Dietitians and nutritionists
Salary, job outlook, AI risk & career information
Dietitians and nutritionists in the United States earn a median salary of $76,400 per year — about $37 per hour, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Roughly 91K people work in this occupation nationwide, with projected employment growth of +6%.
AI & Automation Risk
The core tasks of analyzing nutritional data, interpreting research, and creating personalized meal plans are highly digital and data-driven, making them susceptible to AI automation and augmentation. However, the role requires significant interpersonal counseling, empathy, and clinical judgment in medical settings, which provides a buffer against full automation.
Salary by City — What You Actually Take Home
Real purchasing power = salary adjusted for cost of living. Higher = more money in your pocket.
| City | Local Salary | Cost of Living | Real Purchasing Power |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CABEST VALUE | $122,910 | Above avg (113.1) | $108,713 |
| Charleston, WV | $92,390 | Below avg (89.1) | $103,741 |
| Vallejo, CA | $111,430 | Above avg (109.4) | $101,894 |
| Beckley, WV | $89,440 | Below avg (89.5) | $99,930 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $117,380 | Above avg (117.6) | $99,855 |
| Visalia, CA | $96,880 | Average (101.5) | $95,467 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $102,580 | Above avg (109.1) | $94,032 |
| Modesto, CA | $97,830 | Above avg (105.1) | $93,059 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $103,760 | Above avg (112.8) | $92,007 |
| St. Cloud, MN | $81,620 | Below avg (89.3) | $91,399 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $99,720 | Above avg (110.3) | $90,447 |
| Napa, CA | $101,050 | Above avg (111.8) | $90,364 |
| Fresno, CA | $93,470 | Above avg (104.0) | $89,872 |
| Salinas, CA | $101,640 | Above avg (113.2) | $89,803 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $102,060 | Above avg (113.7) | $89,741 |