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Nutritionist education requirements
Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read
There are several educational requirements to become a nutritionist. Nutritionists usually study dietetics, food and nutrition, or nutrition science. 65% of nutritionists hold a bachelor's degree, and 14% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 5,564 real nutritionist resumes to see exactly what nutritionist education sections show.
The most common colleges for nutritionists are the New York University and the New York University.
There are also many online nutritionist courses to help get the education required to be a nutritionist.
There are certain nutritionist certifications that you should consider. These nutritionist certifications include Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) and Certified Nurse Assistant (CNA).
What education do you need to become a nutritionist?
What degree do you need to be a nutritionist?
- Bachelor's, 65%
- Master's, 14%
- Associate, 8%
- High School Diploma, 6%
- Other Degrees, 7%
What should I major in to become a nutritionist?
- Dietetics, 31%
- Food And Nutrition, 28%
- Nutrition Science, 13%
- Business, 4%
- Other Majors, 24%
Most common colleges for nutritionists
| Nutritionist common college | Percentages |
|---|---|
| New York University | 8.19% |
| Pennsylvania State University | 8.19% |
| University of Rhode Island | 6.70% |
| Indiana University of Pennsylvania | 6.52% |
| Johnson & Wales University | 6.15% |
Best majors for nutritionists
| Rank | Major | Percentages |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dietetics | 30.6% |
| 2 | Food And Nutrition | 27.6% |
| 3 | Nutrition Science | 12.8% |
| 4 | Business | 3.6% |
| 5 | Food Science | 2.6% |
Best colleges for nutritionists
The best colleges for nutritionists are Northeastern University, Case Western Reserve University, and New York University.
A nutritionist with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for nutritionists. 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 nutritionists.
1. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
In-state tuition
$10,595
Enrollment
30,184
2. University of Georgia
Athens, GA • Private
In-state tuition
$11,830
Enrollment
29,474
3. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Enrollment
33,495
4. University of Delaware
Newark, DE • Private
In-state tuition
$13,680
Enrollment
19,060
5. Ohio State University
Columbus, OH • Private
In-state tuition
$10,726
Enrollment
45,769
6. Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA • Private
In-state tuition
$18,454
Enrollment
40,108
7. California State University - Chico
Chico, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,608
Enrollment
16,317
8. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$55,188
Enrollment
15,105
9. Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX • Private
In-state tuition
$9,080
Enrollment
30,795
10. Michigan State University
East Lansing, MI • Private
In-state tuition
$14,460
Enrollment
39,208
20 best online courses for nutritionists
Advertising disclosure
1. Child Nutrition and Cooking
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
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. Health and Nutrition Life Coach Certification (Accredited)
Life Coaching: Create a Workout & Nutrition Plan Based on Your Clients' Fitness, Weight Loss, Dieting & Nutrition Goals...
4. Internationally Accredited Certificate in Nutrition
Learn the Fundamentals of Nutrition Science...
5. Nutrition Hot Topics and Controversies
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
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. Vegan Nutrition Health Coach Certification
Become a Vegan Nutrition Certified Health Coach, Learn Vegan Cooking, Embrace a Holistic Approach to Food...
8. Nutrition Certification: Advanced Diet & Meal Planning
Advanced Diet And Nutrition Coach Strategies Dieting Certificate For Meal Plans, Fat Loss, Health & Sports Nutrition...
9. Vegan Nutrition: Build Your Plant Based Diet & Meal Plan
Learn How To Set Up A Vegan Diet For Weight Loss, Building Muscle, Healthy Eating, Meal Planning & Vegan Bodybuilding...
10. Internationally Accredited Diploma in Sports Nutrition
Learn About The Fundamentals Of Sport Nutrition Science And How To Fuel Your Athlete Client...
11. Fully Accredited Professional Nutritionist Diploma Course
Complete Nutrition For All - Exploring All Elements of Nutrition. Healthy Eating & Nutrition for all ages!...
12. Nutrition Masterclass: Build Your Perfect Diet & Meal Plan
Learn The Truth About Nutrition, Dieting For Weight Loss, Building Muscle, Healthy Eating, Meal Planning, Fat Loss...
13. Weight Loss And Nutrition: Lose Fat & Get Your Dream Body
Learn The Truth About Dieting For Weight Loss, Healthy Eating, Meal Planning, Fat Loss, Weight Loss Motivation...
14. Internationally Accredited Diploma in Diet Planning
Learn how to Create Your Clients(or your)perfect diet and nutrition plan based on their goals, preferences and lifestyle...
15. Nutrition for Inflammation - The Anti-inflammatory Diet
Heal Your Body Using Food as Medicine...
16. Diet And Nutrition Coach Certification: Beginner To Advanced
Become A Nutrition Coach: Create Muscle Growth & Fat Loss Meal Plans, Build A Fitness Diet Business & Be A Health Expert...
17. Ketogenic Diet: Keto Nutrition Health Coach Certification
Keto Nutrition Certified Health Coach Specialized in the Ketogenic Diet, Ketosis (Keto) and Intermittent Fasting...
18. Herbalism:: Wild Edible Plants for High Nutrition
Identify and forage common wild foods for exceptional nutrition. This is essential for holistic and natural medicine...
19. Get to Know Your Food: Claims, Labels & Ingredients
Learn how to make the healthiest and best food choices amidst processed and packaged foods...
20. Eat Real Food: How to Eat a Whole Food, Plant-Based Diet
Learn how to be a healthy vegan or vegetarian in a holistic way for best health, weight, and wellbeing...
Top 10 most affordable universities for nutritionists
The most affordable schools for nutritionists are University of Florida, brigham young university, and brooklyn college of the city university of new york.
If the best universities for nutritionists 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 nutritionists.
1. University of Florida
Gainesville, FL • Private
In-state tuition
$6,381
Cost of attendance
21,034
2. Brigham Young University
Provo, UT • Private
In-state tuition
$5,620
Cost of attendance
18,136
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. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
In-state tuition
$9,992
Cost of attendance
22,430
6. California State University - Fresno
Fresno, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$6,587
Cost of attendance
16,915
7. California State Polytechnic University, Pomona
Pomona, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,353
Cost of attendance
21,302
8. University of Puerto Rico - Rio Piedras Campus
San Juan, PR • Private
In-state tuition
$4,094
Cost of attendance
11,299
9. Hunter College of the City University of New York
New York, NY • Private
In-state tuition
$7,182
Cost of attendance
13,998
10. San Jose State University
San Jose, CA • Private
In-state tuition
$7,796
Cost of attendance
24,514
Top 10 hardest universities to get into for nutritionists
The hardest universities for nutritionists to get into are Northeastern University, Case Western Reserve University, and New York University.
Some great schools for nutritionists 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 nutritionists 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. Northeastern University
Boston, MA • Private
Admissions rate
19%
SAT average
1,466
2. Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, OH • Private
Admissions rate
29%
SAT average
1,443
3. New York University
New York, NY • Private
Admissions rate
20%
SAT average
1,419
4. University of Maryland - College Park
College Park, MD • Private
Admissions rate
47%
SAT average
1,390
5. Cornell University
Ithaca, NY • Private
Admissions rate
11%
SAT average
1,471
6. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, NC • Private
Admissions rate
23%
SAT average
1,398
7. California Polytechnic State University-San Luis Obispo
San Luis Obispo, CA • Private
Admissions rate
30%
SAT average
1,339
8. Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TN • Private
Admissions rate
10%
SAT average
1,514
9. Purdue University
West Lafayette, IN • Private
Admissions rate
58%
SAT average
1,309
10. University of Georgia
Athens, GA • Private
Admissions rate
49%
SAT average
1,345
Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for nutritionists
The easiest schools for nutritionists to get into are Life University, texas woman's university, and d'youville college.
Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a nutritionist 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 nutritionists.
1. Life University
Marietta, GA • Private
Admissions rate
94%
SAT average
979
2. Texas Woman's University
Denton, TX • Private
Admissions rate
87%
SAT average
1,059
3. D'Youville College
Buffalo, NY • Private
Admissions rate
100%
SAT average
1,072
4. San Francisco State University
San Francisco, CA • Private
Admissions rate
72%
SAT average
1,054
5. Central Washington University
Ellensburg, WA • Private
Admissions rate
78%
SAT average
1,062
6. St. Catherine University
Saint Paul, MN • Private
Admissions rate
73%
SAT average
1,124
7. Indiana State University
Terre Haute, IN • Private
Admissions rate
90%
SAT average
1,019
8. California State University - Chico
Chico, CA • Private
Admissions rate
65%
SAT average
1,092
9. South Dakota State University
Brookings, SD • Private
Admissions rate
92%
SAT average
1,149
10. Sam Houston State University
Huntsville, TX • Private
Admissions rate
79%
SAT average
1,075
Average nutritionist salary by education level
| Nutritionist education level | Nutritionist salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $56,391 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $55,104 |
Nutritionist education FAQs
Have more questions? See all answers to common healthcare practitioner and technical questions.
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Updated January 8, 2025
Updated January 8, 2025