How much does a dietician earn?

Having defined the dietitian 's field of expertise in our dietitian job description, his or her missions and educational background, it's time for us to focus on the financial aspect of this profession. By the end of this article, you'll know everything there is to know about dietitian salaries, from income levels to the criteria that influence them.

Factors influencing dietitians' salaries

Dietitians' salaries vary according to a number of factors:

• Experience: as in most healthcare professions, experience plays a crucial role in remuneration. The more experience a dietitian has, the higher his or her income will be.
• Location: dietitians working in urban areas tend to earn higher salaries than those in rural areas, due to greater demand, population density and cost of living.
• Status: a dietician can choose to work as a self-employed or salaried dietician. A self-employed dietician sets his or her own fees, which may enable him or her to earn a higher income than an employee. On the other hand, salaried dietitians enjoy stable remuneration and social benefits.
• Specialization: dietitians specializing in sub-disciplines such as micronutrition or sports nutrition can apply for better dietitian jobs and earn higher salaries because of the specific skills they possess.

Dietitians' salaries at the start of their careers

A dietitian's salary depends on a number of criteria, such as experience and practice status. However, here are some general estimates:

• Salaried dietician: a salaried dietician earns between €1,800 and €3,000 gross/month. These amounts are obviously influenced by the various factors mentioned above.
• Self-employed dietician: the income of a self-employed dietician is represented by his or her sales, from which all operating costs must be subtracted.

Comparing dietitians' salaries with other healthcare professions

Dietician vs. nutritionist

In the collective imagination, nutritionists are often confused with dieticians. Yet the former is a medical doctor by training. As such, they receive higher fees, often in excess of €5,000 gross per month.

Dietician vs. nurse or physiotherapist

A hospital nurse earns between €1,500 and €2,500 net, depending on seniority, while a self-employed physiotherapist can earn €2,000 to €4,000 a month, depending on the volume of activity. The dietician is therefore in an intermediate range, with interesting potential for progression.

A dietician's income is therefore good, and there's plenty of room for improvement for those who wish to invest their full energies in this field. Specializations and different modes of practice mean that ambitious dietitians can increase their income throughout their career. By working with an experienced medical recruiter such as Jobergroup, this food specialist will benefit from highly favorable conditions.

If you enjoyed this article and would like to find out more about this profession, take a look at our dietician study sheet.