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Clinical & private practice
Registered Dietitian
The only nutrition credential that legally means anything.
Typical pay
$60k-$90k
How you get in
Master's plus a supervised internship and the RD exam
Outlook
Growing; the master's requirement has tightened supply
Registered dietitians assess nutrition needs and design medical nutrition therapy. The distinction that matters: dietitian is a protected, licensed title, while nutritionist in most states means nothing at all.
A day in the life
- 8:00aReview new admissions and nutrition screening flags
- 9:00aPatient assessments on the floor
- 11:00aCalculate tube feeding and TPN orders
- 12:30pLunch
- 1:30pRounds with the medical team
- 3:30pCharting, education handouts, discharge planning
How to get in
Coordinated master's program
Duration
6 years total
Cost
$50,000-$150,000
Credential
Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)
- Complete a bachelor's in dietetics or nutrition science
- Enter a coordinated master's that includes the supervised practice hours
- Complete 1,000+ supervised internship hours
- Pass the CDR exam and get state licensed where required
Degree then internship match
Duration
6-7 years total
Cost
$50,000-$150,000
Credential
RDN
- Complete an ACEND-accredited bachelor's and master's
- Apply to the dietetic internship match — it is competitive and not guaranteed
- Complete the supervised practice hours
- Pass the CDR exam
Dietetic technician first
Duration
2 years
Cost
$8,000-$25,000
Credential
DTR, then optionally RDN
- Complete an associate degree in dietetic technology
- Work as a DTR in clinical or foodservice settings
- Confirm the field fits before the full master's commitment
- Continue to the RDN with credits that partially transfer
What people love
- · A protected credential competitors cannot claim
- · Clinical, community and private practice options
- · Private practice and telehealth scale well
- · Steady weekday hours in most settings
What wears people down
- · Master's degree now required to sit for the exam
- · Competitive supervised internship match
- · Pay lags the education required
- · Competing with unregulated nutrition influencers