Nutrition & Dietetics Careers
Cornucopia of
Careers
Enjoy job security while you help people reclaim their health.
More and more, the health care industry is recognizing the critical role nutrition plays in the prevention and treatment of disease. With a degree in this program, you can work in hospitals, schools and worksite wellness programs, leading the way to greater understanding of how the right foods and nutrition can improve our lives and our health.
17% Job Growth
Part of nutrition is teaching our community, and the job outlook for community health educators is projected to rise by 17% through 2030.
Hearty Salary
$61,650 median salary in 2021, nationally, for nutritionists and dietitians.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Opportunity
Whether you want to work in hospitals, community outreach, food science companies or athletics, Northeast Wisconsin has a wealth of opportunities.
Career Options
Your degree doesn't limit you to a career as a dietitian in a hospital. The field of nutrition is booming, so you have plenty of career paths. The following list represents some, but not all, of the jobs you can pursue:
- Corporate Wellness Director
- Chef
- Food Safety Auditor
- Food Scientist
- Health Coach
- Health Promotion Specialist
- Nutrition Educator
- Sports Dietitian
The Skills You Need to Succeed
"I constantly find that I am drawing on skills and lessons I learned in my time at UW-Green Bay, whether it is about motivational interviewing, nutrigenomics or the science of food preparation. I’m so grateful that the nutrition program was diversified in focus but also in-depth in the topics covered."
Tad Taggart '20
Registered Dietitian & Personal Trainer – Western Racquet & Fitness Club
Post-Graduation Plans
There are four main options students might pursue after graduation from our program. At UW-Green Bay, we have programs for all nutrition pathways.
1Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN) Credential*
With additional credentials, you can become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). An RDN is a recognized expert in food and nutrition. RDNs work in a variety of settings including:
- health care settings (hospitals, health clinics, long-term care facilities and private practice)
- local, state, federal or international level in community and public health agencies
- food and nutrition research in academic or corporate settings
- industry and food service
How to Become an RDN:
There are multiple pathways to becoming an RDN. The pathway our program offers involves completion of an accredited Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics (DPD), from which you earn a minimum of a bachelor's degree. Successful completion of the DPD undergraduate program provides you with the verification statement needed to apply to an accredited supervised practice program. Following successful completion of a supervised practice program, you are then eligible to sit for the national examination for registered dietitian nutritionist credentialing. Successful completion of the examination credentials you as a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist.
Have your bachelor's degree? If you have already completed a bachelor's degree from an accredited institution, you may apply directly to a Future Education Model graduate program with supervised practice. Pre-requisite coursework may be required. For more information, please talk to your advisor or see the ACEND® website.
More information:
- There is more information about the supervised practice in the student handbook.
- For additional information on the pathways to becoming a Registered Dietitian see the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website.
For several years, the numbers of students successfully completing accredited undergraduate Didactic Programs in Nutrition and Dietetics nationwide and applying to supervised practice has been outpacing the number of available positions. As a result, competition for supervised practicum is fierce. UW-Green Bay students have been successful. Please work closely with your advisor and program director to discuss the ways in which you can become a competitive applicant.
2Nutrition & Dietetic Technician, Registered (NDTR) Credential
Another choice after receiving your bachelor's degree is to become a registered nutrition and dietetic technician (NDTR). Many NDTRs work with RDNs in health care facilities, assisting RDNs with providing medical nutrition therapy. NDTRs also work in food service, community and public health settings providing nutrition counseling. NDTR position include:
- Dietetic Technicians
- Nutrition Educators
- Dietary Aides
- Food Service Managers
How to Become a Nutrition & Dietetic Technician, Registered (NDTR)
To become a Registered Nutrition and Dietetic Technician (NDTR), you must first complete either:
- An accredited Didactic Program in Nutrition and Dietetics (DPD) such as our dietetics program, from which you earn a minimum of a bachelor’s degree and receive a verification statement.
OR
- An accredited Dietetic Technician program earning at least an associate’s degree. You are then eligible to take the national Nutrition and Dietetic Technician, Registered exam. Successful completion of this exam credentials you as a Nutrition and Dietetic Technician, Registered. For additional information on becoming a Nutrition and Dietetic Technician, Registered (NDTR), the NDTR exam and work opportunities to go to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics website.
3Graduate School
Interested in leveling up your education? You can pursue graduate school in a wide variety of disciplines such as:
- nutrition research in disease prevention/intervention
- nutrient metabolism
- nutrient-gene interactions
- public health and policy
- international nutrition
- epidemiology
4 Employment Opportunities with a Bachelor's Degree
With your bachelor's degree in nutrition and dietetics, you can go directly into the workforce in a variety of areas, including:
- food service
- food industry/agribusiness
- healthcare
- government agencies
- health coaching
- worksite wellness
- public health
*Important: Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) will require a minimum of a master’s degree to be eligible to take the credentialing exam to become a registered dietitian nutritionist (RDN). 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 (ACEND®). Graduates who successfully complete the ACEND®-accredited DPD Program at the University of Wisconsin Green Bay are eligible to apply to an ACEND®-accredited supervised practice program. For more information about educational pathways to become an RDN, please visit eatrightpro.org/acend and view the information for students and advancing education.
Got Questions?
Professor Sara Wagner is committed to student success, so if you're struggling to figure out what to do after graduation, she's happy to help!