Career Trends: Dietitians and Nutritionists

Dietitians and nutritionists are experts in the use of food and nutrition to promote health and manage disease. They advise people on what to eat in order to lead a healthy lifestyle or achieve a specific health-related goal.

Dietitians and nutritionists work in many settings, including hospitals, nursing homes, clinics, and cafeterias; or for state and local governments.

Most dietitians and nutritionists have a bachelor’s degree and have completed supervised training through an internship. Many states require dietitians and nutritionists to be licensed.

Employment of dietitians and nutritionists is projected to grow 16 percent from 2014 to 2024, much faster than the average for all occupations. The role of food in preventing and treating illnesses, such as diabetes, is now well known. More dietitians and nutritionists will be needed to provide care for patients with various medical conditions and to advise people who want to improve their overall health.

This occupation supported 67,400 jobs in 2012 and 66,700 jobs in 2014, reflecting a decline of 1.0%. In 2012, this occupation was projected to increase by 21.1% in 2022 to 81,600 jobs. As of 2014, to keep pace with prediction, the expected number of jobs was 70,200, compared with an observed value of 66,700, 5.0% lower than expected. This indicates current employment trends are worse than the 2012 trend within this occupation. In 2014, this occupation was projected to increase by 16.2% in 2024 to 77,600 jobs. Linear extrapolation of the 2012 projection for 2022 results in an expected number of 84,400 jobs for 2024, 8.8% higher than the 2014 projection for 2024. This indicates expectations for future employment trends are much worse than the 2012 trend within this occupation.