Averages

• According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, using figures from 2008, the median annual wage for a nutritionist was approximately $61,800 a year. The middle 50 percent of nutritionists earned between $41,000 and $62,000 in the same year. The lowest 10 percent made roughly $31,500, whereas the highest 10 percent earned over $73,000.
  
  

Highest-Employing Industries

• Certain industries employ more nutritionist than others, and their average pay rates differ. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported in 2009 that the industry employing the most nutritionists was general medical and surgical hospitals. The average salary for that industry was about $53,600. This was followed by nursing care facilities, which paid an average of $53,000 a year. Then came local government ($49,200), outpatient care centers ($54,400) and special food services ($49,300).
  
  

Top Paying Industries

• Other industries don't hire as many nutritionists, but they offer the best pay to those individuals they do employ. The figures for the top-paying industries as reported by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2009 are as follows: scientific, management and technical consulting ($75,100), federal executive branch ($68,400), home healthcare ($62,000), health and personal care stores ($60,900), and medical and diagnostic laboratories ($60,200).
  
  

States

• The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics also supplied income figures for nutritionists based on geographic location in 2009. Those states with the highest concentration of nutritionists were: District of Colombia ($47,700), Delaware ($55,200), North Dakota ($48,000), Pennsylvania ($49,300), and New York ($55,500). The top paying states were: Maryland ($64,600), Nevada ($63,900), California ($63,600), Hawaii ($62,800), and Connecticut ($61,800).