Nutritionist/Dietician at WGU
Are You Looking for a Nutritionist or Dietician Program?
While a degree isn’t required to become a nutritionist or dietician, it’s a good way to expand your knowledge and stand out to future employers. WGU doesn’t currently offer a nutritionist or dietician program, but our master’s degrees in health leadership, healthcare management, or to become a family nurse practioner can prepare you for a similar role as well as for other jobs in healthcare that could lead to a higher salary and more opportunity for advancement.
If you’re interested in nutrition and dietetics, keep reading to learn how a healthcare-related master’s degree from WGU can help you build on your knowledge and broaden your career choices.
Skills for a Nutritionist or Dietician and Similar Professions
Nutritionists and dieticians work with clients to develop their personal nutrition and meal plans while also monitoring serving sizes, portions, and nutrient intake. Their skills include soft skills such as communication and problem-solving and hard skills such as scientific knowledge, math, and nutrition therapy.
Nutritionists and dieticians often work in consultative, community, and clinical diet and nutrition roles. If you’re considering a nutritionist or dietician program, here are three other degree routes to consider that can open the door to similar positions in this field.
Bachelor of Science in Health Science
If you plan to grow your current career in the allied health professions, become a nurse, or pursue further education, this health science program is an excellent starting point for many health-related jobs. The versatile Bachelor of Science in Health Science degree provides a solid foundation that helps prepare students who want to apply to clinical-based programs or pursue a career in the health sciences field. This program contains coursework that will help you learn about various elements of health science, including cultural awareness and ethics, Research methods, applied healthcare statistics, pathophysiology, and substance abuse and addiction. Possible job titles include Patient educator, clinical technologist, wellness specialist, community health worker, residential care coordinator.
Master of Business Administration in Healthcare Management
If you're interested in the business side of healthcare or in managing your own practice one day, then this program could be a good fit. With an MBA in healthcare management, aspiring nutritionists or dieticians can gain skills that will prepare them to sustainably grow their business while responding to dynamic changes in healthcare standards. This degree also provides valuable insights for those considering middle- and higher-level roles in healthcare.
Master of Healthcare Administration
If you’re considering a career as a nutritionist or dietician, but also want to have a variety of job options available to you, consider getting a master’s degree in healthcare administration. This program will prepare you for both public and private roles in healthcare administration and teach you how to maximize the health of individuals, which can be valuable if you decide to become a nutritionist or dietician. The curriculum focuses on areas such as research, theory, community concepts, therapeutic interventions, and current trends in healthcare.
Family Nurse Practitioner
The knowledge and skills gained in a family nurse practioner degree program can be very valuable for starting or advancing your career as a nutritionist or dietician. You’ll learn about leadership and management in the healthcare system and health promotion of patients and populations across the lifespan. This degree can also put you on the path to becoming a nurse practitioner who specializes in branches of medicine like endocrinology, helping patients with diabetes manage their diet, or pediatrics, helping children learn about healthy eating.
$65,000
is the average annual salary for a nutritionist/dietician,according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Careers Similar to Nutritionist or Dietician
Becoming a nutritionist or dietician is a great career choice if you enjoy working with healthcare professionals and diverse clients. But if you’re passionate about helping others be healthier and change their life habits to benefit their well-being, there are many other career paths to consider..
What Does a Nutritionist/Dietician Do?
Nutritionists or dieticians work with healthcare professionals and a range of clients to help them develop nutrition and meal plans and monitor serving sizes, portions, and nutrient intake.
What Does a Dietetic Technician Do?
A dietetic technician is educated and trained at the technical level of nutrition and dietetics practice for the delivery of safe, culturally competent, quality food and nutrition services. They’re a vital part of healthcare and food service management teams.
What Does an Endocrinologist Do?
Endocrinologists are doctors who specialize in glands and the hormones they make. They deal with the metabolic and biochemical processes that make your body work, including how your body changes food into energy and how it grows.
What Does a Medical Scientist Do?
A medical scientist designs and conducts studies to investigate human diseases and methods to prevent and treat them. They conduct research aimed at improving overall human health and often use clinical trials and other investigative methods to reach their findings.
What Does a Diabetes Educator Do?
A diabetes educator helps newly diagnosed patients learn how to manage their diet, medication, and lifestyle with diabetes. They also guide patients on how to use devices like meters, insulin pens, pumps, and continuous glucose monitoring devices.
What Does a Public Health Educator Do?
Public health educators (PHEs) work in communities or schools to help teach people about healthy lifestyles, which can include nutrition and wellness. PHEs also plan public health events and collect and analyze data about government healthcare services.
11%
Employment growth is expected for dietitians and nutritionists between 2020 to 2030, while employment of public health educators is projected to grow by 17% from 2020 to 2030.
Why Choose WGU?
Why should you choose a degree in health leadership, healthcare management, or family nursing from WGU over a degree from another school? Here are a few reasons a WGU degree is a smart choice.
- It’s affordable. Our low, flat-rate tuition is charged per six-month term and covers as many courses as you can complete in that time.
- It’s accelerated. Thanks to our competency-based education model, you can pass courses by proving what you know, meaning you can speed up your program and graduate faster, potentially saving time and money.
- It’s career focused. WGU’s degree programs are designed with your future employment and success in mind, so the skills you learn will translate directly to your healthcare career.
- It’s accessible. Along with our already-low tuition, our scholarships and financial aid make college even more affordable.
Prepared for Success on the Job
*From a 2023 Harris Poll of 300 employers of WGU graduates.
100% of employers said that WGU graduates were prepared for their jobs.*
97% of employers said that they would hire another WGU grad.*
98% of employers said WGU graduates met or exceeded expectations.*
Which Degree Should You Choose?
Any of the healthcare or education focused bachelor's degrees at WGU can prepare you for a future career making a difference in the lives of others. These degrees are a great alternative to a social work degree program and can make sure you have training and credentials that will help you succeed in your career.
Health & Nursing
Health Science – B.S.
An online health science program designed for students who want real-world...
An online health science program designed for students who want real-world skills for valuable health careers.
- Time: 63% of students finish similar programs in 24 months.
- Tuition: $4,210 per 6-month term
- Courses: 28 total courses in this program
Skills for your résumé that you will learn in this program:
- Epidemiology
- Disease prevention
- Behavioral health
- Substance abuse support
- Health research
- Medical technology
This degree prepares you with relevant industry skills and experience that will help you move forward in your healthcare career.
Health & Nursing
Master of Healthcare Administration
A master's focused on managing comprehensive, value-based care, directly...
A master's focused on managing comprehensive, value-based care, directly in line with innovations in health and healthcare.
- Time: 60% of grads finish within 21 months.
- Tuition: $4,995 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 12 total courses in this program.
Skills for your résumé that you will learn in this program:
- Collaborative Leadership
- Healthcare Models and Systems
- Healthcare Financial Management
- Enterprise Risk Management
- Healthcare Information Technology
Your rich experience in a health-related field can mean more when you bring a master's level of understanding to the problems that organizations need to solve.
Compare degrees
This program is not the only degree WGU offers designed to create leaders in the field of healthcare. Compare our health leadership degrees.
Business
MBA Healthcare Management
Prepare for a career leading private or public healthcare organizations....
Prepare for a career leading private or public healthcare organizations.
- Time: WGU lets you set a schedule so you can finish your MBA in just one year.
- Tuition: $4,755 per 6-month term.
- Courses: 11 total courses in this program.
Skills for your résumé you will learn in this program include:
- Regulatory compliance
- Patient care improvement
- Service line development
- Healthcare trends
- Health policy and legislation
Healthcare is big business in today's complex economy. Steer your career with this specialty MBA.
Compare online business degrees
This program is not the only online business degree WGU offers that is designed to create leaders in the field of healthcare. Compare our health leadership degrees.
Health & Nursing
Family Nurse Practitioner (BSN-to-MSN) – M.S. Nursing
This program for BSNs who have an active, unencumbered RN license prepares...
This program for BSNs who have an active, unencumbered RN license prepares you to become a board-certified Family Nurse Practitioner.
- Locations: Due to the clinical requirements of this degree program, the FNP is currently NOT available to students who have a permanent residence in the following states: California, District of Columbia, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Washington.
- Time: It takes 2.5 years to complete the coursework and clinical components of this degree program.
- Tuition: $6,850 per six-month term.
- Courses: 16 total courses in this program.
Skills for your résumé that you will learn in this program:
- Leadership and Management
- Adult Primary Care
- Pediatric Primary Care
- Special Populations Primary Care
- Advanced Health Assessment
Students must have a permanent and active license from a state that is not listed above, must complete the internships in that state, and intend to obtain initial APRN licensure in that state. See more state-specific information related to nursing licensure. Compact licenses must be endorsed by your state of residence. More about compact licenses.
Health & Nursing
Nursing Leadership and Management – Post-Master's Certificate
A certificate for registered nurses with a master's degree in nursing who...
A certificate for registered nurses with a master's degree in nursing who are ready for greater responsibility in a leadership and management role.
- Time: Students typically finish this program in 12 months.
- Tuition: $5,035 per 6-month term. The cost to sit for the NAHQ Certified Professional in Healthcare Quality (CPHQ) exam is included in tuition.
- Courses: 8 total courses in this program.
Skills for your résumé that you will learn in this program:
- Strategic Planning
- Resource Management
- Business Case Analysis
- Evaluating Healthcare Improvements
