The evolution of gym culture, body building, dieting, and exercise routines have led to the growth of jobs that require experts in dietary knowledge and nutrition. This CareerStint article presents information on approximate annual earnings of a sports nutritionist.
According to the Bureau Of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment of dietitians and nutritionists is projected to grow 21% from 2012 to 2022.
Growing health concerns among the masses and the increasing demand of nutrition experts in the field of sports and games have led to the development of a major profession in the nutrition and dieting field. Students have started exploring careers in fields such as sports nutrition. If you love sports but could never compete, you can find a job in sports industry. There are several positions that do not require any athletic prowess, for example, sports nutritionist, sports photographer, statistician, psychologist, etc.
Sports nutritionists are professionals who help athletes maximize their output by guiding and tracking their daily diets and food intake. Every sports team hires professional sports nutritionists to monitor the nutritional needs of their players. This is essential because in this competitive era, the fitness of players needs to be at its peak to ensure success. Moreover, as players have to frequently travel overseas and in continents with diversity in food and eating habits, the nutritionist has to ensure that the diet is best suited to the interest of the players’ health and fitness. Helping an athlete to succeed can be quite rewarding. Here is all the information about the earning potential in this field, followed by a short job description.
Average Salary Information
Students should search a degree program that is accredited by a nationally recognized accrediting agency such as the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). They should look forward to become a Board Certified Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD). Each state has its own certification and licensing standards.
According to the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the median annual wage for Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) was $60,000 in 2013. Experience, industry, and location are three most important factors depending on which the salary of a sports nutritionist varies. The sections below show the approximate salary depending upon these factors.
A fresher in the industry can expect a salary starting from $30,000. After you have gained a few years of experience, the figures can go up to$50,000. Someone up to 10 years of experience can expect a salary of near about $75,000 whereas, individuals with extremely high expertise can expect a salary up to $90,000.
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $58,440 |
| Outpatient Care Centers | $61,850 |
| Educational Support Services | $82,280 |
| Federal Executive Branch | $69,450 |
| Home Health Care Services | $66,650 |
| Insurance Carriers | $65,680 |
* Source: BLS, May 2014
According to Location
| Alabama | $53,000 |
| Alaska | $38,000 |
| Arizona | $43,000 |
| Arkansas | $53,000 |
| California | $56,000 |
| Colorado | $46,000 |
| Connecticut | $60,000 |
| Delaware | $46,000 |
| Florida | $48,000 |
| Georgia | $59,000 |
| Hawaii | $32,000 |
| Idaho | $34,000 |
| Illinois | $59,000 |
| Indiana | $50,000 |
| Iowa | $51,000 |
| Kansas | $48,000 |
| Kentucky | $45,000 |
| Louisiana | $47,000 |
| Maine | $46,000 |
| Maryland | $54,000 |
| Massachusetts | $63,000 |
| Michigan | $53,000 |
| Minnesota | $45,000 |
| Mississippi | $54,000 |
| Missouri | $51,000 |
| Montana | $43,000 |
| Nebraska | $38,000 |
| Nevada | $40,000 |
| New Hampshire | $51,000 |
| New Jersey | $56,000 |
| New Mexico | $45,000 |
| New York | $63,000 |
| North Carolina | $50,000 |
| North Dakota | $46,000 |
| Ohio | $50,000 |
| Oklahoma | $48,000 |
| Oregon | $50,000 |
| Pennsylvania | $50,000 |
| Rhode Island | $47,000 |
| South Carolina | $51,000 |
| South Dakota | $39,000 |
| Tennessee | $48,000 |
| Texas | $51,000 |
| Utah | $40,000 |
| Vermont | $46,000 |
| Virginia | $52,000 |
| Washington | $54,000 |
| West Virginia | $49,000 |
| Wisconsin | $46,000 |
| Wyoming | $43,000 |
*Source: Indeed, as of June 2015. All figures mentioned are in US Dollars.
Job Description
The job profiles of nutritionists, dietitians, and sports nutritionists are quite closely interrelated. Sports nutritionist’s responsibilities include counseling individual athletes as well as teams on daily nutrition for performance and health, keeping records and documenting outcomes of nutrition services, providing essential information to coaches, trainers, and parents/spouses, etc. Some states demand degrees in subjects related to sports nutrition, and various others use the mixed profile. The minimum degree required to become a sports nutritionist in some states is a bachelor’s degree in sports nutrition. The states that issue license for sports nutritionists demand some training in the field for some months or a year.
As a sports nutritionist, you can closely work with players, and even enjoy the perks of traveling with them on their tours and matches. Besides these, as you gain work experience, you can pursue various certificate courses that will help you gain better job opportunities. The job of a sports nutritionist offers a good career development path, and the salary increases likewise.