Your future is food with a degree in dietetics
Earn solid money while helping others make healthy choices
Pursuing a degree in dietetics will help you build a future as hot as a pizza oven. It blends food and science to help people live better.
A degree in dietetics provides more than just a range of career choices. It provides an opportunity to learn about the intersection of science and eating.
Jumpstart your career in dietetics with a degree from Central Michigan University.
What is dietetics?
Dietetics promotes a quality of life through nutrition. It is a bit of art, a bit of science and a bit of culture. That mix makes it unique among other areas of study.
Cooking food isn't just about making a dish. Cooking is making a dish that is pleasing to eat. It is self-expression.
Dietetics applies the science of nutrition to the art of cooking. Students also learn how culture shapes food choices.
Graduates with dietetics degrees learn how to blend all three to encourage nutritious, healthy diet choices. They serve in a range of roles. They take care of whole communities. They can also work with smaller, narrower groups of people with more specialized needs as a registered dietitian.
Courses you'll take along your journey
During your studies, expect classes like:
- Food science
- Medical nutrition therapy
- Biochemistry
- Anatomy and physiology
- Community nutrition
- Food service management
- Nutrition through the lifecycle
Not everyone in dietetics starts strong with science. What matters most is having a passion for food, helping others and a willingness to learn.
Skills that amaze hiring managers
Beyond just learning about food, a dietetics degree helps you develop skills employers love:
- Critical thinking and problem-solving
- Communication (explaining complex science is a superpower)
- Counseling and interviewing techniques
- Research and data analysis
- Cultural competence
- Time management and organization
- Leadership and teamwork
Awesome career paths in dietetics
Getting a dietetics degree opens doors to careers that make a difference in people's lives. Here are some paths you might take:
Traditional career routes
A dietetics degree unlocks many career paths. You can apply what you learn broadly to help your community. You can also narrow to work in a specialty career.
- Clinical Dietician: Work in hospitals or long-term care facilities helping patients with medical nutrition therapy
- Community Dietitian: Focus on public health, often working with specific populations like children or seniors
- Sports Dietitian: Help athletes optimize performance through nutrition (imagine working with your favorite sports teams)
- Food Service Dietitian: Oversee large-scale meal planning in schools, prisons or hospitals
- Research Dietitian: Discover new connections between diet and health
Non-traditional jobs to consider
- Food Product Developer: Create new healthy food products for companies
- Corporate Wellness Consultant: Help businesses keep their employees healthy
- Media Dietician: Star as the next food influencer
- Policy Advocate: Work with government agencies to improve nutrition policies
- Nutrition Entrepreneur: Start your own private practice or nutrition-focused business
Show me the money: Salary info
Dietetics degrees can lead to good-paying jobs. Graduates can expect to earn a competitive salary that varies depending on where they work:
- Dietitian manager: $76,000
- Dietitians and nutritionists: $69,680
- Sports nutrition dietitian: $66,241
- Clinical dietitian: $59,595
The job outlook for dietetics is growing faster than average. This makes it a stable career choice for the future.
What makes a dietetics degree unique?
A dietetics degree also offers lots of options. You can work in hospitals one year, corporate wellness the next and then maybe start your own business after that. How many degrees let you pivot careers while still using your core expertise?
Explore dietetics at Central Michigan University
A dietetics degree is an exciting way to mix science and food. It's also on the menu at Central Michigan University.
CMU students build their futures at the Allen Foundation Culinary Nutrition Center, which offers professional-grade facilities. It provides students with opportunities for hands-on learning and research.