Career Overview
Plan and conduct food service or nutritional programs to assist in the promotion of health and control of disease. May supervise activities of a department providing quantity food services, counsel individuals, or conduct nutritional research.
Also Known As
- Clinical Dietitian
- Dietitian
- Nutritionist
- Registered Dietitian
Alternate Job Titles
- Administrative Dietitian
- Clinical Dietician
- Clinical Dietitian
- Clinical Nutritionist
- Community Dietitian
- Consultant Dietitian
- Diet Consultant
- Diet Counselor
- Diet Therapist
- Dietary Aide
- Dietician
- Dietist
- Dietitian
- Food Advisor
- Food Consultant
What You'll Do
In this role, your typical responsibilities include:
- Assess nutritional needs, diet restrictions, and current health plans to develop and implement dietary-care plans and provide nutritional counseling.
- Evaluate laboratory tests in preparing nutrition recommendations.
- Counsel individuals and groups on basic rules of good nutrition, healthy eating habits, and nutrition monitoring to improve their quality of life.
- Advise patients and their families on nutritional principles, dietary plans, diet modifications, and food selection and preparation.
- Incorporate patient cultural, ethnic, or religious preferences and needs in the development of nutrition plans.
- Consult with physicians and health care personnel to determine nutritional needs and diet restrictions of patient or client.
- Record and evaluate patient and family health and food history, including symptoms, environmental toxic exposure, allergies, medication factors, and preventive health-care measures.
Knowledge You'll Use
You'll need solid knowledge in these areas:
- Biology
- Medicine and Dentistry
- English Language
- Therapy and Counseling
- Customer and Personal Service
- Psychology
- Education and Training
- Mathematics
Essential Skills
Success in this career requires strong skills in:
- Reading Comprehension
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Critical Thinking
- Social Perceptiveness
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Writing
- Monitoring
- Service Orientation
- Complex Problem Solving
Key Abilities
This career requires key abilities in:
- Oral Comprehension
- Problem Sensitivity
- Written Comprehension
- Inductive Reasoning
- Deductive Reasoning
- Speech Clarity
- Written Expression
- Oral Expression
- Category Flexibility
- Information Ordering
Work Style
People who excel in this career typically demonstrate:
- Attention to Detail
- Dependability
- Cooperation
- Empathy
- Integrity
What Matters in This Career
This career tends to satisfy these work values:
- Relationships
- Independence
- Achievement
- Recognition
- Working Conditions
Education & Preparation
Typical Education: Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.
Related Work Experience Needed: Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years
On-the-Job Training: Anything beyond short demonstration, up to and including 1 month
Education Details: Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Experience Required: Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Technology You'll Use
Popular Technologies & Software
- Microsoft Excel
- Microsoft Office software
- Microsoft Outlook
- Microsoft PowerPoint
- Microsoft Word
Tools & Equipment
- Automated blood pressure cuffs
- Bioelectric impedance machines
- Desktop computers
- Glucometers
- Hydrostatic weighing machines
- Ketone meters
- Laptop computers
- Manual blood pressure cuffs
- Metabolic carts
- Personal computers
- Personal digital assistants PDA
- Skinfold calipers
- Upright scales
- Wearable fitness monitors
Work Environment
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Telephone Conversations
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Contact With Others
Salary & Job Market
| Salary Percentile | Annual Wage |
|---|---|
| Entry-Level (10th percentile) | $48,830 |
| Median | $73,850 |
| Top Earners (90th percentile) | $101,760 |
Workers Employed Nationally: 76,570
Related Careers
If you're interested in this career, you might also consider:
Dietetic Technicians
Education: Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
Median Salary: $37,040
Nurse Practitioners
Education: Master's Degree
Median Salary: $129,210
Family Medicine Physicians
Education: Doctoral Degree
Median Salary: $238,380
Pediatricians, General
Education: Post-Doctoral Training
Median Salary: $210,130
Clinical Nurse Specialists
Education: Master's Degree
Median Salary: $93,600
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Occupational data sourced from the O*NET OnLine database, developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration. Wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), 2024.