards those.
Catalina Vlad-Ortiz
Didactic Program in Dietetics, DirectorSeattle Pacific University
Foods, Nutrition, And Related Services
What Nutrition Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Catalina Vlad-Ortiz: Nutrition knowledge and care is ever evolving! Keeping on top of new evidence-based practices is incredibly important to stay relevant. Additionally, expanding your technology skills will help better promote you, the profession, and reach out to new audiences.
What general advice would you give to a Nutrition Specialist?
Nadine Mikati PhD, RDN, LDN: Seeking opportunities in the field through internships, volunteer work, or entry-level positions to start. This will help build a strong track record of success and demonstrate proficiency in the field that can position a person to advance and receive higher-paying opportunities in the future. Also, consider pursuing advanced degrees, certifications, or specialized training to enhance one's qualifications and increase earning potential.
Maggie Lyon
Practitioner in Residence, Food and Beverage Manager, University of New HavenUniversity of New Haven
Dietetics And Clinical Nutrition Services
What Nutrition Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Maggie Lyon: My advice for new graduates is to listen, take notes, and be flexible. Things will never go as planned - even in our field. The ability to bend to the circumstance and test different solutions is preferable to remaining rigid.
Micheline Orlowsky
Clinical Coordinator for the Dietetic InternshipMarywood University
Nutrition & Dietetics Department
What soft skills should all Nutrition Specialists possess?
Micheline Orlowsky: Time management, work ethic, organization, ability to prioritize tasks, communication, and negotiation skills.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Nutrition Specialists?
Micheline Orlowsky: Management and analytical skills, critical thinking, marketing skills.
What skills will help Nutrition Specialists earn the most?
Micheline Orlowsky: Communication skills, management and leadership experience. The ability to market yourself as an expert in the field.
Libby MacQuillan Ph.D.
Program Director, Applied Food and Nutrition DPD Program, Assistant Professor, Clinical Dietetics Coordinated Graduate ProgramGrand Valley State University
School of Interdisciplinary Health
What skills stand out on Nutrition Specialist resumes?
Libby MacQuillan Ph.D.: Having the RDN credential for registered dietitian nutritionists is the most important thing that helps a candidate stand out from those with other types of training, "nutritionist" certificate programs, etc. The credential RDN means a person completed an accredited dietetics program and has passed the credentialing exam to be an RDN, a qualified nutrition expert.
What soft skills should all Nutrition Specialists possess?
Libby MacQuillan Ph.D.: In nutrition and dietetics, we communicate closely with our patients and clients about topics that are often sensitive or difficult, such as behavioral change. So, teaching, counseling, and general communication skills are key.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Nutrition Specialists?
Libby MacQuillan Ph.D.: Knowledge and the application of Medical Nutrition Therapy, or the treatment and prevention of disease using nutrition, are the most important hard skills. Candidates need a strong knowledge of biochemistry, metabolic processes, and anatomy and physiology, and pharmacology.
What skills will help Nutrition Specialists earn the most?
Libby MacQuillan Ph.D.: Once you have the RDN credential, there are many options for specialization within the field, which can help dietitians earn the most money. Specializations and board certification areas include oncology, pediatrics, renal, nutrition support, and obesity.
Lorraine Danowski Ph.D.
Associate Director SBU DI programStony Brook University
Department of Family, Population & Preventive Medicine
What skills stand out on Nutrition Specialist resumes?
Lorraine Danowski Ph.D.: Flexibility, team player, previous experience, and familiarity with programs used by clinical dietetics or food service, CBORD, etc.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Nutrition Specialists?
Lorraine Danowski Ph.D.: Excellent phone skills, computer skills with the EMR and programs used by the food service industry, and some excel would be beneficial.
What skills will help Nutrition Specialists earn the most?
Lorraine Danowski Ph.D.: The ones I have listed. All Healthcare needs to operate at the top of their abilities as we are fast-paced and show no signs of slowing down.
Natalie Cooke PhD, RDN
Assistant Professor and Director of Undergraduate Programs for Nutrition ScienceNorth Carolina State University
What skills stand out on Nutrition Specialist resumes?
Natalie Cooke PhD, RDN: Students need to seek out opportunities to gain both technical, discipline-specific, and more general, "soft" skills. A strong resume for a student graduating with a degree in nutrition science will include relevant hands-on experience in addition to strong academic credentials. These experiences include paid and unpaid internships and jobs in nutrition and health-related settings, including community-based and clinical settings; undergraduate research experience in nutrition, food science, or other life science disciplines; undergraduate teaching experience where students serve as teaching assistants for life science courses; volunteer experience with nonprofit organizations; and leadership experience through involvement with clubs and other on- and off-campus organizations.
Skills gained through these various experiences might include being able to (1) design and conduct a research study under the direction of a faculty member, (2) read and interpret scientific literature to make a judgment about the evidence for a nutrition-related topic, (3) effectively communicate scientific information in an accessible way through community-based nutrition education, (4) create an eye-catching and informative handout, social media post, or article for a blog, or (5) demonstrate critical thinking standards while providing feedback to others.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Nutrition Specialists?
Natalie Cooke PhD, RDN: Different fields in healthcare will have competencies that they expect their professionals to have mastered. For example, a working group from the Society for Nutrition Education and Behavior created a list of Nutrition Educator Competencies for Promoting Healthy Individuals, Communities, and Food Systems (https://www.sneb.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/Competencies_Page_21.pdf). These competencies are organized into ten categories: (1) Basic Food and Nutrition Knowledge; (2) Nutrition Across the Lifecycle; (3) Food Science; (4) Physical Activity; (5) Food and Nutrition Policy; (6) Agricultural Production and Food Systems; (7) Behavior and Education Theory; (8) Nutrition Education Program Design, Implementation, and Evaluation; (9) Written, Oral, and Social Media Communication; and (10) Nutrition Education Research Methods. A technical skill for a nutrition educator in the area of "Written, Oral, and Social Media Communication" is: "Engage and educate through simple, clear, and motivational language appropriate for diverse audiences." These technical or discipline-focused skills can be gained through engaging in internships and gaining work experience under the direction of nutrition educators and/or registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs).
One way to learn what hard/technical skills are required of jobs is to start looking at job descriptions years before planning to apply for a job. That way, a student can carefully select experiences to help develop those skills over time, making them a stronger applicant for the job they wish to apply for in the future.
Samantha Coogan
Director, Didactic Program in Nutrition & Dietetics / Lecturer, Undergraduate Coordinator, Nutrition SciencesUniversity of Nevada, Las Vegas
School of Integrated Health Sciences
What general advice would you give to a Nutrition Specialist?
Samantha Coogan: - Holding leadership roles can be a potential negotiation tool as it shows a willingness to grow and be goal-oriented. Don't be afraid to negotiate and advocate for yourself, even early on. Recognize your worth and time commitment to your education. Working with a recruiter/career coach or a colleague in the field can help practice negotiation skills.
What Nutrition Specialist skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Samantha Coogan: - Emotional intelligence, Critical thinking, Empathy, Ability to use/adapt to technology. These skills are important now and will continue to be in the future. Professionals need to decipher fact from fiction and navigate new technologies like AI and telehealth.
What will help Nutrition Specialists increase their earning potential?
Samantha Coogan: - Get involved in professional organizations, such as the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, but even more so in your local state affiliate. For example, I live in Nevada, so I'm part of the Nevada Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (NvAND). Not only are they great for networking and job opportunities, but also for leadership roles. Seeing newer professionals getting involved in leadership roles is a standout on a resume, and helps employers recognize your dedication to advancing the profession. It might also help with future promotions down the line, and will really help you improve your emotional intelligence/ability to work under pressure.
- Be open to feedback/constructive criticism, and learn to take that feedback with grace. When done properly, constructive criticism can help you evolve as a professional. Adding to that, the ability to self-reflect/evaluate to make improvements.
Samantha Coogan
Director, Didactic Program in Nutrition & Dietetics / Lecturer, Undergraduate Coordinator, Nutrition SciencesUniversity of Nevada, Las Vegas
School of Integrated Health Sciences
What skills stand out on Nutrition Specialist resumes?
Samantha Coogan: Leadership positions can showcase initiative, follow-through, ability to work with others, and growth potential.
What soft skills should all Nutrition Specialists possess?
Samantha Coogan: Coachability, approachability, ability to build & maintain rapport, empathy, compassion/understanding, and positive reinforcement can enforce hard truths.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Nutrition Specialists?
Samantha Coogan: Definitely presentation, teaching & counseling skills, and they can often be one and the same. Whether it's a group or one-on-one presentation, presenting is presenting, so even in a counseling session, we are presenting what we know and then teaching them how to implement those changes or goals or fill-in-the-blank.
What skills will help Nutrition Specialists earn the most?
Samantha Coogan: Most recently, due to the pandemic and drastic shift to online everything, being fluent and proficient in digital marketing, online learning or service learning platforms, facilitating online meetings/conferences, and working with groups from various areas remotely. Many more practitioners need virtual assistants due to the rising popularity of the online environment, so getting familiar with all of the new technology features & trends really seems to be the future of this and many other professions. And it's exciting because this does allow us to reach a greater number of people and solve more of our patients' & clients' pain points.
Mariafelix Gonzalez
ProfessorBakersfield College
Nutrition department
What skills stand out on Nutrition Specialist resumes?
Mariafelix Gonzalez: I am not sure about Nutritionists, but I find that interpersonal skills and initiative are valued greatly on Dietitian's resumes.
What soft skills should all Nutrition Specialists possess?
Mariafelix Gonzalez: I must say that it goes back to the two skills I mentioned above.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Nutrition Specialists?
Mariafelix Gonzalez: Strong knowledge of math and writing skills are most important.
What skills will help Nutrition Specialists earn the most?
Mariafelix Gonzalez: Communication and negotiating skills.
Sandra Mayol-Kreiser Ph.D.
Clinical ProfessorArizona State University
College of Health Solutions
What skills stand out on Nutrition Specialist resumes?
Sandra Mayol-Kreiser Ph.D.: The skills we are looking depends on the job description. For a non-tenure position, we are looking for work experience that can be brought to the classroom and innovative teaching methods, especially with the use of technology since the pandemic. For a tenure track position, we are looking for experience with research, grants, and published articles.
What soft skills should all Nutrition Specialists possess?
Sandra Mayol-Kreiser Ph.D.: Some important soft skills are trustworthiness, dependability, and empathy, especially during the pandemic. You also want someone flexible, able to adapt to the changing environment, has a problem-solving attitude and has good communication skills.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Nutrition Specialists?
Sandra Mayol-Kreiser Ph.D.: Good with technology as we are moving to innovative ways of teaching. We also look for good writing skills and extra certifications that make the candidate more proficient in an area.
What skills will help Nutrition Specialists earn the most?
Sandra Mayol-Kreiser Ph.D.: When you are going for an interview, communication is one of the most important skills. You want to communicate clearly and with detailed examples what you can bring to the institution. For example, if you state you used innovative teaching methods, you want to describe what you have done. If you say you have a problem-solving attitude, provide examples of a situation you used that skill. Employers are also looking for leadership skills and someone interested in growing professionally with that institution.
Will there be an enduring impact of the coronavirus pandemic on Nutrition Specialists?
Dr. Robbi Beyer: That is a tough question, as it is impossible to determine the individual effect of learning remotely over a year, unless of course a student has reached out for University financial support. Otherwise, there is no way to ascertain the factors that have impacted a student and their life during the pandemic. However, as a department, we have seen little difference during the last year in the progress and success of our candidates going forward to complete their degrees and become physical educators. Although it has not been ideal for them to receive instruction remotely, all faculty have been trained by the Center of Effective Learning (CETL) on campus to deliver content asynchronously and incorporate meaningful application activities to ensure our candidates meet their learning outcomes. We feel confident that they are prepared and at least educationally and professionally will not experience an enduring effect from the Coronavirus.
What will help Nutrition Specialists increase their earning potential?
Dr. Robbi Beyer: To move up the salary scale as a teacher you need to continue your education and increase your years of experience. Typically, teachers will pursue an advanced degree such as a Master's Degree (MS) to move up the pay scale and increase their professional knowledge, but it is not a requirement in California. Additionally, teachers who successfully obtain an MS can also pursue employment at a Community College as adjunct faculty or lecturer; however, these types of employment tend to be less permanent than the K-12 public school contract.