# Dietitians and Nutritionists

US SOC code 29-1031. Markdown version of https://futurehistory.earth/timeline/29-1031

Also called: Dietitian, Nutritionist, Registered dietitian, RD, RDN.

## In brief

In May 2025, [BLS](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip) counted **77,570** US dietitians and nutritionists, with median pay of **$76,400** a year. Of the BLS counts since 2003, the May 2025 count is the highest. The earliest figure here is [an estimate](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_of_Nutrition_and_Dietetics) of **58** from 1917, not measured the same way as today's count. The last full technology era for dietitians and nutritionists: Consumer nutrition apps and CGM consumer platforms, 2015 to 2023.

## What the sources say

### Official outlook

BLS projects employment to grow 7.7% from 2025 to 2035. Source: [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=29-1031&ioType=o).

### AI exposure studies

- **46.3%** of this job's tasks are exposed to large language models. Not a forecast of job losses. [Eloundou and others, 2023](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv)

Data as of BLS OEWS May 2025; BLS Employment Projections 2025-35. BLS publishes these counts as yearly survey snapshots and cautions against reading them as a precise trend. In May 2021 BLS changed how it estimates these counts (a model-based method using three years of survey data) and moved fully to the 2018 occupation codes, so part of a change across 2021 can come from the method rather than the work.

## Dietitians and Nutritionists employment and pay by year

- On record since: 1882
- Latest US employment: 77,570 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [4]
- Latest US median pay: $76,400 (May 2025). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025 [10]
- Outlook: +7.7% by 2035. Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025-35 [28]

### In other countries

The latest figure each country's statistics agency publishes for this job. Each uses its own occupation definition, survey basis and currency, so the numbers are not directly comparable with each other or with the US figures.

- **Canada** (NOC 31121)
  - Employment, 2020: 11,150. Source: Statistics Canada Census 2021 [7]. Statistics Canada Census of Population 2021: number of persons with employment income in NOC 31121 Dietitians and nutritionists, Canada, reference year 2020. A recipients basis (anyone with employment income during the year), slightly broader than a point-in-time employed count. Statistics Canada Open Licence.
  - Median pay, 2020: C$77,000. Source: Statistics Canada Census 2021 [14]. Statistics Canada Census of Population 2021 (Table 98-10-0586): median employment income for NOC 31121 Dietitians and nutritionists, Canada, reference year 2020, full-year full-time workers (the basis comparable to the US OEWS full-time median). Statistics Canada Open Licence.

### All 27 years of cited US data

| Year | US employment | Annual pay (median unless marked) | Source |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1917 | 58 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics [1] |
| 1947 | n/a | $2,400 (estimate) | Est., University of Missouri Libraries [8] |
| 1980 | 47,000 (estimate) | n/a | Est., Grokipedia [2] |
| 2000 | 43,030 | $38,450 | BLS OEWS 2000 [3] |
| 2003 | 46,190 | $42,030 | BLS OEWS May 2003 [4] |
| 2004 | 46,530 | $43,630 | BLS OEWS May 2004 [4] |
| 2005 | 48,850 | $44,940 | BLS OEWS May 2005 [4] |
| 2006 | 51,230 | $46,980 | BLS OEWS May 2006 [4] |
| 2007 | 52,800 | $49,010 | BLS OEWS May 2007 [4] |
| 2008 | 53,630 | $50,590 | BLS OEWS May 2008 [4] |
| 2009 | 53,220 | $52,150 | BLS OEWS May 2009 [4] |
| 2010 | 53,510 | $53,250 | BLS OEWS May 2010 [4] |
| 2011 | 56,130 | $54,470 | BLS OEWS May 2011 [4] |
| 2012 | 58,240 | $55,240 | BLS OEWS May 2012 [4] |
| 2013 | 59,530 | $55,920 | BLS OEWS May 2013 [4] |
| 2014 | 59,490 | $56,950 | BLS OEWS May 2014 [4] |
| 2015 | 59,740 | $57,910 | BLS OEWS May 2015 [4] |
| 2016 | 61,430 | $58,920 | BLS OEWS May 2016 [4] |
| 2017 | 62,980 | $59,410 | BLS OEWS May 2017 [4] |
| 2018 | 64,670 | $60,370 | BLS OEWS May 2018 [4] |
| 2019 | 67,670 | $61,270 | BLS OEWS May 2019 [4] |
| 2020 | 66,330 | $63,090 | BLS OEWS May 2020 [4] |
| 2021 | 66,690 | $61,650 | BLS OEWS May 2021 [4] |
| 2022 | 69,880 | $66,450 | BLS OEWS May 2022 [4] |
| 2023 | 73,860 | $69,680 | BLS OEWS May 2023 [4] |
| 2024 | 76,570 | $73,850 | BLS OEWS May 2024 [4] |
| 2025 | 77,570 | $76,400 | BLS OEWS May 2025 [4] |

## Sources (96)

### Employment series

1. [Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, founding and first-year membership (58 members), via Wikipedia summary of Academy history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_of_Nutrition_and_Dietetics), Wikipedia (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)
2. [Grokipedia — Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: history and membership growth (over 60,000 members by 1980s)](https://grokipedia.com/page/Academy_of_Nutrition_and_Dietetics), Grokipedia (citing Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)
3. [BLS OES 2000 national estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oes00nat.zip), Bureau of Labor Statistics
4. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2024](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
5. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2006, Table 97-563-XCB2006069 (Wage and salary statistics by occupation, NOC-S 2006), income reference year 2005](https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/tbt/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&PID=96285), Statistics Canada
6. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2016, Table 98-400-X2016356 (Occupation by employment income statistics, NOC 2016), income reference year 2015](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/98-400-X2016356), Statistics Canada
7. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021, Table 98-10-0586 (Employment income statistics by occupation unit group, NOC 2021), income reference year 2020](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810058601), Statistics Canada

### Wage series

8. [University of Missouri Libraries — Prices and Wages by Decade: 1940-1949 (hospital employee wage context)](https://libraryguides.missouri.edu/pricesandwages/1940-1949), University of Missouri Libraries / BLS historical sources
9. [BLS OES 2000 national estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oes00nat.zip), Bureau of Labor Statistics
10. BLS OEWS, national cross-industry estimates (flat file), Bureau of Labor Statistics. Editions: [2003](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm03nat.zip), [2004](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm04nat.zip), [2005](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm05nat.zip), [2006](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm06nat.zip), [2007](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm07nat.zip), [2008](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm08nat.zip), [2009](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm09nat.zip), [2010](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm10nat.zip), [2011](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm11nat.zip), [2012](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm12nat.zip), [2013](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm13nat.zip), [2014](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm14nat.zip), [2015](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm15nat.zip), [2016](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm16nat.zip), [2017](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm17nat.zip), [2018](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm18nat.zip), [2019](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm19nat.zip), [2020](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm20nat.zip), [2021](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm21nat.zip), [2022](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm22nat.zip), [2023](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm23nat.zip), [2025](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm25nat.zip)
11. [BLS OEWS May 2024, national cross-industry estimates (flat file)](https://www.bls.gov/oes/special-requests/oesm24nat.zip), U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
12. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2006, Table 97-563-XCB2006069 (Wage and salary statistics by occupation, NOC-S 2006), income reference year 2005](https://www12.statcan.gc.ca/census-recensement/2006/dp-pd/tbt/Rp-eng.cfm?LANG=E&PID=96285), Statistics Canada
13. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2016, Table 98-400-X2016356 (Occupation by employment income statistics, NOC 2016), income reference year 2015](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/n1/en/catalogue/98-400-X2016356), Statistics Canada
14. [Statistics Canada, Census of Population 2021, Table 98-10-0586 (Employment income statistics by occupation unit group, NOC 2021), income reference year 2020](https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/tv.action?pid=9810058601), Statistics Canada

### Tool eras

15. [Wilbur Olin Atwater — Wikipedia: first US respiration calorimeter (1892); USDA nutrition research program; Atwater system for calorie calculation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wilbur_Olin_Atwater), Wikipedia
16. [Sarah Tyson Rorer — Wikipedia: founded Philadelphia Cooking School 1882; described as the first American dietitian; taught classes on preparing meals for the sick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Tyson_Rorer), Wikipedia
17. [Baylor University, Military-Baylor Graduate Programs, History of Military Dietitians: 1,580 Army dietitians on active duty by August 1945](https://web.archive.org/web/20260422185413/https://military.robbins.baylor.edu/nutrition/military-nutrition-action/history-military-dietitians), Baylor University
18. [JANDONLINE History Snapshot — Dietetics Student Experience in the 1940s: internship placements, hospital-based training, diet manual standardization](https://www.jandonline.org/article/S2212-2672%2814%2901221-0/fulltext), Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
19. [Evolution and trends of the dietetics profession in the US and Argentina — ALAN (2009): ADA registration system introduced 1969; CDR established 1977; credential history](https://www.alanrevista.org/ediciones/2009/2/art-1), Archivos Latinoamericanos de Nutricion (ALAN)
20. [Dietetic practice: the past, present and future — PubMed (2005): evolution of RD credentialing, scope of practice expansion, computer tools in dietetics](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/16335757/), PubMed / NCBI
21. [Nutrition Care Process and Model: ADA adopts road map to quality care (JAND 2003) — context of electronic documentation adoption and clinical standardization](https://www.jandonline.org/article/S0002-8223%2803%2900971-4/abstract), Journal of the American Dietetic Association
22. [WIC Program — Wikipedia: WIC established 1972, expanded through 1990s; community nutrition workforce context](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WIC_program), Wikipedia
23. [CMS — Medicare Coverage: Medical Nutrition Therapy benefit (NCD 180.1); effective January 2002; covered for diabetes and renal disease under physician referral](https://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/view/ncd.aspx?ncdid=252), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
24. [Levels Health — metabolic health platform; RD coaching partnership with Season Health (June 2025); consumer CGM context for dietitian practice](https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20250625865256/en/Levels-Adds-Comprehensive-Blood-Testing-Dietitian-Coaching-and-AI-Powered-Insights-for-Personalized-Health-Improvement), BusinessWire / Levels Health
25. [Ngo et al. 2025 (Nutrients) — AI to support dietetic practice across primary care: scoping review of 97 studies 2007-2024; consumer app and AI tool landscape for RDs](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12655762/), PubMed Central / Nutrients
26. [Healthie AI Scribe for Dietitians (PR Newswire, Oct 2025) — first dietitian-native ADIME/SOAP AI scribe; 10-15 second note generation; saves 15-20 min/session](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/healthie-reveals-ai-scribe-for-dietitians-at-fnce-2025-302586466.html), Healthie / PR Newswire
27. [AND-ASN Joint AI Taskforce Resource Guide (JAND April 2026) — RD accountability for AI-generated nutrition recommendations; ethical AI adoption guidance for credentialed dietitians](https://www.jandonline.org/article/S2212-2672%2826%2900035-3/fulltext), Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

### Forecasts and exposure studies

28. [BLS Employment Projections 2025-35, National Employment Matrix: 29-1031 Dietitians and nutritionists (2025: 86.3 thousand; 2035: 93.0 thousand; +7.7%)](https://data.bls.gov/projections/nationalMatrix?queryParams=29-1031&ioType=o), Bureau of Labor Statistics
29. [Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin & Rock (2023), "GPTs are GPTs", occupation-level exposure data occ\_level.csv (O\*NET-SOC 29-1031.00, human-rated β 0.463)](https://github.com/openai/GPTs-are-GPTs/blob/main/data/occ_level.csv), OpenAI

### Historical notes

30. [Dietitian overview (ScienceDirect Topics) — "first use of title dietitian recorded in 1899 in the USA"; Lake Placid Conference definition](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/dietitian), ScienceDirect Topics
31. [Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, founding October 1917, Cleveland Ohio, 58 inaugural members, Lenna Cooper and Lulu Graves, via Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Academy_of_Nutrition_and_Dietetics), Wikipedia (Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics)
32. [JAND (2014) — "Dietitian, Dietician, or Nutritionist?" historical spelling and definition evolution; ADA title standardization 1930](https://www.jandonline.org/article/S2212-2672%2814%2901886-3/fulltext), Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
33. [AMEDD Center of History: Army dietitian commissioned status enacted 1944 (PL 78-530); 1,580 dietitians on active duty August 1945](https://achh.army.mil/history/corps-medical-spec-chapterii/), Army Medical Department Center of History and Heritage
34. [Evolution and trends of the dietetics profession in the US and Argentina (ALAN 2009) — RD registration introduced 1969; CDR established 1977; over 80,000 credentialed dietitians](https://www.alanrevista.org/ediciones/2009/2/art-1), Archivos Latinoamericanos de Nutricion
35. [WIC program — Wikipedia: established 1972 as two-year pilot; amendment to Child Nutrition Act; 12,000 service providers; community nutrition employment context](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WIC_program), Wikipedia
36. [CMS NCD 180.1 — Medical Nutrition Therapy: effective January 2002; covered for diabetes and renal disease; services by registered dietitian or nutrition professional under physician referral](https://www.cms.gov/medicare-coverage-database/view/ncd.aspx?ncdid=252), Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
37. [JAND (2003) — Nutrition Care Process and Model: ADA adopts road map to quality care and outcomes management](https://www.jandonline.org/article/S0002-8223%2803%2900971-4/abstract), Journal of the American Dietetic Association
38. [AND-ASN Joint AI Taskforce Resource Guide (JAND April 2026) — RD accountability for AI-generated nutrition recommendations; ethical AI adoption in dietetics](https://www.jandonline.org/article/S2212-2672%2826%2900035-3/fulltext), Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

### Predecessors & successors

39. [Dietetics overview (ScienceDirect Topics) — "earliest dietitians were usually trained as home economists"; title coined 1899 at Lake Placid Conference on Home Economics](https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/agricultural-and-biological-sciences/dietitian), ScienceDirect Topics
40. [Sarah Tyson Rorer — Wikipedia: described as first American dietitian; founded Philadelphia Cooking School 1882; classes on preparing meals for the sick](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sarah_Tyson_Rorer), Wikipedia
41. [BLS OOH — Medical and Health Services Managers: +29% growth 2024-2034; experienced RDs transition to clinical nutrition director and food service director roles](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/management/medical-and-health-services-managers.htm), Bureau of Labor Statistics

### Present-day analysis

- [O\*NET 30.3 — Dietitians and Nutritionists (29-1031.00): tasks, technology skills, wages, employment data](https://www.onetonline.org/link/summary/29-1031.00), accessed 2026-05-24
- [BLS OOH — Dietitians and Nutritionists: ~90,900 employed 2024; +6% growth 2024-2034; 6,200 annual openings; median wage $73,850](https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dietitians-and-nutritionists.htm), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Ngo et al. 2025 (Nutrients) — AI to Support Dietetic Practice Across Primary Care: 97-study scoping review; AI augments NCP but dietitians remain essential for behavioral counseling, cultural competency, complex clinical judgment, and safety oversight](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12655762/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [PMC12563881 / Healthcare 2025 — AI in Nutrition and Dietetics: Comprehensive Review; AI automates dietary assessment, meal planning, education; AI as supportive tool, not substitute; human oversight essential for clinical applications](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12563881/), accessed 2026-05-24
- [AND-ASN Joint Taskforce AI Resource Guide (JAND April 2026) — Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics + American Society for Nutrition; RD accountability for AI-generated nutrition recommendations; ethical AI adoption guidance for credentialed dietitians](https://www.jandonline.org/article/S2212-2672%2826%2900035-3/fulltext), accessed 2026-05-24
- [JAND 2023 — ChatGPT and Future AI Chatbots: chatbots generate confident but factually incorrect nutrition outputs; RD oversight essential; AI complementary aid, not replacement for credentialed practice](https://www.jandonline.org/article/S2212-2672%2823%2901308-4/fulltext), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Healthie — AI Scribe for Dietitians launched FNCE Oct 2025: first dietitian-native ADIME/SOAP note generator; native to Healthie EHR; Zoom for Healthcare integration; 10-15 second note generation; saves 15-20 min/session; starts $35/month](https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/healthie-reveals-ai-scribe-for-dietitians-at-fnce-2025-302586466.html), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Eloundou et al. 2024 — GPTs are GPTs (Science): occupational LLM exposure framework](https://arxiv.org/abs/2303.10130), accessed 2026-05-24
- [s10.ai — HIPAA-compliant ambient AI scribe for dietitians; ADIME + SOAP support; PES statement generation; 100+ EHR integrations; adopting ADIME+AI reduces documentation time up to 75%](https://s10.ai/blog/best-ai-note-taker-for-nutritionists-2026-according-to-reddit-reviews), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Nutrium — AI food diary (AI Image, AI Text, AI Voice); client-facing app messaging, meal plan delivery, body measurement tracking; 120,000 professionals in 120+ countries (Nutrium.com 2025)](https://nutrium.com/en/professionals), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Nutritionix API — 975,000+ grocery products; 192,000+ restaurant menu items; 250M+ queries/month; NLP natural language food entry; powers clinical trial tools, hospitals (Nutritionix.com 2025)](https://www.nutritionix.com/api), accessed 2026-05-24
- [Passio.ai Nutrition-AI — 2.5M+ food database; AI photo, voice, and barcode logging; on-device + cloud recognition; LLM-powered Nutrition Advisor Chatbot; portion estimation from camera (Passio.ai 2025)](https://www.passio.ai/), accessed 2026-05-24

How to read these figures: https://futurehistory.earth/methodology. Every figure links to its own source; gaps stay gaps.