As nutrition specialists, Registered Dietitians have been specially trained to be the experts in food and nutrition. At a minimum, schooling involves a bachelor's degree and completion of an internship program. According to the American Dietetic Association, as a nutrition specialist your career opportunities are endless and career growth is expected to increase by 9 percent over the next eight years, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Clinical Dietitian
More than half of all nutrition specialists work as clinical dietitians in healthcare facilities such as hospitals and nursing homes, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. A clinical dietitian assesses patients' nutritional needs and develops plans to help them make better food choices to improve their nutritional status. Clinical dietitians work closely with other healthcare professionals, including doctors and nurses, to coordinate medical and nutritional care. Many clinical dietitians choose an area of interest to specialize in, such as diabetes, renal disease, cancer or pediatrics. As of May 2008 a clinical dietitians averages $52,000 per year.
Community Dietitian
A community dietitian counsels individuals and groups about nutrition and eating to improve health and prevent disease. Many community dietitians work in health clinics, health management organizations and home health agencies. With the increased interest in disease prevention, many community dietitians have also found employment with food manufacturers assisting with marketing and advertising. As of May 2008 the average salary for a community dietitian was about $48,000, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Management
Nutrition specialists also work in management. Job opportunities include hospitals, food service, prisons and schools. As a manager, the Registered Dietitian oversees dietitians and food service workers; manages a budget for food and overhead; enforces safety and sanitation regulation and prepares records and reports. Average annual salary for nutrition specialist in management is $64,000. Most nutrition specialists in management hold advanced degrees.
Consultant Dietitians
Consultant dietitians work for themselves in private practice or as a consultant for healthcare facilities. Consultant dietitians can also work with businesses that offer corporate wellness programs, supermarkets, sports teams and other nutrition-related businesses. As a consultant dietitian, nutrition specialists performs nutrition screenings and offers nutrition advice and guidance to their clients. Consultant dietitians also offer their services to nutrition specialists in management assisting with training, sanitation, safety and menu development. Nutrition specialists who work as consultants earn about $60,000 per year as of May 2008.
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