What is a registered dietitian and how to become one

Q: Do dietitians get paid well?

Yes, dietitians get paid well. The average salary for a dietitian is $51,000 a year ($24.73 an hour). An entry-level position starts at around $40,000 a year. In contrast, a more experienced dietitian can average $65,000 a year. Other factors such as location and industry also impact how much a dietitian can earn.

Q: How hard is it to become a registered dietitian?

It is moderately hard to become a registered dietitian. Registered dietitians specialize in nutrition and dietetics, providing guidance on healthy eating to promote overall well-being and manage specific health conditions. The path to becoming a registered dietitian requires 4 years of college, practical experience, and passing a national exam.

Q: How long does it take to become a registered dietitian?

It takes 4 to 6 years to become a registered dietitian. The exact time it takes largely depends on your educational path and the state in which you are becoming a registered dietitian. Not only are there educational requirements involved, but there is also a certification and required exam. Plus, depending on the state, there can be additional certifications needed.

Q: Is becoming a registered dietitian hard?

Yes, becoming a registered dietitian is hard. There are multiple steps on the road to becoming a registered dietitian, including educational credentials, hands-on training, certifications, and exams.

Q: What degree do you need to be a registered dietician?

You need a bachelor's degree in dietetics to be a registered dietician. A bachelor's degree in food and nutrition, food service systems management, or other related areas, is also acceptable.

Q: What is the difference between a dietitian and a registered dietitian?

The differences between a dietitian and a registered dietitian lie in the legal restrictions that each title carries. A dietitian who is not registered is known as a nutritionist. To be considered a registered dietitian or dietitian, one must have met the educational requirements and be registered with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR).

Updated January 8, 2025

4 min read

Quoted experts

Dr. Jeremy Akers Ph.D.,

Ellen Shanley

A registered dietitian is an individual who is trained to provide expert advice and guidance on nutrition and healthy eating habits. They are healthcare professionals who work with individuals, groups, and communities to promote healthy eating habits and prevent or manage various health conditions through proper diet and nutrition. Registered dietitians assess clients' nutritional needs, develop personalized meal plans, monitor progress, and provide education on healthy eating habits.

What general advice would you give to a registered dietitian?

Dr. Jeremy Akers Ph.D.

Dietetics, Graduate Program Director, James Madison University

There are two: respect the healthcare team that you work with and be confident in your knowledge and skills; you are the nutrition expert. Find your niche and develop that to the fullest. You will have more job satisfaction and advancement opportunities being a specialist.

ScoreRegistered DietitianUS Average

Salary

4.5

Avg. Salary $58,227

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level

7.2

Growth rate 7%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity

6.8

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.86%

Asian 9.33%

Black or African American 8.10%

Hispanic or Latino 11.11%

Unknown 3.65%

White 66.94%

Gender

female 92.14%

male 7.86%

Age - 40

Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 40

Stress level

7.2

Stress level is high

7.1 - high

Complexity level

9.8

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance

6.9

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

What are the pros and cons of being a registered dietitian?

Pros

Ability to make a positive impact on people's health and wellbeing
Variety of work settings, including hospitals, schools, and private practice
High demand and job growth in the field
Opportunity to specialize in areas such as sports nutrition or eating disorders
Competitive salary and benefits

Cons

High levels of stress and responsibility, particularly in clinical settings
Extensive education and training requirements, including a master's degree and supervised practice hours
Limited autonomy in some work settings, such as hospitals
Need for ongoing continuing education to maintain licensure and certification
Difficulty translating complex nutrition information into practical advice for clients/patients

Key steps to become a registered dietitian

Explore registered dietitian education requirements

Most common registered dietitian degrees

Bachelor's

70.0 %

Master's

21.7 %

Certificate

4.6 %

Start to develop specific registered dietitian skills

Skills	Percentages
Patients	33.02%
Patient Care	8.56%
Home Health	6.56%
Medical Nutrition Therapy	6.13%
Culinary	5.70%

Complete relevant registered dietitian training and internships

Accountants spend an average of Less than 1 month on post-employment, on-the-job training. New registered dietitians learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a registered dietitian based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real registered dietitian resumes.

Research registered dietitian duties and responsibilities

Help patients maintain nutritional adequacy while managing food allergies.
Manage the anemia status of patients by reviewing necessary lab data and initiating or adjusting medication doses.
Manage the in-store dietitian program providing nutrition education, culinary workshops, food demonstrations, and nutritional assessments.
Develop and conduct weight loss programs; provide nutritional counseling for cardiac rehabilitation patients.

Prepare your registered dietitian resume

When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your registered dietitian resume.

You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a registered dietitian resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

Choose from 10+ customizable registered dietitian resume templates

Build a professional registered dietitian resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your registered dietitian resume.

Apply for registered dietitian jobs

Now it's time to start searching for a registered dietitian job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

Browse job boards for relevant postings
Consult your professional network
Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
Watch out for job scams

How do registered dietitians rate their job?

-/5

5 stars

4 stars

3 stars

2 stars

1 star

Registered dietitian reviews

A zippia user wrote a review on Mar 2022

Cons

No room for upward mobility in most healthcare areas. Pay is bad. Still the lowest paid healthcare professionals for the amount of education required to become a RDN. For that much education better off becoming a PA or RN that becomes a NP.

A zippia user wrote a review on Jun 2019

Pros

I love the daytime work hours and having the weekends off most of the time. I love it when a client is interested in diet and ready to learn.

Cons

Some areas of nutrition-especially outpatient-require a certain amount of persuasive ability. It can be hard to work with the public all the time. And some dietitians, mostly clinical and hospital food service have to work some holidays.

What is a registered dietitian and how to become one

What general advice would you give to a registered dietitian?

What are the pros and cons of being a registered dietitian?

Registered dietitian career paths

Key steps to become a registered dietitian

Explore registered dietitian education requirements

Most common registered dietitian degrees

Start to develop specific registered dietitian skills

Complete relevant registered dietitian training and internships

Research registered dietitian duties and responsibilities

Prepare your registered dietitian resume

Choose from 10+ customizable registered dietitian resume templates

Apply for registered dietitian jobs

How did you land your first registered dietitian job

Average registered dietitian salary

How do registered dietitians rate their job?

Registered dietitian reviews

Registered dietitian FAQs

Do dietitians get paid well?

How hard is it to become a registered dietitian?

How long does it take to become a registered dietitian?

Is becoming a registered dietitian hard?

What degree do you need to be a registered dietician?

What is the difference between a dietitian and a registered dietitian?

Search for registered dietitian jobs

Registered dietitian jobs by state