Nutritionist Salary Guide - The Brass Tacks of What You'll Actually Earn in 2025

From clinical care to YouTube content creation, here’s what dietitians and nutritionists can expect to earn in 2025—and how to maximize it.

In 2025, the role of the nutritionist is more dynamic than ever. We’re a nation passionate about wellness, so the role of nutritionists in our society has never been more relevant. From digital health to food as medicine, nutritionists are enjoying a broader-than-ever job scope that’s translating into real income and more opportunities than ever before.

Let’s cut through the noise and look at the numbers, so you can get a crystal-clear idea of what your nutritionist salary should look like, and the many ways you can maximize your earning potential.

National Averages: How Does Your Nutritionist Salary Stack Up?

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) remains a valuable resource for learning about how much you can make and where you can make it. According to BLS data, dietitians and nutritionists earned an average salary of $71,280 in 2023. But that’s just part of the picture.

Salaries for these professionals can and do vary widely based on everything from experience to location to specialty. So, which nutritionists are earning the biggest paychecks? Where do they work and what do they do? Here’s what we found.

Where Nutritionists Work and How Much They’re Earning

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Compensation & Benefits Survey revealed a median salary of $72,000 for RDNs (Registered Dietitian Nutritionists) in 2024 —that’s a jump from $70,000 in 2021.

But, as expected, where you work plays a major role in your earning power. The survey found that those working in food/nutrition management earned an impressive median salary of $87,000, while those in business and consulting earned about the same, at $85,000.

RDNs working in clinical care earned a median salary that was closer to the national median for this profession, at $74,000. In contrast, those in long-term care facilities earned slightly less, at $72,000. And in the public health realm, nutritionists earned less than the national median, at $67,000.

How Education and Experience Pay Off with a Top Nutritionist Salary

Data from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics is clear: higher degrees are associated with higher salaries. If you earn a master’s degree in nutrition or dietetics and/or specialty certifications like the CDCES, CNSC, and CSSD, you’ll outearn your peers with only a bachelor’s degree.

Of course, the more years you put into your career, the higher you can expect to earn. Nutritionists with years of experience in the field are valued by both employers and patients alike, allowing them to command higher salaries.

If you’re brand new to the profession, you can expect to earn about $44,910 out of the gate as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). But with just a couple more years of experience, you’ll likely earn about $58,290. Once you’ve established yourself by getting a handful of years of experience under your belt, you’ll likely earn about $81,860, putting you in the top 25^th percentile of all earners in the field. Experience and advanced degrees can go a long way in the nutritionist and dietitian profession, with the top 10 percent of all earners bringing home about $98,830.

Earning your RDN and then moving on to advance your education while gaining valuable experience in the field is the key strategy for maximizing your salary as a nutritionist, wherever you work. A master’s degree in nutrition or dietetics provides nutritionists with the opportunity to specialize in a specific area within the profession, which can go a long way in establishing themselves as an expert in everything from sports nutrition to gerontological nutrition to pediatric nutrition to corporate and wellness consulting.

Master’s degrees in nutrition allow you to set yourself apart from the competition; market yourself better to clients; attract more employers; and, of course, earn a larger paycheck. And it’s a necessary component to earning the RDN credential. A master’s degree may not be necessary to enter and work in the field of nutrition, but its value is undeniable when it comes to salary and career potential.

The Rise of the Entrepreneur Nutritionist – Going Beyond Just Earning a Salary

In the field of nutrition, you need not be dependent upon an employer to make your dreams a reality and bust through the salary ceiling. A rising number of nutritionists are rewriting the rules by going independent—and online. According to a Business Insider report, high-earning RDNs are creating scalable business models that include:

• Online coaching and courses
• Subscription meal planning services
• Sponsored content and affiliate marketing
• Corporate wellness partnerships

A rising number of nutritionists are also involved in content creation and social media, where they educate and influence through platforms like blogs, YouTube, and Instagram.

These types of independent enterprises have allowed some nutritionists to earn far above a typical income for professionals in this field. Some report earning well beyond $100,000 and even beyond $200,000 from diversified digital revenue.

And some nutritionists are finding great success in freelancing. Popular side gigs include:

• Blogging
• Virtual workshops or webinars
• E-books or paid nutrition templates
• Telehealth consults

In the world of independent nutrition counseling, online creation and digital counseling are going nowhere but up. When considering a career in the digital realm, you’ll want to determine how you’ll set yourself apart from an already-inundated space. There’s always room to make a name for yourself here, but you’ll need to be prepared to offer your audience something bigger, better, or unique.

Want to Earn More with Your Nutrition Expertise? Look for Out-of-the-Box Opportunities

Most nutritionists have great success working for a hospital, long-term care facility, physician’s office, or private practice. A combination of job autonomy and flexibility and competitive paychecks makes this a solid career choice for many people who are interested in health, wellness, and helping others.

In fact, according to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 2024 Compensation Survey, over 90% of nutritionists report job satisfaction, citing fulfillment, autonomy, and career flexibility.

But there are also plenty of prospects for nutritionists beyond traditional work settings–all of which have the potential for higher-than-average salaries. Many work for local, state, and federal health agencies where they design nutrition programs and focus on policy, research, and education. Nutritionists in the nonprofit and international relief space are called upon to promote nutrition equity, address food insecurity, and support nutrition in humanitarian aid.

Others work in schools and universities where they design and implement school meal programs and outreach programs and teach nutrition science.

Still other nutritionists enjoy satisfying careers working in corporate wellness programs and for food and supplement companies, tech and consulting firms, pharmaceutical and biotech companies, and scientific research institutions. Much of their work in these spaces is focused on nutrition education, product development and marketing, and advising on nutrition-related foods and services.

There’s exciting work in nutrition education, program development, and counseling to be had, and lofty paychecks to match. If you want to be a part of the upper echelon of nutritionists who are making stellar salaries, you’ll need to consider advancing your education, earning specialized credentials, and maybe even starting up your own entrepreneurial pursuit.

The following bachelors and Master’s programs offer career-focused instruction delivered by trained nutritionists with experience in the field. Find out more what each individual course of study offers through the locations below.