A registered dietitian who plans nutrition, hydration, and recovery strategies for athletes and active people to support training and performance. BLS does not publish separate figures for dietitians and nutritionists; it counts them within dietitian (SOC 29-1031), whose median pay is $76,400 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Master's degree.
- SOC 29-1031
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Sports Dietitian in four numbers
- Median pay
- $76,400a year, or $36.73/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $49KTop 10% $104K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +7.7%Much faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+7.7%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +7.7% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 5,70086,300 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202586.3K
- Projected 203593K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 86.3K Projected 2035 93K - Typical education
- Master'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- Associate's3.3%
- Bachelor's10%
- Post-bacc certificate53.3%
- Master's33.3%
Highest education held by dietitians and nutritionists Segment Value Associate's 3.3% Bachelor's 10% Post-bacc certificate 53.3% Master's 33.3%
Also advertised as: Sports Nutritionist, Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics, Performance Dietitian, Team Dietitian, Director of Sports Nutrition.
Pay
How much do Dietitians and Nutritionists make?
Every sports dietitian in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$76,400
Middle half earn $63,080 to $89,340
- 10th
- $49,090
- 25th
- $63,080
- 75th
- $89,340
- 90th
- $103,720
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $49,090 |
| 25th | $63,080 |
| Median | $76,400 |
| 75th | $89,340 |
| 90th | $103,720 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $76,400
- Median hourly wage
- $36.73/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $77,130
- People employed
- 77,570
Versus all US occupations
At $76,400, Dietitians and Nutritionists earn 50% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $25,420 a year.
Versus healthcare practitioners and technical occupations
Inside the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical group, where the middle occupation pays $102,760, this is 26% below the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $103,720 or more while the bottom 10% earn $49,090, a gap of 2.1×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 52% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
California posts the highest raw median ($98,850), but once local prices are taken into account West Virginia leads at $99,936 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Dietitians and Nutritionists the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1California | $98,850 | $89,279 | 8,720 |
| 2West Virginia | $89,440 | $99,936 | 520 |
| 3Alaska | $87,980 | $85,952 | 130 |
| 4New Jersey | $84,450 | $77,616 | 2,870 |
| 5Washington | $84,220 | $78,701 | 1,450 |
| 6Oregon | $84,180 | $81,443 | 700 |
| 7New York | $82,480 | $76,426 | 5,330 |
| 8District of Columbia | $82,150 | $74,749 | 270 |
| 9Hawaii | $81,920 | $74,506 | 370 |
| 10Connecticut | $80,600 | $77,792 | 860 |
Job outlook
Is Sports Dietitian a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Much faster than average. +7.7% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Dietitians and Nutritionists | +7.7% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Much faster than average
BLS projects employment of Dietitians and Nutritionists to change 7.7% over 2025–2035, roughly 2.2× the 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 6,700 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 5,700 openings are projected each year, 6.6% of the 86,300 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Sports Dietitian
Sports dietitians are registered dietitian nutritionists (RDNs). That path requires a graduate degree, completion of an accredited dietetics program and supervised practice, and a passing score on the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) registration exam, along with state licensure where required. The specialist credential is the Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD), which CDR awards after a set amount of specialty practice experience as an RDN and a passing score on the CSSD exam.
Many sports dietitians start as graduate assistants or interns in college athletics departments. The Collegiate and Professional Sports Dietitians Association (CPSDA) and the Sports and Human Performance Nutrition practice group (SHPN) offer networking and job boards.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Master's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
Internship/residency
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Considerable preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as dietitians and nutritionists.
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate53.3%
- Master's Degree33.3%
- Bachelor's Degree10%
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree3.3%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Post-Baccalaureate Certificate | 53.3% |
| Master's Degree | 33.3% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 10% |
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 3.3% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Sports Dietitian do?
Sports dietitians build fueling plans around an athlete's training schedule, body composition goals, and competition calendar. They advise on what to eat before, during, and after training, manage weight class and hydration concerns, and screen supplements for safety and for substances banned by the NCAA, World Anti-Doping Agency, or professional leagues.
In college and pro settings they run fueling stations, plan team meals for home and road games, and work with chefs, strength coaches, athletic trainers, and team physicians. They also recognize and help manage eating disorders and low energy availability, which are common concerns in many sports.
Day-to-day tasks
- Assess athletes' diets, body composition, and energy needs
- Create individual and team fueling, hydration, and recovery plans
- Screen dietary supplements for safety and banned substances
- Plan team meals for home games and travel with dining staff and chefs
- Run fueling stations and nutrition education sessions
- Identify and refer athletes at risk for disordered eating or low energy availability
- Coordinate care with athletic trainers, physicians, and strength coaches
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Sports dietitians work in college athletics departments, professional teams, military performance programs, Olympic training centers, hospitals, and private practice. They split time between offices, dining halls, training rooms, and practice facilities, and team roles involve early mornings, evening events, and travel.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayIndoors, in a climate-controlled space, every day.
Outdoors in all weather
NeverEvery dayAlmost never works outdoors.
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayCost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Reading Comprehension4.0
- Active Listening4.0
- Speaking4.0
- Critical Thinking4.0
- Writing3.9
- Monitoring3.9
- Learning Strategies3.8
- Active Learning3.6
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Reading Comprehension | 4.0 |
| Active Listening | 4.0 |
| Speaking | 4.0 |
| Critical Thinking | 4.0 |
| Writing | 3.9 |
| Monitoring | 3.9 |
| Learning Strategies | 3.8 |
| Active Learning | 3.6 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness4.0
- Judgment and Decision Making4.0
- Service Orientation3.9
- Complex Problem Solving3.9
- Coordination3.8
- Instructing3.8
- Persuasion3.4
- Systems Evaluation3.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 4.0 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 4.0 |
| Service Orientation | 3.9 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.9 |
| Coordination | 3.8 |
| Instructing | 3.8 |
| Persuasion | 3.4 |
| Systems Evaluation | 3.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Cloud-based data access and sharing software
- Data base user interface and query software
- Desktop communications software
- Graphics or photo imaging software
- Internet browser software
- Medical software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Sports Dietitian?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code ISA) built on O*NET's Dietitian profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Sports Dietitian |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 3 |
| Investigative | 5 |
| Artistic | 3 |
| Social | 6 |
| Enterprising | 3 |
| Conventional | 3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around teaching, helping and working directly with other people, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
- Social5.5
- Investigative5.2
- Enterprising3.4
- Conventional3.4
- Artistic3.1
- Realistic3.0
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Sports Dietitian
O*NET related occupations
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
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- Healthcare Practitioners and Technical
More healthcare practitioners and technical careers
Median annual pay, with dietitians and nutritionists highlighted
- Anesthesiologist$391,490
- Physician Assistant$135,880
- Nurse Practitioner$132,300
- Physical Therapist$102,760
- Dental Hygienist$98,100
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographer$96,590
- Radiologic Technologist and Technician$80,110
- Sports Dietitian$76,400
- Surgical Technologist$64,650
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Anesthesiologist | $391,490 |
| Physician Assistant | $135,880 |
| Nurse Practitioner | $132,300 |
| Physical Therapist | $102,760 |
| Dental Hygienist | $98,100 |
| Diagnostic Medical Sonographer | $96,590 |
| Radiologic Technologist and Technician | $80,110 |
| Sports Dietitian | $76,400 |
| Surgical Technologist | $64,650 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Sports Dietitian appears on
Questions
Sports Dietitian: frequently asked questions
How much do Dietitians and Nutritionists make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for dietitians and nutritionists. It counts them within dietitian, whose median pay is $76,400 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $63,080 and $89,340, and the top 10% earn $103,720 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Sports Dietitian?
Yes. BLS reports a master's degree as the typical entry-level education for Dietitians and Nutritionists, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as considerable preparation. BLS also lists internship/residency as typical on-the-job training. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 53.3% hold post-baccalaureate certificate.
Is Sports Dietitian a growing career?
Yes, strongly. Employment is projected to grow 7.7% over 2025–2035, more than double the 3.5% projected for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 5,700 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Sports Dietitian do?
Sports dietitians build fueling plans around an athlete's training schedule, body composition goals, and competition calendar. A typical task: assess athletes' diets, body composition, and energy needs. Employers most often ask for Electronic mail software, Office suite software, Presentation software.
Which states pay Dietitians and Nutritionists the most?
The highest state medians for Dietitians and Nutritionists are California ($98,850), West Virginia ($89,440), Alaska ($87,980) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, West Virginia moves to the top at $99,936.
What personality type suits a Sports Dietitian?
O*NET scores Dietitians and Nutritionists highest on the Social, Investigative and Enterprising interest areas, so the work mixes teaching, helping and working directly with other people with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping the closest types are INFJ, ENFJ, ENFP. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.