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Nutrition Science

Types of Degrees Nutrition Science Majors Are Earning

Those studying Nutrition Science have the option of earning degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	5
Associate’s Degree	9
Bachelor’s Degree	3,309
Master’s Degree	1,951
Doctor’s Degree	182

What Nutrition Science Majors Need to Know

Studies in Nutrition Science emphasize a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Nutrition Science graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Nutrition Science emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.9 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 5.2 / 7.
• Biology — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Mathematics — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Nutrition Science program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Speaking — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.
• Active Listening — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.7 / 7.
• Critical Thinking — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.0 / 7.
• Writing — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.3 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Nutrition Science careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.5 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.8 / 7.
• Written Expression — Importance 4.0 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Speech Clarity — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 4.2 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Nutrition Science graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Getting Information	4.4 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.3 / 7
Working with Computers	4.1 / 7
Training and Teaching Others	4.1 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	4.1 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	4.1 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	4.0 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.0 / 7
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.0 / 7
Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Nutrition Science professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Microsoft PowerPoint	Presentation software	✓
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	✓
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	✓
Web browser software	Internet browser software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	✓
Microsoft Outlook	Electronic mail software	—
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Spreadsheet software	Spreadsheet software	—
ValuSoft MasterCook	Data base user interface and query software	—
Axxya Systems Nutritionist Pro	Analytical or scientific software	—
CyberSoft NutriBase	Data base user interface and query software	—
The Nutrition Company FoodWorks	Analytical or scientific software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Nutrition Science graduates include:

• Adjunct Instructor
• Nutrition Coordinator
• Nutrition Counselor
• Menu Planner
• Dietary Aide
• Public Health Nutritionist
• Research Dietitian
• Diet Counselor
• Dietist
• Outpatient Dietitian
• Renal Dietitian
• Public Health Dietitian
• Therapeutic Dietitian
• Oncology Dietitian
• Clinical Dietician

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Nutrition Science graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Master’s degree	34.2%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	20.7%
Bachelor’s degree	13.7%
Doctoral degree	13.5%
Post-doctoral training	6.1%
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	4.5%
Postsecondary certificate	3.5%
Some college courses	1.6%
Less than a high school diploma	1.1%
High school diploma or equivalent	0.9%
Post-master’s certificate	0.1%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Nutrition Science?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 84.2% of Nutrition Science degrees.

Gender	Graduates	Share
Women	4,594	84.2%
Men	862	15.8%

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Nutrition Science graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	2,806	51.4%
Asian	650	11.9%
Hispanic or Latino	957	17.5%
Black or African American	256	4.7%
American Indian / Alaska Native	11	0.2%
Native Hawaiian / Pacific Islander	5	0.1%
Two or More Races	188	3.4%
Race Unknown	150	2.7%
International Students	433	7.9%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Nutrition Science Graduates Earn?

College Scorecard reports median earnings of Nutrition Science graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Earnings tend to climb steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$37,311
4 years	$52,172
5 years	$59,138

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $59,138 — roughly 59% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Online Nutrition Science Programs

Online study is reported by IPEDS for Nutrition Science. The table below shows how many graduates earned at least some of their coursework online (Distance-Ed Available) versus completing the entire program online (Distance-Ed Only).

Award Level	Distance-Ed Available	Distance-Ed Only
Master’s	12	18

^{Distance-Ed Only = degrees completed entirely online; Distance-Ed Available = degrees including at least some online coursework. Source: IPEDS Completions by Distance Education status.}

Is a Degree in Nutrition Science Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Nutrition Science graduates earn a median of $52,172 four years after completion — roughly 37% above the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000).

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	CIP Code
Multi Interdisciplinary Studies	30
Accounting and Computer Science	30.16
Anthrozoology	30.34
Behavioral Sciences	30.17
Biological and Physical Sciences	30.01
Biopsychology	30.10
Classical and Ancient Studies	30.22
Climate Science	30.35
Cognitive Science	30.25
Computational Science	30.30
Cultural Studies and Comparative Literature	30.36
Cultural Studies/Critical Theory and Analysis	30.26

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.