Salary Range & Percentiles
Pay distribution across experience levels
- 10th Percentile — Entry Level$49,090
- 25th Percentile — Junior$63,080
- 50th Percentile — Median$76,400
- 75th Percentile — Senior$89,340
- 90th Percentile — Top Earners$103,720
The top 10% of Dietitians and Nutritionists earn $103,720 or more per year. Entry-level professionals can expect to start around $49,090, with significant growth over the first 5 years.
Salary by State
Geographic salary comparison
| State | Avg Salary | vs National |
|---|---|---|
| California | $98,780 | +28.1% |
| Alaska | $87,810 | +13.8% |
| New Jersey | $87,460 | +13.4% |
| Oregon | $86,210 | +11.8% |
| Washington | $85,170 | +10.4% |
| New York | $84,760 | +9.9% |
| District of Columbia | $84,530 | +9.6% |
| Hawaii | $84,050 | +9.0% |
| Arkansas | $83,050 | +7.7% |
| Massachusetts | $82,390 | +6.8% |
| Connecticut | $82,260 | +6.7% |
| West Virginia | $81,860 | +6.1% |
| Delaware | $81,180 | +5.3% |
| Maryland | $80,860 | +4.8% |
| Vermont | $80,280 | +4.1% |
| Colorado | $78,730 | +2.1% |
| Minnesota | $77,620 | +0.6% |
| Illinois | $77,060 | -0.1% |
| Rhode Island | $75,820 | -1.7% |
| Virginia | $75,730 | -1.8% |
| Georgia | $74,860 | -2.9% |
| Wisconsin | $74,320 | -3.6% |
| Nevada | $73,910 | -4.2% |
| Florida | $73,270 | -5.0% |
| New Mexico | $72,860 | -5.5% |
| Montana | $72,750 | -5.7% |
| Texas | $72,670 | -5.8% |
| North Dakota | $72,550 | -5.9% |
| Maine | $72,160 | -6.4% |
| Iowa | $71,310 | -7.5% |
| Louisiana | $71,130 | -7.8% |
| Kansas | $71,110 | -7.8% |
| Nebraska | $71,090 | -7.8% |
| South Carolina | $69,800 | -9.5% |
| Idaho | $69,790 | -9.5% |
| North Carolina | $69,050 | -10.5% |
| Alabama | $68,920 | -10.6% |
| Ohio | $68,690 | -10.9% |
| Oklahoma | $68,270 | -11.5% |
| South Dakota | $68,220 | -11.6% |
| Pennsylvania | $68,000 | -11.8% |
| Tennessee | $67,910 | -12.0% |
| Michigan | $67,750 | -12.2% |
| Wyoming | $67,640 | -12.3% |
| New Hampshire | $67,420 | -12.6% |
| Indiana | $66,780 | -13.4% |
| Utah | $66,410 | -13.9% |
| Missouri | $66,330 | -14.0% |
| Kentucky | $65,570 | -15.0% |
| Mississippi | $65,160 | -15.5% |
| Arizona | $64,960 | -15.8% |
What Factors Affect Dietitians and Nutritionists Salary?
Key factors affecting compensation
Pay for Dietitians and Nutritionists is influenced by geographic location, years of experience, employer type, and educational background. Location alone is a large factor: California pays an average of $98,780, while Arizona pays $64,960 — a gap of $33,820 per year.
The middle half of Dietitians and Nutritionists earn between $63,080 and $89,340 per year. The lowest-paid 10% earn under $49,090, while the top 10% earn more than $103,720.
These figures are the wages employers report to BLS: base pay plus commissions, production bonuses and tips. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials, year-end bonuses, benefits and self-employed workers, so total compensation can be higher than the numbers shown.
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics · Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OES) · May 2025
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Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this salary
What is the average salary for Dietitians and Nutritionists?
The average salary for Dietitians and Nutritionists in the United States is $77,130 per year, with a median of $76,400.
What is the starting salary for Dietitians and Nutritionists?
Entry-level Dietitians and Nutritionists typically earn between $49,090 and $63,080 per year depending on location and employer.
What state pays Dietitians and Nutritionists the most?
California pays Dietitians and Nutritionists the most at $98,780 per year on average, followed by Alaska ($87,810) and New Jersey ($87,460).
How much do Dietitians and Nutritionists make per hour?
Based on the average annual salary of $77,130, Dietitians and Nutritionists earn approximately $37.08 per hour (based on 2,080 working hours/year).
Is Dietitians and Nutritionists a good career in 2026?
BLS counts 77,570 Dietitians and Nutritionists jobs in the United States, with a mean annual wage of $77,130 and a median of $76,400 (OEWS May 2025). This site does not publish job-growth projections; the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook covers the outlook for each occupation.
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