Become a nutrition expert
Do you like food, science and health?
Then you have the traits to become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN).
Lead healthier lifestyles with better eating.
Careers and Outcomes
What can you do with a nutrition and dietetics degree?
Almost anything you want. Your degree is versatile. You won’t get bored in the typical office setting.
Your services – planning and educating others about a healthy diet – can lead you to careers in:
- Administrative/food service management
- Business
- Clinical or community nutrition programs
- Consulting
- Food science
- Hospitals
- Marketing
- Nursing homes
- Pediatrics
- Public health
- Research
- Schools
- Sports
- Teaching/education
- Wellness programs
You can have a rewarding career instructing the do’s and don’ts of what to eat.
Our program puts you on the right path.
When you graduate, you’re prepared for your next steps in becoming an RDN. You can continue into a dietetic internship then take the national registration exam.
Graduate school
Don’t want to enter the workforce right away? You can also explore graduate school options: physical therapy, pharmacy, food science and much more.
Earning a master’s degree (graduate school) can increase your earning power and career options.
Are dietitians in high demand?
Yes. Jobs and salaries continue to grow.
Pay
$63,000
Average median salary for dietitians and nutritionists.
Source: Bureau of Labor and Statistics
Job growth
11%
Projected job growth this decade for dietitians and nutritionists, much faster than
the national average.
Source: Bureau of Labor and Statistics
Student Spotlight
Shaping her career path
Lower costs and close connections convinced Meghan McGaw to attend MSU. She's discovered
endless possibilities for her future career in dietetics.
Becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)
When you graduate from our program, you’re on your way to becoming a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN).
Two things remain on your to-do list:
- Complete a 1,000-hour supervised practice program (internship) at an Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND)-approved program. Like Missouri State’s dietetic internship.
- Pass the Registration Examination for Dietitians.
When you complete your internship and pass the exam, you’ll become an RDN.
In Missouri, you must also earn licensure to work as an RDN. You can apply for licensure after you pass the registration exam.
Should you plan to practice dietetics in a different state, it is important that you contact a state regulatory agency prior to practicing dietetics. Visit the CDR's website for a complete listing of states that require licensure/certification.
More information about becoming a registered dietitian and state licensure requirements can be found in the student handbook.
Graduate degree requirement
Effective January 1, 2024, the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) requires a minimum of a graduate degree for eligibility to take the registration exam and become an RDN.
For more information about this requirement, visit the CDR’s website.
Other certifications
It’s easier to find a job in health and wellness if you’re a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN)
If you choose not to complete an accredited internship and become an RDN, you can go another route.
You’re eligible to sit for:
These exams prepare you for non-RDN careers.
Career options (non-RDN)
With a strong science background in your degree, you can land jobs in various fields.
These include:
- WIC (Women, Infants and Children) Nutritionist
- Food safety
- Health education
- Pharmaceuticals
- Public health