5 Careers for a Master’s in Nutrition Graduate

The field of nutrition is a growing one, offering a wide array of career opportunities to those who complete degrees in nutrition. Nutritionists are found in a variety of institutions and positions, from advising the parents of children with nutrient deficiencies to assisting people with healthy weight loss.

Nutrition represents a gold mine of lucrative career options. Those who complete a master’s degree in nutrition may choose from a plethora of specializations and job opportunities. So, what can you do with a master’s in nutrition? Here are five master’s in nutrition jobs you may want to consider after graduation.

Resource: Top 30 Affordable Online Master's in Dietetics

What is a Master’s in Nutrition?

A master’s in nutrition is a master’s degree that focuses on equipping you with the skills you need to become a dietitian or nutritionist. A master’s degree will prepare you for specialized and/or management roles in healthcare, and is also an education requirement for state licensure when becoming a registered dietician or certified nutritionist. 

Students pursuing their master’s in nutrition will learn the core components of this field and will also have the opportunity to dive into specialized courses within the program. Immunization, nutrition, and physiology are among the topics that master’s in nutrition students learn about.

There are a number of jobs for nutrition majors that you can pursue after graduation. For example, a graduate with a master’s in nutrition can create health campaigns for patients and offer nutrition and health information and education, as well as immunization and stress management education. 

Earning a master’s in nutrition degree will enable professionals to pursue non-clinical positions as well, which could include roles like public health educator. 

How Much Can You Earn with a Master’s in Nutrition?

By earning a master’s in nutrition, you will have the opportunity to enter a demanding work environment that is contoured around hospitality and healthcare. The salary you earn with this type of master’s degree will vary depending on your experience, the position you work in, and any  specializations you may have. 

Research facilities and medical facilities generally pay less than hospitals, nursing homes, and clinics, though again, this will vary depending on a number of factors unique to your situation. State and local governments tend to pay more than most other companies or healthcare facilities. 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median pay for a state-licensed dietitian was about $63,090 per year as of 2020. The lowest 10% percent earned about $39,840, while the highest 10% earned about $91,000 per year during that same time frame. 

Jobs that you can pursue with a master’s in nutrition include:

Dietitian

Dietitians counsel presenting patients on how best to plan and implement healthy eating habits and nutrition into their everyday lives. Dietitians must evaluate patients’ overall health, consider any medical conditions or nutrient deficiencies, and nutritional habits up to the present in order to assist patients in forming an appropriate plan for their individual dietary needs. Dietitians may specialize in a variety of areas, including child dietetics, gerontological dietetics, or food allergy dietetics. Dietitians made a median annual wage of about $63,090 per year as of 2020, and had a projected career growth of 8% through 2029, according to BLS.

Child or Adolescent Nutritionists

Child and adolescent nutritionists assess the unique nutritional needs of growing children and adolescents and work with parents to ensure the physical health of the child is optimized via their diet. Child and adolescent nutritionists may help to manage cases of childhood obesity, juvenile diabetes, and other conditions that challenge the physical health of young people. Child and adolescent nutritionists are often found in schools, hospitals, or daycare facilities. Nutritionists, which are similar to dietitians, made about $63,000 per year as of 2020, and the projected career growth for this field was expected to be about 8% through 2029, according to BLS.

Wellness Coach

A wellness coach works to assist their clients in managing their health on a more holistic level. As a wellness coach, you can offer a wide range of services, whether it’s helping clients to quit smoking or assisting with improvements in clients’ eating habits. A wellness coach can also help their clients find affordable gym memberships or local dieticians to work with. According to BLS, health educators made an average annual wage of about $48,140 as of 2020. The job outlook for health educators was projected to grow by about 13% through 2029, which is much faster than the average job growth rate.

Sports Nutritionist

Sports nutritionists bring a wide variety of skills to the table in the course of advising competing athletes in their diets. Competitive sport demands large amounts of nutrition and careful planning of dietary needs – in addition to any nutritional challenges to meet, such as nutritional deficiencies, or disorders and diseases that complicate nutritional needs, like diabetes. Many sports teams, universities, and gyms have dedicated sports nutritionists that see to the complex nutritional needs of serious athletes. Sports nutrition is among the most lucrative of careers in nutrition, and may prove an excellent career choice for nutrition graduates that are themselves athletes or sports enthusiasts. According to BLS, nutritionists — which sports nutrition falls under — typically earned about $63,090 per year as of 2020. The projected annual job growth rate for the nutritionist field was expected to be about 8% through 2029.

Exercise Psychologist

With an average salary of about $50,280 per year as of 2020 and an expected job growth rate of about 11% through 2029, exercise psychology is a field with massive growth potential that you may want to look into. 

Exercise psychologists create fitness programs that help patients who have been sick or injured get back on their feet. According to BLS, about half of exercise physiologists are self-employed, and most have a degree in nutrition, biology, kinesiology, or anatomy.