How to Become a Dietitian & Nutritionist in India? (Career & Salary)

The path to becoming a nutritionist depends on education, experience and location. Regarding the latter, many states have formal licensing and certification requirements in order to work in the field. Even in states that do not have specific requirements, employers and clients may give preference in hiring to people with these credentials.This page is designed to help aspiring nutritionists better understand the key issues and questions that arise during the educational process, including: What’s the difference between an RDN and a CNS credential? Do I need a degree? What types of science classes will I need to take? Find answers to these questions below, as well as the primary steps people take when looking to become a nutritionist.

Becoming a Nutritionist/DietitianWhile it’s fairly common to use the terms nutritionist and dietitian interchangeably in an informal context – and they are clearly related – on a professional level the designations each have distinct and different meanings. The best way to frame the difference is this: only a nutritionist who has fulfilled the requirements set out by the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR), which entails completing a program of study approved by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND) and passing an exam, is considered to be a Registered Dietitian (RD) or a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN). In other words, a dietitian is a nutritionist who is registered with and licensed to practice by the CDR. In most states, nutritionists are free to practice without such licensure, as long as they don’t advertise themselves as registered dietitians/nutritionists.Of course, there are job and salary advantages of attaining RD and RDN certification. As the BLS’s Occupational Outlook Handbook explains, “dietitians and nutritionists who have earned advanced degrees or certification in a specialty area may enjoy better job prospects.” There are other levels of ACEND-approved CDR licensing in several areas of specialization. In addition, the Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists (BCNS), which is separate from ACEND’s Commission on Dietetic Registration, offers two different types of nationally recognized, advanced certifications in the field of nutrition. Let’s go over the various requirements and levels of licensure.