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Job outlook for nutrition educators in the United States
Nutrition educator job growth summary. After extensive research, interviews, and analysis, Zippia's data science team found that:
The projected nutrition educator job growth rate is 12% from 2018-2028.
About 159,400 new jobs for nutrition educators are projected over the next decade.
Nutrition educator salaries have increased 0% for nutrition educators in the last 5 years.
There are over 7,962 nutrition educators currently employed in the United States.
There are 8,649 active nutrition educator job openings in the US.
The average nutrition educator salary is $34,652.
Are nutrition educator jobs in demand?
Nutrition Educator job and salary trends over time
Nutrition Educator jobs over time
Nutrition Educator job growth rate over time
Year  | # Of Jobs | % Of Population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 7,962 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 8,121 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 8,237 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 8,014 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 7,812 | 0.00% |
Average nutrition educator salary over time
Nutrition Educator salary by year
| Year | Avg. Salary | Hourly Rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $34,652 | $16.66 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | $34,033 | $16.36 | --0.1% |
| 2023 | $34,050 | $16.37 | --0.5% |
| 2022 | $34,225 | $16.45 | --1.5% |
| 2021 | $34,746 | $16.70 | +9.4% |
Nutrition Educator jobs by state
Most common states for nutrition educators
| Rank | State | Population | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 79 | 6% |
| 2 | Alaska | 739,795 | 30 | 4% |
| 3 | Vermont | 623,657 | 26 | 4% |
| 4 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 22 | 4% |
| 5 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 146 | 3% |
| 6 | Nebraska | 1,920,076 | 49 | 3% |
| 7 | Maine | 1,335,907 | 36 | 3% |
| 8 | Montana | 1,050,493 | 32 | 3% |
| 9 | Delaware | 961,939 | 25 | 3% |
| 10 | North Dakota | 755,393 | 24 | 3% |
| 11 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 24 | 3% |
| 12 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 23 | 3% |
| 13 | New Jersey | 9,005,644 | 159 | 2% |
| 14 | Washington | 7,405,743 | 156 | 2% |
| 15 | Massachusetts | 6,859,819 | 139 | 2% |
| 16 | Minnesota | 5,576,606 | 112 | 2% |
| 17 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 110 | 2% |
| 18 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 84 | 2% |
| 19 | New Mexico | 2,088,070 | 35 | 2% |
| 20 | Rhode Island | 1,059,639 | 20 | 2% |
Most common cities for nutrition educators
| Rank | City | # of Jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. Salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Clermont | 1 | 3% | $31,855 |
| 2 | Juneau | 1 | 3% | $46,751 |
| 3 | Ankeny | 1 | 2% | $36,530 |
| 4 | Bradenton | 1 | 2% | $31,893 |
| 5 | Sarasota | 1 | 2% | $31,895 |
| 6 | Fort Lauderdale | 1 | 1% | $31,780 |
| 7 | Anchorage | 1 | 0% | $46,961 |
| 8 | Boston | 1 | 0% | $46,308 |
| 9 | Miami | 1 | 0% | $31,785 |
| 10 | Orlando | 1 | 0% | $31,841 |
| 11 | Tampa | 1 | 0% | $31,876 |
Nutrition Educator job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of nutrition educator experts
University of Illinois at Chicago
University of New Mexico
University of Illinois at Chicago
Saginaw Valley State University
The University of Vermont
King's College
Aultman College
Business Specialist
Arizona State University
Bethel University
Cedar Crest College
Bakersfield College
Cabrini University
Ashland University
California State University - Los Angeles
Middle Tennessee State University
The College of New Jersey
What general advice would you give to a Nutrition Educator?
Dr. Kerry Smith: The field of Nutrition Science has the potential to be quite lucrative. Those with a degree in Nutrition Science can additionally move into Dietetics and become a Registered Dietician or Registered Sports Dietician. The Sport careers are becoming more robust in the college setting following the NCAA changes regarding to fueling stations a little over a decade ago. Additionally, working in private practice providing nutritional services allows for job flexibility and autonomy. By working in a private practice there are opportunities to offer additional services that are unavailable through standard insurance coverages making your business more marketable and profitable.
What Nutrition Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Shayna Oshita PhD RD LDN CDCES: We encourage them to be open minded and try different experiences. We remind them of the connections they have made so far and how to foster them to help their future goals.
What general advice would you give to a Nutrition Educator?
Peter Pribis DrPH, MD, RDN, FAND: First of all, it is now required that dietitians have a master's degree, meaning that if you would like to work in a hospital setting and you only have a bachelor's degree, your chances of getting employment are smaller. Secondly, there are a lot of possibilities provided by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics for continuing education, so you can, for example, become certified as a Diabetes Educator or a Weight Management Educator and so on. Use all these opportunities. The more education you have, the better you can take advantage of opportunities as they present themselves.
What Nutrition Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Peter Pribis DrPH, MD, RDN, FAND: There is presently a great need for dietitians. It is probably a combination of two things: people retire, and in the last few years, we have seen falling numbers of students interested in studying nutrition and dietetics. Because of this, presently, I am receiving a lot of emails with offers from universities, hospitals, and food service companies, who are looking for dietitians. Being a dietitian is a very versatile job. You can work in clinical nutrition, meaning that you can work in a hospital with people who have diabetes, weight management issues, and eating disorders. You can work in critical care, pediatrics, and long-term care. You can also work in outpatient clinics, rehabilitation, and food management as director of food and nutrition services. You can work as a community and public health nutritionist. For example, you can work as a coordinator for nutrition health programs, as a health nutritionist, or as a nutritionist you can work for nonprofit organizations. You can also work in education and research, and lastly, you can work as a consultant for food and nutrition companies. You can work as a journal editor. You can work as a spokesman for a food company. You can be a sports nutritionist, and I don’t think that I have listed all the possibilities of how you can actually use your dietetics education. Dietetics is a profoundly rewarding profession as it allows you to make a tangible difference in people's lives. The satisfaction of seeing your efforts translate into positive health outcomes for your clients is unparalleled.
What will help Nutrition Educators increase their earning potential?
Maureen McCoy MS RD: An understanding of how climate change is affecting the food that people eat will be valuable in the future. Help consumers modify their diets to minimize their carbon footprint. Creative solutions to change the trajectory of chronic disease – we have tried to change how people eat and that hasn’t always worked – how can we nudge consumers in the direction of better health? Need an understanding of the technology that is now available to us and how we can harness its power for improved health outcomes.
What general advice would you give to a Nutrition Educator?
Kirsten Straughan MS, RD, CSSD: Communication and collaboration skills are critical. All nutrition students have similar content due to our accreditation, but being able to communicate effectively with diverse audiences and collaborate with other disciplines will allow you to be much more impactful in your job. The future of nutrition is also very exciting, and I see areas of growth in applying knowledge about the microbiome and in the area of nutrigenetics.
What Nutrition Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Kirsten Straughan MS, RD, CSSD: If your internship doesn’t include a seminar on salary negotiations, seek out resources to empower you with the skills to negotiate your first position. Don’t lose sight of the extensive education and training that you have had.
Shannon Aguilar MS,RD,LD
Assistant Professor of Practice, Didactic Program DirectorWhat general advice would you give to a Nutrition Educator?
Shannon Aguilar MS,RD,LD: Use the knowledge and skills learned in undergraduate school/experience and be flexible when searching for jobs. For example, be willing to relocate if able if there isn’t a job in your area. Don’t just use salary for your final decision in accepting a job. You need to look at benefits packages such as 401K, insurance coverage and cost, matched savings option, vacation time/paid-time off/holidays when making your decision about job placement.
What Nutrition Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Shannon Aguilar MS,RD,LD: Critical thinking skills are very important in this field as well as culinary medicine, integrative nutrition and how to teach people realistic skills in improving their health and making sure to consider person’s culture when giving dietary recommendations. Knowledge and experience in food insecurity and food sustainability issues and how it impacts your local community. Marketing skills and experience in current technology platforms used to promote various nutrition topics as well consulting business, when applicable.
What will help Nutrition Educators increase their earning potential?
Shannon Aguilar MS,RD,LD: Be sure to highlight other skills/experience/volunteer work related to nutrition field, such as positions held in student and/or professional nutrition organizations. Explaining what the job responsibilities were and valuing your worth, but understand you still need to gain experience before reaching maximum salary allowance for the job position. If you weren’t a member of professional organization, become one and volunteer in your community in positions related to nutrition such as local food bank or other health-related organizations. Continued education in nutrition related topics, which is already an RD requirement, can also help highlight your knowledge for salary potential. Also, any unique skills such as expert in certain social media platforms or other experience not all dietitians have such as IT.
Dr. Deborah Smith
Professor of Teacher EducationSaginaw Valley State University
Department of Teacher Education - Middle/Secondary Education
What skills stand out on Nutrition Educator resumes?
Dr. Deborah Smith: Actual classroom experience stands out, as do other interactions with students related to the position sought. So, for example, working with Special Olympics helps those seeking a SPED position. Coaching experience helps, especially if it's with students the same age as will be taught. Tutoring stands out, as do technological skills that can be highlighted with the portfolio submitted for the position.
What soft skills should all Nutrition Educators possess?
Dr. Deborah Smith: The characteristics of effective teachers include organizational skills, clarity, content knowledge, and 'dynamic presence' according to a 2014 study by Standford. Of these, I think all but 'content knowledge' qualifies as a soft skill. When we talk about this in class, students add compassion/empathy and a sense of humor quite often, but we agree that the research has it right. Soft skills are crucial for building a classroom community where teachers and students support each other and feel a sense of belonging, thus allowing for students to take risks necessary to learn. The MDE recently released new professional standards that emphasize social-emotional learning, making it clear that soft skills are valued in education.
Ellen Baker
Director of Educator Licensure ProgramsThe University of Vermont
Education Department
What skills will help Nutrition Educators earn the most?
Ellen Baker: If you are talking about money, the above skills will be crucial, and then each state and school has its own salary schedule. In general, however, if a student has a dual endorsement in special ed, ELL, coaching, then they will possibly earn more. If a candidate has a master's degree, then they will earn more.
Dara Soljaga Ph.D.
Associate Dean of EducationKing's College
Education Department
What soft skills should all Nutrition Educators possess?
Dara Soljaga Ph.D.: In addition to those stand-out skills, I value leadership qualities, problem-solving abilities, and a growth mindset as other important soft skills.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Nutrition Educators?
Dara Soljaga Ph.D.: Important hard or technical skills, complementing the aforementioned repertoire, include proficiencies in supporting learning through the creation of authentic and meaningful learning experiences and assessments, the ability to facilitate engaging discussions, and the wherewithal to employ these skills in both face-to-face and online learning environments.
What skills will help Nutrition Educators earn the most?
Dara Soljaga Ph.D.: In my opinion, demonstrating mastery of the aforementioned skills in flexible and relevant ways will help educators earn the most.
What skills stand out on Nutrition Educator resumes?
Jo Ann Donnenwirth: When reviewing resumes, it is always important to view clinical experiences, specialty areas, technical skills (including educational platforms), online teaching, and various course content delivery methods.
What soft skills should all Nutrition Educators possess?
Jo Ann Donnenwirth: Soft skills are important in every professional career. The soft skills that I find most important and look for are enthusiasm to keep listeners' attention, approachability to help answer questions, confidence, and integrity in their work.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Nutrition Educators?
Jo Ann Donnenwirth: Basic management skills such as organization, time management, communication skills, as well as technical skills on various platforms, and the willingness to learn new technology are important. In the current educational environment, these skills are the most important.
Thomas Matula Ph.D.
Professor of Business AdministrationBusiness Specialist
Business Administration Department
What soft skills should all Nutrition Educators possess?
Thomas Matula Ph.D.: The ability to communicate in a digital setting and the discipline to work remotely. Also, remote work requires a very different mindset. Instead of focusing on inputs, like hours at a desk, the focus shifts to output, the number of completed tasks accomplished each week. This is going to be especially hard for managers who are used to counting inputs and not measuring outputs.
What soft skills should all Nutrition Educators possess?
Beverly Johnson: Communication, teamwork, enthusiasm & creativity. Be thoughtful about how to incorporate these into a resume. Again, listing them in a skills section is less impactful than demonstrating them in the experiences.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Nutrition Educators?
Beverly Johnson: Organization skills, lesson planning, and presentation skills.
What skills will help Nutrition Educators earn the most?
Beverly Johnson: Increased education and certifications, along with time in the profession, will help increase salary potential. Some positions, such as Special Education or administrative positions within education, may pay more.
Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.
Associate Provost - Innovation and Partnerships, Program Director/Professor, Ed.D. Leadership in Higher EducationBethel University
Education Leadership
What Nutrition Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Jessica Tangen Daniels Ph.D.: Dr. Marta Shaw, a professor and administrator in our program is also a professor at Jagiellonian University and lives in Poland. She promotes a skill highlighted by UNESCO, which they refer to as "futures literacy." Their Global Futures Literacy Design Forum was an exciting event dedicated to this concept. More generally, and perhaps a more challenging skill to enhance, would be that of systems thinking. The global pandemic is illuminating the inadequacy of linear cause-and-effect models.
Additionally, collaboration is a crucial skill, so any experience working at the intersections of local and global issues would be valuable.
Melissa Kamyab
Assistant Professor, Director of Graduate ProgramCedar Crest College
Education Department
What skills stand out on Nutrition Educator resumes?
Melissa Kamyab: Teachers have such a wide variety of skills that they bring to the classroom; it is important to capture these skills on a resume by thinking of the actions which convey our skills- facilitating, organizing, developing, creating, strategizing: this gives employers a strong picture of who a candidate is and what they have accomplished in their career. Pre-service teachers who were student teaching during the pandemic in the virtual classroom and then transitioned back to in-person learning will be highly valued for this experience!
What soft skills should all Nutrition Educators possess?
Melissa Kamyab: Now more than ever, it is important for our teachers to demonstrate flexibility and the ability to adapt to what feels like an ever-changing landscape in education. The pandemic has taught us that we can deliver quality learning experiences to our students. It may have felt hard and imperfect, but the stick-to-it-ness and grit that developed because of this are hallmarks of effective educators and stand the test of time. In combination with a student-centered focus, this is the philosophical underpinnings of the soft skills we consider important: patience, flexibility, and the ability to monitor and adjust.
Mariafelix Gonzalez
ProfessorBakersfield College
Nutrition department
What soft skills should all Nutrition Educators possess?
Mariafelix Gonzalez: I must say that it goes back to the two skills I mentioned above.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Nutrition Educators?
Mariafelix Gonzalez: Strong knowledge of math and writing skills are most important.
Amber Gentile
Graduate Secondary Education Program Coordinator, Middle Level Program Coordinator, Assistant Professor of Teacher EducationCabrini University
Teacher Education Program
What Nutrition Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Amber Gentile: It is recommended that graduates continuously look to enhance their inter and intrapersonal skill sets. It is when we "push ourselves" beyond our "comfort zones" that growth is maximized. Graduates should get involved in something that matters to them and challenges them. Being passionate about something experienced and of interest helps a teacher candidate to stand out. Volunteering in schools and organizations that are mission-oriented in improving children's lives is very beneficial for both personal and professional growth.
Being involved in experiences interacting with and supporting children's holistic development can help build a skill set to guide future work. Social, emotional, and relationship-building skills are critical in the classroom. The key is knowing how to help students develop these skills. It is also an excellent idea to enhance one's comfort with, and knowledge of, technology and how it can increase engagement and student learning. This enhanced skillset can be accomplished through formal courses, webinars, and personal exploration.
Essential skills include data-driven decision-making, lessons to support kids' social and emotional needs, community building, culturally relevant and sustaining education practices, understanding of trauma-informed practices and instruction, and current best practices in literacy and math instruction are essential.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Nutrition Educators in the next 3-5 years?
Amber Gentile: Due to the current need to pivot instructional modalities and the subsequent awareness of inequities, teaching may be changing considerably. There is research being done on lessons learned from these recent experiences that can guide our next steps. There will need to be more of a balance between targeted academic instruction and explicit support for kids' social and emotional needs.
It will and should continue to be data-driven. However, schools will most likely be redeveloping instructional practices to maximize learning in various data-driven modalities in person, or through a virtual, online platform. For example, teachers may be frontloading lessons into pre-recorded videos, using online tools to further their students' learning, differentiating more effectively and continuing to explore ways to meet every child's individual, holistic needs. Increasing one's awareness of, and skill set in, the use of instructional technologies will be a must!
Someone starting a career in elementary education will need to be confident in creating engaging, productive lessons regardless of the modality (face to face, hybrid, online, etc). Given the recent need to pivot to virtual instruction, it has become a necessity that teachers are knowledgeable with online modalities, platforms, instructional techniques, and best practices for virtual learning including pedagogy and classroom management. Ultimately, having a skillset that utilizes technology in making meaningful and engaging lessons while addressing social and emotional needs is a must...regardless of instructional modality.
Dr. Peter G. Ghazarian
Assistant Professor of Leadership StudiesAshland University
Dwight Schar College of Education
What skills stand out on Nutrition Educator resumes?
Dr. Peter G. Ghazarian: Schools and other organizations are looking for flexibility, diversity of experiences, and technological expertise in their educators. Educational organizations have gone through a trial by fire over the past couple of years, requiring them to repeatedly make sudden, drastic changes to how they operate. These changes have relied on folks willing to blaze new paths, venture beyond their comfort zones, and use new resources as they become available. A resume that demonstrates those abilities will stand out.
What will help Nutrition Educators increase their earning potential?
Dr. Robbi Beyer: To move up the salary scale as a teacher you need to continue your education and increase your years of experience. Typically, teachers will pursue an advanced degree such as a Master's Degree (MS) to move up the pay scale and increase their professional knowledge, but it is not a requirement in California. Additionally, teachers who successfully obtain an MS can also pursue employment at a Community College as adjunct faculty or lecturer; however, these types of employment tend to be less permanent than the K-12 public school contract.
What are the biggest trends we'll see in the Nutrition Educator job market given the pandemic?
Janet Colson Ph.D.: Prior to the pandemic, we were already reliant on technology, and the pandemic has forced most agencies and businesses to maximize its use. In addition to college classes going online, graduates have virtual job interviews, virtual training for their new jobs, and often work remotely once on the job. This necessitates proficiency in use of technology.
Even though college students claim to be "Zoomed out" after the forced transition to remote learning last March, this prepared graduates with the skills to communicate in the virtual world and the workforce of the future. As students, they were on the receiving end of a Zoom class; advising and meetings with faculty were virtual. These experiences forced them to understand how their prospective clients, customers and colleagues will perceive them. They will be ready for a technology-driven workforce.
What soft skills should all Nutrition Educators possess?
Janet Colson Ph.D.: A very wise colleague’s moto is “just show up.” In addition, she’s always the first to arrive. Arriving early to work, meetings or any event allows new employees to be noticed; it also demonstrates their interest in the job and work ethics. (In a virtual world, this translates to being the first to log on.)
Being able to write and speak concisely is also vital. Time is important to employers which makes a well-written and concise letter of application (or email) and resume essential. Employers may receive dozens of applications for a job, so the letter and resume may be the only chance to make the first cut.
Empathy, active listening, and eye contact are skills many students lack, but are critical. Accepting individuals from different cultures, races, religions, and political views is crucial. This begins with graduates understanding of cultural traditions and practices and then accepting the differences.
What's a day at work look like for a Nutrition Educator?
Janet Colson Ph.D.: Our Nutrition and Food Science graduates work in two main categories—health care or food-related job. Prior to the pandemic, some nutrition counseling was often done virtually, but the pandemic changed it to all virtual. This initially forced many nutritionists and clients out of their comfort zones, but they now recognize the time saving benefits of the virtual world. They have become more tech-savvy and find they work more efficiently. I believe their days will continue to include remote work with occasional face-to-face meetings. In-patient nutrition services will gradually transition back to the traditional method.
Graduates who have jobs in the food industry have experienced similar changes with social distancing, masks, hand sanitizers, and more reliance on virtual meetings. Because we must all eat food to live, the job market has remained stable. Working with food often requires people to be in close proximity to others, violating the 6 feet social distancing rule. Most jobs in the food industry cannot be done remotely; therefore, I envision a day for work for them will include commuting to work and working close to others, with more awareness the importance of hand sanitizers.
Janet Gray Ph.D.
Professor and Department ChairThe College of New Jersey
Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Nutrition Educators in the next 3-5 years?
Janet Gray Ph.D.: WGSS graduates enter every employment sector, so technological trends for our graduates will follow various sectors' directions. Among the most common careers for WGSS graduates are law, social work, and education. The capacity to work remotely, and do so effectively--may depend more on having access to sound technology and good training, and devising more effective ways to use the tools available, than on any new technology becoming available.