Post job

Nutrition teacher education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a nutrition teacher. Nutrition teachers usually study dietetics, psychology, or food and nutrition. 71% of nutrition teachers hold a bachelor's degree, and 12% hold an associate degree. We analyzed 107 real nutrition teacher resumes to see exactly what nutrition teacher education sections show.

The most common colleges for nutrition teachers are the Andrews University and the Andrews University.

There are also many online nutrition teacher courses to help get the education required to be a nutrition teacher.

What education do you need to become a nutrition teacher?

What degree do you need to be a nutrition teacher?

The most common degree for nutrition teachers is bachelor's degree, with 71% of nutrition teachers earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 12% and associate degree degree at 7%.
  • Bachelor's, 71%
  • Associate, 12%
  • Master's, 7%
  • Diploma, 5%
  • Other Degrees, 5%

What should I major in to become a nutrition teacher?

You should major in dietetics to become a nutrition teacher. 14% of nutrition teachers major in dietetics. Other common majors for a nutrition teacher include psychology and food and nutrition.

Most common colleges for nutrition teachers

Nutrition teachers often get their degrees at Andrews University, Texas Christian University, and Florida State University. Here are the most common colleges for nutrition teachers in the US based on their resumes.
Nutrition teacher common collegePercentages
Andrews University10.71%
Texas Christian University10.71%
Florida State University7.14%
FIDM/Fashion Institute of Design & Merchandising7.14%
Cornell University7.14%

Best majors for nutrition teachers

RankMajorPercentages
1Dietetics14.1%
2Psychology12.5%
3Food And Nutrition12.5%
4Education6.3%
5Elementary Education6.3%

Best colleges for nutrition teachers

The best colleges for nutrition teachers are Cornell University, Boston University, and New York University.

A nutrition teacher with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for nutrition teachers. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become nutrition teachers.

1. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$53,948

Enrollment

17,238

2. University of Washington

Seattle, WA • Private

In-state tuition

$11,207

Enrollment

30,905

3. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$55,188

Enrollment

15,105

4. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

In-state tuition

$50,420

Enrollment

7,582

5. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

6. Ohio State University

Columbus, OH • Private

In-state tuition

$10,726

Enrollment

45,769

7. University of Maryland - College Park

College Park, MD • Private

In-state tuition

$10,595

Enrollment

30,184

8. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$9,816

Enrollment

21,047

9. New York University

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$51,828

Enrollment

26,339

10. Dominican University

River Forest, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$33,434

Enrollment

2,098

20 best online courses for nutrition teachers

Advertising disclosure

1. Child Nutrition and Cooking

coursera

Eating patterns that begin in childhood affect health and well-being across the lifespan. The culture of eating has changed significantly in recent decades, especially in parts of the world where processed foods dominate our dietary intake. This course examines contemporary child nutrition and the impact of the individual decisions made by each family. The health risks associated with obesity in childhood are also discussed. Participants will learn what constitutes a healthy diet for children...

2. National Academy of Sports Medicine Nutrition Essentials

coursera

NASM's Nutrition Coaching Essentials enables you to provide evidence-based guidance to those seeking to improve body composition, athletic performance, and health. By successfully completing this program, you will have the knowledge and abilities to leverage nutrition education to increase your client's success, reduce turnover, and maximize adherence. Held to the highest standard of research-based theory and practice, the Nutrition Essentials program teaches you how to provide nutritional...

3. Vegan Nutrition Health Coach Certification

udemy
4.6
(2,112)

Become a Vegan Nutrition Certified Health Coach, Learn Vegan Cooking, Embrace a Holistic Approach to Food...

4. Internationally Accredited Certificate in Nutrition

udemy
4.6
(11,051)

Learn the Fundamentals of Nutrition Science...

5. Nutrition Hot Topics and Controversies

coursera

Within the ever-changing nutrition landscape, it becomes difficult to understand current trending topics. Without a doubt, your friends and neighbors will have questions regarding these nutrition hot topics. Most people want to know what to believe or discard from what they hear, but they often lack the tools or the knowledge (or the time) to research topics as they become popular. This course has been designed to take an in-depth approach to explain the science behind many nutrition hot topics...

6. Breastfeeding and Adequate Substitutes

coursera

Ensuring adequate nutrition is essential for infants to reach their full potential, as early-life nutritional imbalances and deficiencies may result in detrimental and often irreversible adverse health consequences. "Breastfeeding and Adequate Substitutes" focuses on the important aspects of human milk composition, human lactation, breastfeeding practices, and the use of breastmilk substitutes. In addition to the theoretical and practical aspects of infant nutrition, we also provide the latest...

7. Health and Nutrition Life Coach Certification (Accredited)

udemy
4.5
(5,133)

Life Coaching: Create a Workout & Nutrition Plan Based on Your Clients' Fitness, Weight Loss, Dieting & Nutrition Goals...

8. Nutrition Certification: Advanced Diet & Meal Planning

udemy
4.6
(1,607)

Advanced Diet And Nutrition Coach Strategies Dieting Certificate For Meal Plans, Fat Loss, Health & Sports Nutrition...

9. Cooking for Busy Healthy People

coursera

Cooking is one of the most powerful ways in which we can optimize our enjoyment of great quality food while protecting our health. Even on a tight budget, cooking can be a cost-effective, joyful and rewarding way to love the food that will love us back for a lifetime. In this course, you’ll learn some basic recipes from a home cook and two professional chefs who prioritize healthful eating. You’ll also learn some of the fundamentals of principle-based cooking that can help you break free from...

10. Vegan Nutrition: Build Your Plant Based Diet & Meal Plan

udemy
4.8
(462)

Learn How To Set Up A Vegan Diet For Weight Loss, Building Muscle, Healthy Eating, Meal Planning & Vegan Bodybuilding...

11. Internationally Accredited Diploma in Sports Nutrition

udemy
4.5
(2,250)

Learn About The Fundamentals Of Sport Nutrition Science And How To Fuel Your Athlete Client...

12. Cook Real Food: How to Make Simple Plant-Based Meals

udemy
4.6
(1,644)

Learn how to cook whole plant foods to make quick, easy, and healthy vegan meals for practical everyday eating...

13. Nutrition Masterclass: Build Your Perfect Diet & Meal Plan

udemy
4.6
(7,065)

Learn The Truth About Nutrition, Dieting For Weight Loss, Building Muscle, Healthy Eating, Meal Planning, Fat Loss...

14. Ketogenic Diet: Keto Nutrition Health Coach Certification

udemy
4.5
(2,212)

Keto Nutrition Certified Health Coach Specialized in the Ketogenic Diet, Ketosis (Keto) and Intermittent Fasting...

15. Internationally Accredited Diploma in Diet Planning

udemy
4.4
(2,190)

Learn how to Create Your Clients(or your)perfect diet and nutrition plan based on their goals, preferences and lifestyle...

16. Fully Accredited Professional Nutritionist Diploma Course

udemy
4.2
(969)

Complete Nutrition For All - Exploring All Elements of Nutrition. Healthy Eating & Nutrition for all ages!...

17. Nutrition for Inflammation - The Anti-inflammatory Diet

udemy
4.7
(807)

Heal Your Body Using Food as Medicine...

18. Herbalism:: Wild Edible Plants for High Nutrition

udemy
4.8
(460)

Identify and forage common wild foods for exceptional nutrition. This is essential for holistic and natural medicine...

19. Diet And Nutrition Coach Certification: Beginner To Advanced

udemy
4.6
(7,666)

Become A Nutrition Coach: Create Muscle Growth & Fat Loss Meal Plans, Build A Fitness Diet Business & Be A Health Expert...

20. Weight Loss And Nutrition: Lose Fat & Get Your Dream Body

udemy
4.7
(2,115)

Learn The Truth About Dieting For Weight Loss, Healthy Eating, Meal Planning, Fat Loss, Weight Loss Motivation...

Top 10 most affordable universities for nutrition teachers

The most affordable schools for nutrition teachers are Hunter College of the City University of New York, university of florida, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.

If the best universities for nutrition teachers are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for nutrition teachers.

1. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

2. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

3. Brooklyn College of the City University of New York

Brooklyn, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,240

Cost of attendance

13,991

4. Lehman College of the City University of New York

Bronx, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,210

Cost of attendance

14,359

5. Queens College of the City University of New York

Queens, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,338

Cost of attendance

14,281

6. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

7. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

8. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

9. Baruch College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,262

Cost of attendance

14,046

10. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for nutrition teachers

The hardest universities for nutrition teachers to get into are Cornell University, Boston University, and New York University.

Some great schools for nutrition teachers are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for nutrition teachers based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Cornell University

Ithaca, NY • Private

Admissions rate

11%

SAT average

1,471

2. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

3. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

4. Vanderbilt University

Nashville, TN • Private

Admissions rate

10%

SAT average

1,514

5. Harvard University

Cambridge, MA • Private

Admissions rate

5%

SAT average

1,520

6. Brown University

Providence, RI • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

7. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

Admissions rate

23%

SAT average

1,398

8. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

9. University of Rochester

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,422

10. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo

San Luis Obispo, CA • Private

Admissions rate

30%

SAT average

1,339

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for nutrition teachers

The easiest schools for nutrition teachers to get into are D'Youville College, life university, and texas woman's university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a nutrition teacher without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for nutrition teachers.

1. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

2. Life University

Marietta, GA • Private

Admissions rate

94%

SAT average

979

3. Texas Woman's University

Denton, TX • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,059

4. Felician University

Lodi, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

81%

SAT average

999

5. Holy Names University

Oakland, CA • Private

Admissions rate

70%

SAT average

849

6. Nyack College

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

98%

SAT average

999

7. College of New Rochelle, The

New Rochelle, NY • Private

Admissions rate

83%

SAT average

982

8. College of Mount Saint Vincent

Bronx, NY • Private

Admissions rate

78%

SAT average

1,021

9. Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Bartlesville, OK • Private

Admissions rate

68%

SAT average

964

10. The University of Texas Permian Basin

Odessa, TX • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,046

Average nutrition teacher salary by education level

Nutrition teachers with a Doctorate degree earn more than those without, at $54,325 annually. With a Master's degree, nutrition teachers earn a median annual income of $53,652 compared to $43,991 for nutrition teachers with an Bachelor's degree.
Nutrition teacher education levelNutrition teacher salary
Master's Degree$53,652
Bachelor's Degree$43,991
Doctorate Degree$54,325

Nutrition teacher education FAQs

Search for nutrition teacher jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse education, training, and library jobs