Nutrition Science Major

Nutrition science is a major that typically falls into the Multi / Interdisciplinary Studies category.

There are 5 programs available throughout the country that offer an associate’s degree in nutrition science, 86 that offer a bachelor’s degree, and 81 that offer a master’s degree. There are also at least 44 schools in the nation where you can get your doctorate degree in the field.

Who Is Getting a Nutrition Science Degree?

This is a less frequently chosen major. Only 2,600 students graduated with a bachelor’s degree in nutrition science in 2017. This major is dominated by women with about 83% of recent graduates being female.

Racial Distribution

At the countrywide level, the racial distribution of nutrition science majors is as follows:

• Asian: 13.9%
• Black or African American: 3.5%
• Hispanic or Latino: 16.2%
• White: 53.9%
• Non-Resident Alien: 5%
• Other Races: 7.5%

Americans aren’t the only ones with an interest in nutrition science. About 5% of those graduating in 2017 were international students. The most popular countries sending nutrition science majors to the U.S. are China, Saudi Arabia and India.

What Will You Learn as a Nutrition Science Major?

An O*NET survey asked people with careers related to nutrition science to rate how important certain subject areas were to their job. The following are some of the results of that survey. Importance was rated on a scale of 1 to 5 with 5 being most important.

Knowledge Areas for Nutrition Science Majors

This major prepares you for careers in which these knowledge areas are important:

Skills for Nutrition Science Majors

When studying nutrition science, you’ll learn many skills that will help you be successful in a wide range of jobs - even those that do not require a degree in the field. The following is a list of some of the most common skills needed for careers associated with this major:

Abilities for Nutrition Science Majors

Nutrition science majors often go into careers where the following abilities are vital:

What Can You Do With a Nutrition Science Major?

Below is a list of occupations associated with nutrition science:

Careers Related to Nutrition Science

Job Title	Job Growth Rate	Median Salary
Dietetic Technicians	9.3%	$27,140
Dietitians and Nutritionists	14.6%	$60,370
Life Scientists	9%	$78,190
Natural Sciences Managers	9.9%	$123,860
Biological Science Professors	15.1%	$82,550
Molecular and Cellular Biologists	8%	$79,590

Nutrition Science Major Salary

Nutrition science majors often go into careers where salaries can range from $61,000 to $97,000. This range includes all degree levels, so the salary for a person with just a bachelor’s degree may be a little less and the one for a person with an advanced degree may be a little more.

To put that into context, the typical high school graduate makes between $29,000 and $57,000 a year. The average person with a bachelor’s degree (any field) makes between $44,000 and $99,000. Advanced degree holders make the most with salaries between $55,000 and $120,000.

The area of the country you choose to work in will also affect your career and salary prospects. Getting a graduate degree may open up more options with higher salary potential.

Amount of Education Required for Nutrition Science Major Jobs

Some careers associated with nutrition science may require an advanced degree, while others may not even require a bachelor’s in the field. In general, the more advanced your degree the more career options will open up to you. However, there is significant time and money that needs to be invested into your education so weigh the pros and cons.

Find out what the typical degree level is for nutrition science careers below.

Education Levels for Careers Associated With Nutrition Science

Level of Education	Percentage of Workers
Less Than a High School Diploma	5.8%
High School Diploma or Equivalent	13.1%
Post-Secondary Certificate	0%
Some College Courses	1.3%
Associate's Degree or Equivalent	1%
Bachelor's Degree	19.2%
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate	6.7%
Master's Degree	12.3%
Post-Master's Certificate	0.7%
First Professional Degree	0%
Doctoral Degree	23.2%
Post-Doctoral Training	16.7%

Online Nutrition Science Programs

There are 86 colleges that offer a bachelor’s degree in nutrition science, with 3 of them offering at least some courses online.

Online learners must listen or watch video lectures, participate in group chats or forums, submit papers and assignments electronically, take tests, and meet deadlines.

Getting your degree online is not easy and includes watching and listening to hours of lectures, participating in group charts, submitting papers by the appropriate deadline and taking tests. Some online programs will also feature internships or in-person clinical hours.

Is a Nutrition Science Major Worth It?

The median salary for a nutrition science grad is $84,000 per year. This is based on the weighted average of the most common careers associated with the major.

This is 115% more than the average salary for an individual holding a high school degree. This adds up to a gain of about $894,000 after 20 years!

Related Majors

• Interdisciplinary Studies
• Biological & Physical Science
• Peace Studies & Conflict Resolution
• Systems Theory
• Mathematics & Computer Science
• Biopsychology
• Gerontology
• Historic Preservation
• Medieval Studies
• Museum Studies
• Science, Technology & Society
• Accounting & Computer Science
• Behavioral Science
• Natural Sciences
• Nutrition Science
• International Studies
• Holocaust Studies
• Classical & Ancient Studies
• Multicultural & Diversity Studies
• Cognitive Science
• Cultural Studies & Analysis
• Human Biology
• Dispute Resolution
• Maritime Studies
• Computational Science
• Human Computer Interaction
• Marine Science
• Sustainability Science
• Other Interdisciplinary Studies

References

Bureau of Labor Statistics
National Center for Education Statistics
O*NET Online
Image Credit: Division, CSIRO via License