Occupation Summary

Dietitians and Nutritionists

O*NET 29-1031.00

Description:

Plan and conduct food service or nutritional programs to assist in the promotion of health and control of disease. May supervise activities of a department providing quantity food services, counsel individuals, or conduct nutritional research.

Annual Wages:
$67,098.00
Employment Rate:
Employment is expected to increase by 17.07%.
Education Level:
Post-Baccalaureate Certificate - awarded for completion of an organized program of study; designed for people who have completed a Baccalaureate degree but do not meet the requirements of academic degrees carrying the title of Master.. According to O*Net, the majority of people employed in this occupation have this level of education.
Endorsement:
Public Service, Science Technology Engineering and Math (STEM)

  1. Assess nutritional needs, diet restrictions, and current health plans to develop and implement dietary-care plans and provide nutritional counseling.
  2. Consult with physicians and health care personnel to determine nutritional needs and diet restrictions of patient or client.
  3. Advise patients and their families on nutritional principles, dietary plans, diet modifications, and food selection and preparation.
  4. Counsel individuals and groups on basic rules of good nutrition, healthy eating habits, and nutrition monitoring to improve their quality of life.
  5. Monitor food service operations to ensure conformance to nutritional, safety, sanitation and quality standards.
  6. Coordinate recipe development and standardization and develop new menus for independent food service operations.
  7. Develop policies for food service or nutritional programs to assist in health promotion and disease control.
  8. Inspect meals served for conformance to prescribed diets and standards of palatability and appearance.
  9. Develop curriculum and prepare manuals, visual aids, course outlines, and other materials used in teaching.
  10. Prepare and administer budgets for food, equipment, and supplies.
  11. Purchase food in accordance with health and safety codes.
  12. Select, train, and supervise workers who plan, prepare, and serve meals.
  13. Manage quantity food service departments or clinical and community nutrition services.
  14. Coordinate diet counseling services.
  15. Advise food service managers and organizations on sanitation, safety procedures, menu development, budgeting, and planning to assist with establishment, operation, and evaluation of food service facilities and nutrition programs.
  16. Organize, develop, analyze, test, and prepare special meals, such as low-fat, low-cholesterol, or chemical-free meals.
  17. Plan, conduct, and evaluate dietary, nutritional, and epidemiological research.
  18. Plan and conduct training programs in dietetics, nutrition, and institutional management and administration for medical students, health-care personnel, and the general public.
  19. Make recommendations regarding public policy, such as nutrition labeling, food fortification, or nutrition standards for school programs.
  20. Write research reports and other publications to document and communicate research findings.
  21. Plan and prepare grant proposals to request program funding.
  22. Test new food products and equipment.
  23. Confer with design, building, and equipment personnel to plan for construction and remodeling of food service units.
  24. Evaluate laboratory tests in preparing nutrition recommendations.
  25. Incorporate patient cultural, ethnic, or religious preferences and needs in the development of nutrition plans.
  26. Record and evaluate patient and family health and food history, including symptoms, environmental toxic exposure, allergies, medication factors, and preventive health-care measures.
  27. Develop recipes and menus to address special nutrition needs, such as low glycemic, low histamine, or gluten- or allergen-free.
  28. Plan, conduct, and evaluate nutrigenomic or nutrigenetic research.


National Industry Employment Patterns


Industry % of Dietitians and Nutritionists employed Annual Growth Rate
General medical and surgical hospitals 23.7 0.37
Outpatient care centers 8.6 1.64
Offices of other health practitioners 8.1 1.89
Special food services 7.2 0.00
Nursing care facilities (skilled nursing facilities) 6.4 -0.20
Offices of physicians 5.7 0.22
Specialty (except psychiatric and substance abuse) hospitals 2.5 1.01
Individual and family services 2 1.73


Labor Market Information


2024 Statewide average hourly wage $32.26
2024 National average hourly wage $35.95
2022 National employment 78,600
2022 Texas employment 4,465
Texas projected employment by 2032 5,227
Texas projected annual employment and Turnover openings through 2032 381




TEXAS COUNTY MAP BY WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AREA
* Due to confidentiality rules, not all regions may have the data displayed. The sum of all the regions may not be equal to the state total.


Top 10 Relevant Knowledge Areas Relevant Importance Levels
Biology
Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
88.20%
Medicine and Dentistry
Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
85.40%
English Language
Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
82.60%
Therapy and Counseling
Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
81.40%
Customer and Personal Service
Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
80.00%
Psychology
Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
77.40%
Education and Training
Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
76.00%
Mathematics
Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
72.60%
Computers and Electronics
Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
68.20%
Chemistry
Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
67.60%


Top 10 Relevant Skill Areas Relevant Importance Levels
Reading Comprehension
Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
80.00%
Active Listening
Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
80.00%
Speaking
Talking to others to convey information effectively.
80.00%
Critical Thinking
Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
80.00%
Social Perceptiveness
Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
80.00%
Judgment and Decision Making
Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
80.00%
Monitoring
Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
77.60%
Service Orientation
Actively looking for ways to help people.
77.60%
Complex Problem Solving
Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
77.60%
Writing
Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
77.60%


Top 10 Relevant Abilities Relevant Importance Levels
Oral Comprehension
The ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
80.00%
Written Comprehension
The ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
80.00%
Oral Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
80.00%
Written Expression
The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
80.00%
Problem Sensitivity
The ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing that there is a problem.
80.00%
Deductive Reasoning
The ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
80.00%
Inductive Reasoning
The ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
80.00%
Speech Clarity
The ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
80.00%
Category Flexibility
The ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
77.60%
Information Ordering
The ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
75.00%


  • Assisting and Caring for Others
    -- Providing personal assistance, medical attention, emotional support, or other personal care to others such as coworkers, customers, or patients.
  • Getting Information
    -- Observing, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
    -- Keeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Documenting/Recording Information
    -- Entering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others
    -- Translating or explaining what information means and how it can be used.
Other Activities


  • Independence
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to work on their own and make decisions. Corresponding needs are Creativity, Responsibility and Autonomy.
  • Relationships
    - Occupations that satisfy this work value allow employees to provide service to others and work with co-workers in a friendly non-competitive environment. Corresponding needs are Co-workers, Moral Values and Social Service.



Tools

Bodyweight measuring scales: Hydrostatic weighing machines; Upright scales;

Calorimeters: Metabolic carts;

Desktop computers: Desktop computers;

Electronic blood pressure units: Automated blood pressure cuffs;

Glucose monitors or meters: Glucometers;

Impedance meters: Bioelectric impedance machines;

Mercury blood pressure units: Manual blood pressure cuffs;

Metabolic disorder breathalyzer monitor or meter: Ketone meters;

Notebook computers: Laptop computers;

Personal computers: Personal computers;

Personal digital assistant PDAs or organizers: Personal digital assistants PDA;

Physiological recorders: Wearable fitness monitors;

Skinfold calipers: Skinfold calipers;


Technology

Analytical or scientific software: Allergenic diet software; Aurora FoodPro; Axxya Systems Nutritionist Pro; Compu-Cal Nutrition Assistant; Cronometer; ESHA Research The Food Processor; Ketogenic planning software; Monash University Low FODMAP Diet App; Mosby's Nutritrac; MyFitnessPal; Nutrient analysis software; PICS DietMate Professional; Statistical software; The Nutrition Company FoodWorks;

Cloud-based data access and sharing software: Google Drive;

Data base user interface and query software: CyberSoft NutriBase; Database software; DietMaster Systems DietMaster; ValuSoft MasterCook;

Desktop communications software: Skype;

Electronic mail software: Microsoft Outlook;

Graphics or photo imaging software: Graphics software;

Internet browser software: Web browser software;

Medical software: SureQuest Systems Square 1; Lifestyles Technologies DietMaster Pro; MNT Northwest MNT Assistant; BioEx Systems Nutrition Maker Plus;

Network conferencing software: ReadyTalk;

Office suite software: Microsoft Office software;

Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint;

Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel; Spreadsheet software;

Word processing software: Word processing software; Microsoft Word;


Related O*NET occupational titles for Dietitians and Nutritionists include:
  • 29-1141.02 Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses
  • 29-1141.04 Clinical Nurse Specialists
  • 29-2051.00 Dietetic Technicians
  • 29-1215.00 Family Medicine Physicians
  • 29-9092.00 Genetic Counselors
  • 21-1091.00 Health Education Specialists
  • 29-1299.01 Naturopathic Physicians
  • 29-1171.00 Nurse Practitioners
  • 29-1221.00 Pediatricians, General
  • 29-1229.05 Preventive Medicine Physicians


Sources of Additional Information
  • For more information about dietitians and nutritionists, visit: Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
  • For a list of academic programs, visit: Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics
  • For information on the Registered Dietitian or Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RD/RDN) exam and other specialty credentials, visit: Commission on Dietetic Registration
  • For information on the Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) exam and credential, visit: Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists
  • For information on the Clinical Nutrition Certification (CCN) exam and credential, visit: Clinical Nutrition Certification Board
  • CareerOneStop

  • For a career video on dietitians and nutritionists, visit: Dietitians and Nutritionists
  • Dietitians and Nutritionists

  • Contact Texas Workforce Commission
    Labor Market and Career Information  |  101 E. 15th Street, Annex Room 0252  |  Austin, Texas 78778
    Official Website  |  1-800-822-PLAN (7526)  |  512.936.3200

    ** The information in this report may be derived from many sources like O*NET, BLS (Bureau of Labor Statistics), OOH (Occupational Outlook Handbook), and Career One Stop.