Wages

	Total Employed	Average Hourly Wage	Average Annual Wage
Indiana	640	$17.26	$35,910
Gary	60	$16.78	$34,910
Indianapolis	180	$17.93	$37,290
Evansville	40	$16.72	$34,770
National	41,320	$17.54	$36,470

Nationally, half of all people employed in this group earn between $29,500 and $44,110 each year.

Employment

Nationally, about 54,000 dietitians work in this small occupation. Major employers: Hospitals Doctors' offices Nursing homes Schools Social service offices Federal, state, and local government agencies Restaurants Roughly 10 percent of dietitians and nutritionists are self-employed.

Outlook

National

Nationally, the number of jobs for dietitians is expected to grow as fast as the average through the year 2008. The need for dietitians is expected to increase since people are paying more attention to their eating habits. In addition, the growing population of elderly people will have an effect. Nursing homes, home health agencies, and other groups that work with the elderly will all need dietitians. Job openings will also result from replacing workers who leave the field. The number of jobs for dietitians in hospitals is expected to grow slowly. Fewer patients are spending the night in hospitals so there is less demand for food. In addition, many hospitals contract out their food service so they do not need dietitians on staff. Employment may also be limited because other workers may substitute for nutritionists. For example, nurses, health educators, and dietetic technicians all could fill in for dietitians.

Getting Hired

Twenty-seven states require that dietitians be licensed. In these states, employers can hire only licensed dietitians. Fourteen states require that dietitians be certified or registered. This means that only dietitians who meet certain requirements can use the term "registered dietitian." It is possible to work in these states without a certificate or registration.

Job Advancement

Experienced dietitians may move into management positions. They may also start their own businesses.