Working as a Dietitian
Industry Overview
Demand for dietitians and nutritionists is high and expected to rise. Employers in all areas of BC are finding it difficult to recruit dietitians, especially in remote and rural regions.
In the near future you will see even more job vacancies due to retirement and population growth. Also, new roles for workers are emerging, especially in the areas of research, public health and the food industry.
Job Outlook in BC
Chart from WorkBC
You can learn more about working as a dietitian in BC from:
Types of Employers
Dietitians work in many settings including:
- Hospitals and long term care facilities
- Home care programs
- Community health centres
- Schools, colleges & universities
- Government
- Food, beverage & pharmaceutical industries
- Private health clinics
- Private practice/consulting
- Gyms and sports organizations
Salary & Working Hours
The median annual salary for Dietitians working full-time in BC is $73,559 a year. Salary depends on experience, location, and employer.
Most full-time dietitians get benefits as well as a salary. These can include health and dental care, paid sick days, and vacation time. Those who are self-employed must provide their own benefits.
In BC regions, you can expect to earn:
Source: Job Bank Wage Report
Working Hours
Most dietitians work fairly regular schedules, 8 hours a day, 5 days a week.
If you work as a Community dietitian you may have to attend weekend or evening meetings with local groups. If you work in a critical care unit at a hospital, you might be called in for an emergency case, but this would be a rare situation.
Source: Career Cruising (Profile for "Dietitian')