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 (110.4) | $111,308 |
| Charleston, WV | $92,390 | Below avg (88.7) | $104,140 |
| Vallejo, CA | $111,430 | Above avg (108.5) | $102,720 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $117,380 | Above avg (115.6) | $101,528 |
| Beckley, WV | $89,440 | Below avg (88.4) | $101,212 |
| Visalia, CA | $96,880 | Average (99.8) | $97,050 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $102,580 | Above avg (106.7) | $96,166 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | $103,760 | Above avg (109.9) | $94,417 |
| Modesto, CA | $97,830 | Above avg (104.1) | $93,970 |
| Santa Maria-Santa Barbara, CA | $102,060 | Above avg (108.8) | $93,807 |
| Salinas, CA | $101,640 | Above avg (109.0) | $93,212 |
| St. Cloud, MN | $81,620 | Below avg (87.6) | $93,139 |
| Chico, CA | $93,900 | Average (101.2) | $92,789 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | $99,720 | Above avg (107.8) | $92,518 |
| Fresno, CA | $93,470 | Average (102.2) | $91,496 |