A career as a dietitian is both a solid and demanding one. As long as people struggle with weight and medical conditions occur in which adjustments to people's dietary intake are required, the need for qualified dietitians will never go away and the salary is often commensurate with the level of demand. There are a number of things that may affect a dietitian's salary, but with the proper training and qualifications, even dietitians on the lower end of the pay scale can expect to earn a good living.Qualifications
- Becoming a dietitian requires at least a four-year (bachelor's) degree and there are quite a few specializations that require education beyond a bachelor's degree. Someone hopeful of success in a career as a dietitian will not only have to be well versed in matters of food, nutrition and sciences, but also be well educated in communication skills and psychology.
Factors that Affect Salary
- Deciding upon a specialization or focusing on a career as a dietitian/nutritionist could have an impact on your salary level. The more education and training that you acquire, the more money you'll likely make. A bachelor's degree will get you a steady income, but a master's degree and specialized training will give you many more options for positions with greater income potential.
Career Options
- Even choosing to enter the workforce as a dietitian without a particular specialization will give you a few options to choose from in terms of your career path. Clinical dietitians can work in hospitals, nursing homes and other medical institutions making certain that patients receive everything they need to promote recovery or maintain health. Consultant dietitians can work with high caliber athletes or professional sports teams helping people achieve higher performance levels.
Expected Salary
- The size of the company that you choose to work for and your education and experience will have an effect on the size of your paycheck. Entry level dietitians in smaller companies, with no definable area of specialty could earn from $25,000 to $35,000 per year and the salaries tend to increase as the size of the company and amount of responsibility increase. Management dietitians responsible for correlating the dietary needs of very large groups of people or private consultants working with professional athletes could easily earn $60,000 to $75,000 per year or more.
Considerations
- There are laws that govern the field of dietetics, many states require that dietitians be licensed before practicing, but some companies may still try to use employees that don't have all of the necessary education or training required to perform the duties of a dietitian in an effort to save money. If a company expects you to perform the work of a dietitian before you've become licensed or completed your education, it's very likely that you won't receive a competitive salary or that you'll have as many opportunities for advancement as you would with a company who is following proper protocol when it comes to dietetics.
Read more: Dietician Salaries | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/about_5437162_dietician-salaries.html#ixzz1geRHbZKk
