About the Profession of Dietetics

The dietitian is the translator of nutrition science into the skill of furnishing optimal nourishment to people. Traditionally, dietitians function as members of the health care team in providing nutritional care through assessment of nutritional needs, planning and implementation of nutritional care and provision of dietary counseling.

In administrative dietetics, dietitians are traditionally concerned with all aspects of the management of nutritional services through planning, budgeting, supervision, and computerized evaluation of food service systems.

Increasingly, dietitians are involved in private, independent nutrition consultation and practice as well as assuming more corporate management roles in food industry, health, and promotion businesses.

As the overall recognition of the importance of nutrition increases in both disease treatment and prevention, highly specialized and advanced-level roles are emerging for dietitians. These advanced-level roles require practice as an entry-level dietitian with professional development of additional knowledge and skills.

Graduate programs are being designed to develop both advanced-level knowledge and skills in various specialty areas such as pediatrics, geriatrics, clinical management, wellness counseling, nutrition support and many others.

To be eligible for the Registered Dietitian Examination under the Commission on Dietetic Registration (Option 1), candidates must meet the following requirements:

1. Completion of a didactic program in dietetics accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics
2. Completion of a minimum of a graduate degree from a university accredited by an agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education
3. Completion of a dietetic internship accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics

The Master of Science in Dietetics Program is for students who have completed a didactic program in dietetics and are now ready to proceed with steps two and three. This program fulfills both requirements by providing a graduate degree and an ACEND-accredited dietetic internship.

Passing the Registered Dietitian Examination grants the Registered Dietitian credential, which is required by most employers of dietitians in the United States and Canada. Additionally, the RD credential is necessary for licensure in states that require a license to practice and for insurance companies that cover medical nutrition therapy only when provided by a registered dietitian.

Graduates of dietetics programs are employed in a variety of work environments throughout the United States. Graduates of the UAMS Master of Science in Dietetics Program are employable in academic, research, clinical and community nutrition facilities.

The career outlook for dietetics is positive with a demand for registered dietitian nutritionists in diverse job opportunities. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects employment of dietitians and nutritionists to grow 7 percent from 2022 to 2032, faster than the average for all occupations. Registered dietitians work in a wide variety of employment settings, including health care, business and industry, community and public health, education, research, government agencies and private practice.

According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ 2021 Compensation and Benefits survey of the Dietetics Profession, the median full-time salary of all registered dietitian nutritionists equates to $70,000 per year. As with any profession, salaries and fees vary by region of the country, employment settings, scope of responsibility and supply of registered dietitians. Salaries increase with years of experience and registered dietitian nutritionists, in management and business, may earn incomes above $90,000. For more information, see the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics’ 2021 Compensation and Benefits survey of the Dietetics Profession.

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports the median annual wage for dietitians and nutritionists was $69,680 in May 2023.

• Complete a master’s degree and receive a verification statement from a program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Nutrition and Dietetics
• Complete a supervised practice program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Nutrition and Dietetics
• Pass the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s dietetic registration exam.
• Gain licensure in your state of practice, if applicable.

Recent Requirement Changes

Effective Jan. 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration started requiring a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist. In order to be approved for registration examination eligibility with a bachelor’s degree, an individual must have met all eligibility requirements and submitted into CDR’s Registration Eligibility Processing System before 11:59 p.m. Central time on Dec. 31, 2023. For more information about this requirement visit CDR’s website. In addition, CDR requires that individuals complete coursework and supervised practice in program(s) accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics.

View more information about educational pathways to become a registered dietitian nutritionist.

More information about registered dietitians can be found on the Commission on Dietetic Registration’s website.