There are many keys that must be used to unlock personal good health.
Exercise is important, as are many other healthy lifestyle choices.
Without good nutrition, however, it can be difficult, if not impossible, for a healthy lifestyle to be achieved.
As a nutrition major, you are already learning about what it takes to provide a healthy diet for individuals in many different circumstances.
A degree in Nutrition Sciences allows you to analyze needs so that an individual?s dietetics meets medical, physical, and emotional needs.
There are numerous good paying opportunities in this field that are waiting to be filled.
Here are some of the things you can do with a Nutrition Sciences degree to earn a great living.
#1. Food and Nutrition Manager
As a Food and Nutrition Manager, your job would be to provide and supervise nutrition care and service operations as a first-line supervisor.
You will find this position is readily available in commercial food service establishments, healthcare settings, and some school districts.
Sometimes this job is referred to as a Dietary Technician.
You may report directly to a Clinical Dietician or be asked to work independently.
You may or may not have direct reports for whom you are responsible.
In this position, you would be responsible for planning a specific meal plan and then implementing it.
You may be asked to supervise the cooking or baking processes that are used.
Some Food and Nutrition Managers are even asked to fill-in during the preparation work for the food as well.
If you are currently a nutrition major, then this is an excellent job opportunity while you work toward your degree.
Most institutions only require 2 years of education or an Associate?s Degree to be employed.
As this is often an entry-level position, especially if it is a Dietary Technician opportunity, the salary potential is somewhat limited.
The average manager will earn about $31,000 per year.
If there are supervisory responsibilities included with this position, then the pay jumps up to about $38,000 per year.
#2. Public Health Nutritionist
As a Public Health Nutritionist, you would be called upon to promote healthy eating habits to your local community or region.
Your job is more of a teaching position, showing people how they can shop at the grocery store within their budget, but still choose healthy items.
You would also be called upon to speak with the public about how good nutritional choices can help to prevent disease.
You may also be asked to provide a primary point of contact for the healthcare that low-income individuals may need.
Public Health Nutritionists often work in state or national government programs.
In the United States, this may be WIC, SNAP, and similar food service programs.
You may also be asked to administer specific local programs that seek to improve the health of specific at-risk demographics.
The average salary for this type of position is generally above $50,000 per year.
Some nutritionists who work in the public sector can earn as much as $75,000 per year.
Certain government programs may pay more, especially if there are authorized grants available.
#3. Clinical Dietician
Many people are concerned about their current fitness levels and general health.
This concern has led to a higher demand for professionals who can provide expertise in the arena of diet and nutrition certification.
As a Clinical Dietician, you would be able to teach people how to select, prepare, and consume food based on their current needs.
You would work in the healthcare system, providing institutions with the knowledge needed to meet the special dietary needs of patients and guests.
This would involve patients of all ages, from the elderly to premature newborns.
You would also be called upon to serve on patient treatment teams when a specific diet may be necessary.
This happens most often for patients diagnosed with cancer or diabetes, but could involve many other physical or mental health needs.
There are also leadership positions available in many healthcare settings that involve nutrition.
As a Chief Dietician, you would be responsible for creating programs and policies while supervising the implementation of each service by other Clinical Dieticians.
You would oversee nutritional programs, meal services, and direct staff at varied locations, from military bases to universities to retirement homes.
The average salary for this position averages about $55,000 per year, with top dieticians earning around $76,000.
Geography and demand will influence the available salary for Clinical Dieticians in some communities, with the bottom 10% in the United States earning just $34,000 annually.
If you achieve the position of a Chief Clinical Dietician, the average salary for this position is about $65,000 per year, with some top earners topping out at $100,000 or more.
#4. Nutrition Consultant
There are several sub-categories that are available for this job opportunity.
As a Nutrition Consultant, you could work for a corporation, work in primary health care, be a personal consultant, or run your own entrepreneurial effort to provide general counseling.
In a corporate setting, you would be asked to conduct a wellness program for employees.
This would help them focus on their personal health, which could potentially lower the healthcare costs of the organization and individual workers.
In a primary healthcare setting, you may be asked to consult on treatment teams for patient needs.
You may also be brought in to advise on how to create healthy eating choices and answer patient questions.
Your job would be to differentiate good and poor choices in practical ways.
For those who work as a personal consultant, you could work at a local gym as a nutritional trainer.
You could be hired by professional athletes to design weekly or monthly dietary programs so physical goals can be met.
Diet programs might have you come in to assist people who are struggling with weight loss.
As a freelance consultant, you could provide any or all of these services in any setting.
You could also create your own nutritional plan and teach seminars about how to implement it.
The average salary for a Nutrition Consultant is about $37,000 annually.
Although this is lower than most other jobs in this category, many consultants work part-time or in their own home business.
This means you have more control over your hours, your client base, and the time you spend working as a trade-off for the lower salary.
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#5. Media Professional
If you have always liked writing or being on camera then the world of journalism could be right for you.
Nutritionists working as media professionals are called in to talk about dietary concerns when new stories involving the nutrition sciences come up.
Media professionals are needed at all levels of reporting, from local weekly papers to nationally televised broadcasts.
The amount you can earn in this role often depends on the level of expertise and education you have.
Those with an extensive reputation in the nutrition industry who write or talk regularly can earn more than $95,000 per year.
If you only work part-time or on-demand, you may earn $30,000 or less per year in this role.
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#6. Nutrition Researcher
Nutrition Researchers study the nutrients and their effects on aging, reproduction, growth, and disease.
It is a specific branch of medical research, so a doctorate degree in Nutrition Sciences is often required.
You would be working on research projects, studying dietetics in laboratory settings, writing grants, and supervising the implementation and evaluation of your ideas.
Once the research is completed, your summary and descriptions of what occurred would then be submitted for publication in appropriate medical journals.
Although nutrition of any subject can be researched, the three top categories are pharmaceuticals, food science and nutrition, or supplements.
Salaries for Nutrition Researchers often depend on the type of work being completed and who is sponsoring it.
Those who work for private companies tend to earn the most, often above $100,000 per year.
Government researchers average about $80,000 per year, while educators and private researchers tend to earn about $60,000 per year.
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#7. Teacher/Professor
In order for you to earn your Nutrition Sciences degree, you had to learn about this subject in a classroom setting.
You will also likely need to fulfill an internship responsibility at some point in time.
To facilitate your learning, a teacher or professor provided you access to the information you needed for your degree.
This means you have the same opportunity. As a nutrition major, you can funnel the knowledge and experience you?ve gained into a teaching position.
Teaching positions are generally available at the high school level and above.
You may be asked to earn a teaching certification to use the information from your nutrition major in this type of opportunity.
Salaries for teachers or professors depend on several factors, including the degree you?ve earned, the prestige of the school, and geographical factors.
High school teachers may earn $35,000 per year when they first start teaching.
Professors may earn between $60,000-$120,000, depending on their position, seniority, and status.
#8. Product Representative
Food companies and pharmaceutical organizations hire nutrition majors to represent products and services on a regular basis.
With your knowledge and experience, you become a sales asset to that company because you can show the specific benefits that are potentially available with each product.
This type of position often requires extensive travel.
You will be visiting doctors, medical organizations, and vendors to create sales opportunities.
Some representatives are also called upon in educational opportunities, showing how a product works in public speaking events, organizational meetings, and other types of gatherings.
There may be extensive ongoing training requirements in addition to your Nutrition Sciences degree which must be met.
The salary for this type of position is often commission-based, so your earnings would be based on the number of sales that you are able to achieve.
Top performers can consistently earn more than $100,000 annually.
Specialty representatives can earn up to $140,000, on average, when working full-time.
If you are working for a food company, you?ll either work as a direct sales or wholesales representative.
Wholesale representatives earn an average of $64,000 per year, while direct sales as a category earns an average of $52,000.
The top 10% in this category earned more than $110,000 in the past 12 months.
There are often management positions available as well, including local and regional sales management.
Expect a 10-20% boost in pay based on the average earning potential for your preferred position.
#9. Writer/Blogger
Thanks to the ease of information access that we have today through the Internet, many people are finding ways to take charge of their own dietary needs.
Simple searches take these independent researchers to various sites that offer nutritional advice.
You can also use your education as a nutrition major to write your own books or create products that can help people meet their dietary needs.
There are also affiliate programs that you could represent on your website.
Selling advertising space on an informative blog about nutritional choice is also an option to consider.
This type of position is very independent and can often be a secondary source of income that you work on during your off-hours from one of these other job opportunities.
Salaries for writers and bloggers can be quite variable.
Most will earn less than $10,000 per year with this venture, especially in the first 12-24 months.
How much you are able to write and promote yourself will often dictate how much you can earn.
With the right combination of products and services in this opportunity, it is quite possible to earn more than $100,000 once your expertise has been established.
If you want to learn how you can make money with your blog, then click here.
The jobs for nutrition majors are all focused on one thing: to provide people with the information they need to make better choices.
These are just some of the best positions that are available right now with a Nutrition Sciences degree.