Nutrition Educators: How to Become One
If you were to ask a group of nutrition educators about how they arrived at their current job, there's a good chance you would get several different answers about the paths and steps that each person took.
That said, there are still ways that you can develop a baseline understanding of the preparation that is necessary to become one.
The Best Adult Colleges and Careers Guide has gathered data to provide you with insight into the type of education that's commonly required for nutrition educators to land a job. This page contains information, sourced from real job postings, that describes the experience levels and specific skills that employers of nutrition educators expect candidates to have. In the end, this information will help you create an education or professional development plan that aligns with your career aspirations.
Keep reading to learn more about career steps for nutrition educators.
What Education & Experience is Needed for Nutrition Educators?
Do nutrition educators need a degree? What kind of experience do nutrition educators typically need? Thanks to data sourced from Lightcast™ from real job postings, we can get some clarity on those questions, as well as the level of education that is commonly required for nutrition educators to secure jobs.
Education Level Required in Job Postings for Nutrition Educators
Jobs Postings for Nutrition Educators By Education
- Bachelor's degree: 13,987 (35%)
- No Education Listed: 12,500 (32%)
- High School or GED: 6,735 (17%)
- Master's degree: 5,199 (13%)
- Ph.D. or professional degree: 1,072 (3%)
A bachelor's degree is the level of education sought the most by employers of nutrition educators. According to job data, a bachelor's degree was required for 35% of positions. In 32% of job listings no education level was listed and in 17% of postings a High School diploma or GED was required.
Experience Level Required in Job Postings for Nutrition Educators
Jobs Postings for Nutrition Educators By Experience
- 0-1 Years: 4,790 (29%)
- 2-3 Years: 8,357 (51%)
- 4-6 Years: 2,713 (17%)
- 7-9 Years: 246 (1%)
- 10+ Years: 320 (2%)
While the amount of required experience will vary based on the responsibility and seniority of the position, an aggregate view of job posting data can help paint a picture of the experience level sought for most job openings for nutrition educators. In 51% of job postings for Nutrition Educators, employers were looking for candidates with 2-3 years of experience. In 29% of listings employers were looking for candidates with 0-1 years of experience, while 4-6 years of experience was sought in 17% of job postings for nutrition educators.
What Kind of Degree Do Nutrition Educators Need?
So far this page has provided detail into the level of education and the amount of experience required in job openings for nutrition educators, but what type of education or degree will help prepare you for a career in the field?
According to occupational data obtained through Lightcast,™ there are 18 key academic programs that can help prepare prospective nutrition educators, and in 2023 a total of 79,979 of those programs were completed at institutions in the United States.
Check out the information below to learn more about the specific programs that should be considered by prospective nutrition educators.
Top Degree Programs for Nutrition Educators
Top 5 Degree Programs for Nutrition Educators (2023)
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Public Health, General. | 25,431 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, General. | 12,748 |
| Human Services, General. | 11,590 |
| Nutrition Sciences. | 5,468 |
| Health and Wellness, General. | 5,395 |
| Program | Completions |
|---|---|
| Public Health, General. | 25,431 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, General. | 12,748 |
| Human Services, General. | 11,590 |
| Nutrition Sciences. | 5,468 |
| Health and Wellness, General. | 5,395 |
| Public Health Education and Promotion. | 4,086 |
| Public Health, Other. | 3,119 |
| Health Services Administration. | 3,016 |
| Community Health Services/Liaison/Counseling. | 2,374 |
| International Public Health/International Health. | 1,696 |
| Health Teacher Education. | 1,536 |
| Sports, Kinesiology, and Physical Education/Fitness, Other. | 1,147 |
| Behavioral Aspects of Health. | 633 |
| Sports Studies. | 616 |
| Health Communication. | 416 |
| Medical/Health Humanities. | 345 |
| Maternal and Child Health. | 275 |
| Dental Public Health and Education. | 88 |
Top Online College For Working Adults
Franklin University is a top choice for adults who need to balance school with busy lives. Founded in 1902 in Columbus, Ohio, Franklin's main focus has been serving adult students and tailoring education to fit their needs. Nonprofit and accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (hlcommission.org/800.621.7440), Franklin offers more than 50 affordable bachelor's, master's, and doctoral programs — all available 100% online.
Degree Options for Nutrition Educators
Become an important part of the patient care experience and put yourself at the forefront of health and wellness with a broad-based healthcare education that prepares you for an entry-level role at a hospital, physician’s office, healthcare agency, and more.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
The B.S. Exercise Science major provides a clear path to a rewarding career helping individuals realize their health and fitness goals. You’ll learn to evaluate fitness levels, design results-oriented exercise programs and apply coaching methodologies to help your clients reach their full potential.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
Improve quality of life by removing barriers to healthcare, promoting wellness and reducing health disparities.
- Class Type: 100% online
- Cost Per Credit: $398
What Skills Do Nutrition Educators Need?
Education and experience have been covered, so what are the specific skills and traits needed by nutrition educators to secure a job?
A good way to understand this is to examine actual job postings for skills commonly sought by employers. Continue reading for a breakdown of specialized skills found in job postings for nutrition educators, as well as common skills that can help you thrive in the workplace.
In-Demand Skills for Today's Nutrition Educators
Based on 34,379 job postings
Top 5 Specialized Skills for Nutrition Educators
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Health Education | 5,368 | 16% |
| Nursing | 4,587 | 13% |
| Public Health | 3,653 | 11% |
| Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) | 2,930 | 9% |
| Health And Wellness Coaching | 2,882 | 8% |
Top 5 Common Skills for Nutrition Educators
| Skills | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 11,823 | 34% |
| Management | 7,261 | 21% |
| Customer Service | 6,717 | 20% |
| Teaching | 5,509 | 16% |
| Leadership | 5,266 | 15% |
Based on 34,379 job postings related to nutrition educators, health education was the top specialized skill sought by employers, with 16% of all postings looking for that skillset. Skills for nursing, public health, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (cpr), health and wellness coaching and health promotion were also highly sought.
As for common skills, communication was the most desired skill found in job postings for nutrition educators, followed by management, customer service, teaching, leadership and planning.
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Health Education | 5,368 | 16% |
| Nursing | 4,587 | 13% |
| Public Health | 3,653 | 11% |
| Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) | 2,930 | 9% |
| Health And Wellness Coaching | 2,882 | 8% |
| Health Promotion | 2,865 | 8% |
| Diabetes Mellitus | 2,748 | 8% |
| Community Health | 2,716 | 8% |
| Social Work | 2,489 | 7% |
| Marketing | 2,348 | 7% |
| Mental Health | 2,316 | 7% |
| Behavioral Health | 2,287 | 7% |
| Patient Education And Counseling | 2,034 | 6% |
| Psychology | 2,020 | 6% |
| Bilingual (Spanish/English) | 1,891 | 6% |
| Weight Management | 1,626 | 5% |
| Motivational Interviewing | 1,455 | 4% |
| Nutrition Education | 1,442 | 4% |
| Selling Techniques | 1,437 | 4% |
| Chronic Diseases | 1,416 | 4% |
| Skill | Postings | % of Total Postings |
|---|---|---|
| Communication | 11,823 | 34% |
| Management | 7,261 | 21% |
| Customer Service | 6,717 | 20% |
| Teaching | 5,509 | 16% |
| Leadership | 5,266 | 15% |
| Planning | 5,038 | 15% |
| Writing | 4,896 | 14% |
| Presentations | 4,430 | 13% |
| Research | 4,244 | 12% |
| Coordinating | 3,989 | 12% |
| Interpersonal Communications | 3,626 | 11% |
| Microsoft Excel | 3,272 | 10% |
| Microsoft Office | 3,231 | 9% |
| Operations | 3,079 | 9% |
| Coaching | 3,065 | 9% |
| Sales | 2,967 | 9% |
| Time Management | 2,927 | 9% |
| Computer Literacy | 2,852 | 8% |
| Scheduling | 2,834 | 8% |
| Problem Solving | 2,799 | 8% |
Additional Links
Ready to dig deeper into career information about nutrition educators? Visit our other pages focused on salary and education for nutrition educators.
What do nutrition educators do?
How much do nutrition educators make?
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