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What Can You Do With A Nutritionist Degree?

what can you do with a nutritionist degree

Once you’ve graduated from your course, it’s natural you’d be curious about the available job opportunities for nutritionists.

With our one-stop-shop article, we’ll cover:

But before we move on with OriGym’s bespoke Level 4 Nutrition course, you receive Ofqual-regulated training for lucrative career training clients, providing them with high-quality diet and exercise plans. 

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Job Opportunities For Nutritionists

nutritionist degree jobs

There are plenty of exciting career opportunities available after becoming a nutritionist, ranging from healthcare to catering.

Of course, with such a wide range of career fields available, it can be difficult to determine which is best for you, especially when you take into consideration:

  • Salary
  • Working environment
  • Working hours
  • Those you’ll be working with (both clients and colleagues)
  • Travel
  • Your schedule and other commitments (like family)

With each of our nutritionist job options, we’ll break down everything you need to know, what you can expect to earn, and what you’ll do on a day-to-day basis.

#1 - Private Sector Nutritionist

job opportunities for nutritionists

For those looking for nutritionist job opportunities that allow them to work for privately owned companies in a medical-focused career, the private sector may be the place for you.

Just like in the public sector, nutritionists working privately are still required to have all the relevant qualifications and be AfN approved.

The private sector appeals to certain people because although they have to pay using their own money, they don’t have to wait to see a nutritionist at a clinic or hospital.

Common areas you can work in the private sector and their responsibilities include:

  • Private practice or consultation - Help clients through weight loss programmes, nutrition therapy, and meal plans. Provide tailored nutrition plans, consultations, and guidance to clients to help with autoimmune diseases,stomach complaints, and thyroid issues.
  • Fitness centres - Meet with clients and create personalised diet plans to ensure they reach their objectives and weight loss or muscle gain goals. Conduct research sessions to provide clients with the most updated nutritional information. Deal with a fitness centre's social media or newsletter, providing advice, recipes, tips, and words of encouragement.
  • Food industry - Work with local and large food manufacturers and retailers to help them examine the science, ingredients, regulations, and policies before releasing a new food product to the public. Nutritionists in the private sector are hired by supermarkets, pharmacies, and food industries who are releasing various products to conduct research and guarantee quality control.

For example, having a degree in nutrition in the private sector means you can apply for roles like this one from Whitbread restaurants:

job opportunities for nutritionists

With this, and any other kind of nutritionist position, you require excellent communication skills, as well as the ability to motivate people to help them in the best way you can.

How much can I earn as a private sector nutritionist?

As you’ll see as you continue through this article, it’s difficult to determine a nutritionist salary, especially in the private sector as these will vary from each organisation or company.

If we take the salaries provided by Prospects, in the private sector a nutritionist can expect to earn anywhere between £20,000 to £25,000. However, it’s likely this is a starting salary and doesn’t factor in experience.

This can be very lucrative if working for clinics who are considered prestigious or are highly recommended. 

For example, the London Clinic of Nutrition offers £300 for an initial consultation and £695 for an optimal health package.

While prices are steep, many who require these services believe the results are worth it as these plans are tailored to meet the needs of the clients. 

nutritionist job opportunities

Clients are assured they will be receiving the best possible service which is why you may be more sought after as a nutritionist in the private sector.

#2 - Public Sector Nutritionist 

nutritionist job opportunities

Nutritionist degree jobs in the public sector are often advertised by the NHS as it’s the largest public sector organisation that will employ nutritionists. 

This is a great way to find stable work if the self-employed or freelance route isn’t for you. 

Working hours in the NHS will be around 37.5 a week and you may work some evenings and weekends. All roles will require some type of nutritionist degree.

A typical job advertisement for an NHS nutritionist may look something like this:

part time jobs for nutritionists

However, while the NHS employs over 1.3 million people, they aren’t the only place in the public sector with job opportunities for nutritionists.

Other possible workplaces in the public sector with varying responsibilities include:

  • Hospitals - Provide specific advice to various groups such as pregnant women, elderly people, and those suffering from health problems. A nutritionist in a hospital will usually work with a dietitian, helping ill clients make lifestyle changes, such as those with diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.
  • Schools - Work with kitchen staff to provide new and healthy recipes for children. Analyse lunch menus and provide presentations to classes about healthy eating.
  • Universities - Conduct food research, dietary surveys, and clinical trials.You may offer helpful advice to the university kitchen staff. If working as a Professor for nutritional science, you may write reports, publish research papers, and deliver seminars.
  • The Government - Nutritionists may be hired by local, departmental, or federal governments to conduct health statistics and attend conferences to create educational material encouraging healthy lifestyle changes in government-funded workplaces and schools. They may also create campaigns to raise public awareness and advocate food policies.

Although working in the private sector may be more lucrative. In the public sector, nutritionists have the opportunity to impact many more lives.

 

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How much can I earn as a nutritionist in the public sector?

For those working for the NHS, your salary will be determined by the NHS’s Agenda for Change. This works on a series of bands, meaning newly qualified nutritionists will start on Band 5 (£25,655). 

Nutritionists and Dietitians working at a specialist level in Band 6 can expect to earn between £31,365 and £37,890. However, this usually depends on experience and qualifications.

The salaries for other nutritionist degree jobs in the public sector vary so there is no average salary for this kind of employment. 

job opportunities for nutritionists

For example, this advertisement for a Lecturer in Nutrition and Dietetics in Cardiff Metropolitan University provides a salary between £40,927 - £46,042

As you can see, this salary is even more than those working in the NHS, and offers a public sector-based opportunity outside of healthcare. 

#3 - Online Nutritionist

nutritionist degree jobs

As an online nutritionist, the most likely route for you is to become self-employed. Salaried positions are incredibly rare, and are usually reserved for those with years of experience.

While there are varying levels of online nutritionists, we’ll be looking at the ones who do everything an ordinary nutritionist does but conducts their work virtually.

This work will involve leading consultations over video calls to consider a client's personal needs and provide them with tailored advice and programmes.

The most simple way to connect with nutritionists online in the UK and find clients is through Odhealth

This is a great tool for self-employed nutritionists as you’re matched with clients in your area and provide consultations depending on your preferences.

There are plenty of steps involved for you to be specifically matched with clients in areas based on what they’re looking for. This makes it easier to gain a client pool as they are essentially brought to you through the database, meaning you don’t have to find them yourself.

jobs for nutrition graduates

How much can I earn as an online nutritionist?

When working as a freelance nutritionist, online nutritionist, or in a self-employed capacity, it can be harder to determine a definitive salary. 

However, as a general rule, Prospects states the rates for those working with individuals can range between £45 to £75 for initial consultations, then £30 to £50 for follow-up consultations.

Some may also offer packages within this price range such as Odhealth:

nutritionist degree jobs

Other services may also include charging £15 to £30 for a recipe analysis and between £30 to £50 for a diet analysis report. Depending on the type of work you do and your preferences, you can charge hourly, daily, or individual project rates.

However, these can be viewed as minimum salaries. As you can see below from the examples from Nutritionist Resource, these salaries vary and largely depend on experience and qualifications:

jobs for nutrition graduates

part time jobs for nutritionists

As you can see, both nutritionists vary greatly for what they charge clients. However, qualifications are important to keep in mind here. 

Amanda Ellwood is listed as ‘Dr’ and although she charges more, this distinction means clients can be assured they’ll be receiving credible information and advice.

#4 - Hybrid Nutritionist

nutritionist degree jobs

This type of nutritionist creates a hybrid approach to working in this field by combining aspects of self-employed work with online nutrition work and will usually be part time.

An example of this part time work as those who work with sports teams. They often require nutritionists on a part-time or seasonal basis, like this example from Leicestershire Cricket:

part time jobs for nutritionists

It’s unlikely sports teams would need a nutritionist on a full time basis, as many of them only work seasonally and wouldn’t be required to check in on them daily.

As the job advertisement provided above demonstrates, this kind of work means a nutritionist would have to find other ways to supplement their income. 

An easier way to do this would be to conduct consultations online through websites such as Nutritionist Resource.

This allows you to register as an independent nutritionist, and begin marketing your services through their database, like nutritionist Rochelle from London.

nutritionist job opportunities

Once again, you could source clients this way and determine your own rates depending on your qualifications and levels of experience.

#5 - Animal Nutritionist

Average salary: £25,024

job opportunities for nutritionists

While this may not have been amongst the nutritionist degree jobs you were thinking of, this certainly makes for an interesting career! 

Using their scientific knowledge, animal nutritionists advise on the effect of diet on the health and wellbeing of an animal.

Similar to working with people, the goal of an animal nutritionist is to promote a better understanding of the effect of diet on the wellbeing, health, and productivity of animals.

Areas of animal nutrition work include:

  • Research institutions, including laboratories and universities
  • Animal charities
  • Animal feed industry
  • Freelance - working for individuals and commercial businesses
  • Government - advising on public health projects

What are my responsibilities as an animal nutritionist?

Depending on your area of employment, some general responsibilities include:

  • Conduct animal-based studies and laboratory trials
  • Formulate diets and rations to maximise growth, reproduction, health and performance
  • Research the effectiveness of dietary regimes
  • Provide advice on nutrition to farmers, other animal owners, veterinarians and government bodies
  • Liaise with producers and clients to understand their targets and objectives, and the specific needs of the market
  • Monitor feed formulations to meet quality performance and animal health standards
  • Balance growing consumer interest in quality with the need to develop competitive agricultural systems
  • Rationalise animal feed manufacturing techniques
  • Use software to formulate diets, conduct research and generate reports

A lot of job opportunities for nutritionists in this area will often be in agriculture, where you’ll be expected to provide information and advice about animal nutrition, as well as evaluate the diets of particular animals in this area. 

A typical job advertisement for this line of work will look something like this one posted by global food provider Cargill:

job opportunities for certified nutritionists

As you can see, this job only requires a Bachelor’s degree and nutritional knowledge, although a Master’s and experience in the field can help set you apart from the crowd. This ensures you are capable of undertaking many of the responsibilities mentioned above.

How much will I earn?

As we touched on above, Payscale found that the average salary of an animal nutritionist is around £25,024 - based on 7 salaries - placing it at slightly above the lower end of the spectrum.

However, these figures should be taken with a pinch of salt, in that they’re only reported by users of the site, and don’t represent an accurate cross-section of those in the industry.

  • In fact, according to academic website Prospects, starting salaries will be anywhere between £18,000 to £22,000.
  • With around three to five years of experience, the range of typical salaries is between £23,000 and £32,000. Roles requiring a Masters or PhD and Sales-focused roles tend to be on the higher end of the salary range.
  • Typical salaries for those with several years of experience are anywhere between £35,000 and £50,000.

Once again, these income salaries are intended only as a guide and shouldn’t be taken as exact incomes.

#6 - Personal Trainer

Average hourly rate: £24.85

job opportunities for nutritionists

Becoming a personal trainer can seem like a logical step for a nutritionist, despite the need for additional qualifications outside of your degree. 

For this career option, you’ll also need to achieve:

As diet and exercise go hand in hand, combining your nutritional knowledge with additional fitness qualifications can easily make for a hugely rewarding, lucrative career.

A great example of a personal trainer who also has a degree in nutrition is Steph Corbett from Equilibrium Studios:

job opportunities for nutritionists

Steph’s expertise in nutrition, coupled with her Level 3 personal training qualifications, sets her apart as an expert in the field who can provide superb 1-on-1 training in addition to her formal nutritional guidance.

This immediately makes her much more attractive to potential clients and, crucially, employers.

Although you’ll need to gain further qualifications to become a PT after graduating, combining services as a personal trainer and nutrition coach is a great way to help clients fuel their body to successfully reach their goals.

What are my responsibilities as a personal trainer?

The usual roles and responsibilities of a personal trainer can vary, but they typically include:

  • Conducting fitness assessments with new clients
  • Carrying out 1-on-1 training sessions
  • Setting client SMART fitness goals
  • Tailoring programmes to clients needs and goals
  • Monitoring progress
  • Offering nutrition and lifestyle advice
  • Creating ways to attract and get personal training clients

As we've already touched on, you don’t necessarily need a degree to become a PT. 

In fact, you can become a personal trainer with a fraction of the time, money, and effort that it would take to get a degree.

However, if you already have a degree in nutrition, this is hugely beneficial! It means you will have an advantage over other students on the course and will already be familiar with the content of the course.

How much can I earn?

While figures provided by Payscale state personal trainers can earn up to £86,000 a year, the average personal trainer salary is around £27,000 a year.

These examples vary so much largely because if you become a PT, your salary will be greatly impacted by the career path you choose, whether you are:

  • Employed by a gym
  • Work as a freelancer
  • Start your own business 

Working for places such as PureGym, David Lloyd, or any fitness company means you’ll be on a fixed wage. You will also likely take on an existing client base. 

For example, take a look at this role from Exertion Fitness advertising for a health and fitness coach with nutrition experience:

job opportunities for certified nutritionists

This is a popular choice for newly qualified personal trainers due to securing a set of clients and having a guaranteed income. 

However, if you’re looking to fully capitalise on the potential earnings of personal training, this might not be the thing for you.

According to Prospects, in some areas of the UK, freelance personal trainers can earn up to £100 per session, although this is dependent on a number of factors, including:

  • Experience 
  • Location (PTs charge more in major cities like London) 
  • Qualifications

Although this is an appealing income, working as a freelancer means your wages will depend on how many clients you train and how often you train them. 

Another option is to become self-employed or start your own PT business. This path comes not only with unlimited earning potential but also the most amount of freedom. 

You could also source further clients by offering nutritional consultations around general PT sessions. An example of this is from Barefaced Fitness, a certified personal trainer and nutrition coach:

job opportunities for certified nutrition

As you can see above, Kim combines her training programmes with nutritional knowledge to help women get stronger in a way that is healthy and consistent.

However, be aware that creating a business involves a lot of work. This is something that may be a long-term plan once you’re more experienced in the industry rather than something you pursue right after graduation.

After a couple of years in this industry, you’ll develop the required knowledge to understand the industry and market your business, both as a personal trainer and nutritionist.

#7 - Food Technologist

Average salary: £25,668

nutritionist job opportunities

The job of a food technologist is to ensure food products are produced safely, legally, and to the quality they need to reach. 

Their responsibility is to make sure food products meet specific standards of the industry, as well as planning and managing the execution and production of recipes on a large scale.

As one of the more typical job opportunities for certified nutritionists, working as a food technologist offers a diverse experience, including developing the manufacturing processes and recipes of food and drink products.

Keeping up with ever-changing food production regulations will be an essential part of your job. You may modify foods to create products such as fat-free items and ready meals.

What are my responsibilities as a food technologist?

Some of the responsibilities you may be expected to undertake as a food technologist include:

  • Modifying existing products and processes and developing new ones
  • Researching current consumer markets and latest technologies to develop new product concepts
  • Auditing suppliers or managing internal audits
  • Running trials of new products - either alongside or together with product development
  • Dealing with any customer complaint investigations or product issues
  • Compiling, checking, and approving product specifications and labelling
  • Undertaking long-term projects with other departments, such as reducing waste by improving efficiency
  • Design the processes and machinery for making products with a consistent flavour, colour and texture in large quantities
  • Ensure products are both marketable and profitable 

While a food technologist may seem like a very niche role, you may find work in multiple different sectors, including:

  • Food Manufacturing
  • Retail
  • Healthcare
  • Research bodies

As you might expect, tasks will vary depending on what area you work in, and the clients you’re working with. 

For example, the public sector will include more administrative tasks for government departments, whereas private sector work may see you working with larger companies or corporations.

As this is rather technical work, you'll benefit from having a food-related degree for entry into this area of work. The following subjects are among the most relevant:

  • Human nutrition
  • Food, nutrition and health
  • Food safety and quality management
  • Food science/technology

How much will I earn?

According to Payscale, the average salary for a Food Technologist in the U.K is £25,668, based on 120 salary profiles. 

Prospects supports this, stating:

  • Starting salaries for food technologists are in the region of £20,000 to £26,000
  • With experience, salaries of £25,000 to £45,000 can be reached
  • At a senior management level, you could earn upwards of £50,000

However, even with experience it’s unlikely these salaries will be for the same role. Higher salaries usually mean increased managerial responsibility.

Entry level roles will include ones such as this one posted on Indeed:

job opportunities for nutritionists

You may also be entitled to additional benefits, such as a performance-related bonus, private health plan, pension, company car (depending on the nature of the work) and ongoing professional development opportunities.

After a few years when you’ve gained experience in the industry and have progressed in your career, you may be able to apply for more managerial roles such as this one:

job opportunities for nutritionists

By studying a degree in nutrition, you’ll already have an understanding of food science, meaning you may be able to advance in your career much quicker by working your way up to roles such as this one.

 

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#8 - Chef

Average hourly rate: £10.67

nutritionist job opportunities

Working as a chef may not be the first thing you thought of when looking at job opportunities for nutritionists. However, this doesn’t mean it isn’t something you should consider.

Studying nutrition at degree level can provide you with plenty of knowledge about the nature of food, and what people should and shouldn't be putting in their body.

As most of us know what a chef is, we won’t insult your intelligence too much by explaining what they do. 

However, they can work in a range of places including:

  • Restaurants
  • Pubs
  • Cruise Ships
  • Hotel Restaurants 
  • Armed Forces
  • Contract Catering

Working as a chef can be a stressful job as it’s often a high-pressure environment. Strong commitment levels are required if you want to succeed and grow within this career. 

What are my responsibilities as a chef?

While there are different types of chefs, some general tasks include:

  • Getting to grips with the fundamentals of cooking, such as knife skills. This may involve understanding basic cuts (e.g. chopping, dicing, julienne and chiffonade) as well as learning how to handle ingredients correctly
  • Working in different sections of the kitchen, helping the chef de partie
  • Being responsible for food preparation and basic cooking as well as learning about portion sizes
  • Listening to instructions and working as part of a team

Although most of these jobs require some form of experience in the industry, many don't require degrees. However, possessing a degree in nutrition is something to set you aside from others applying for the same job.

For example, this job for a Head Chef of Thai Cuisine requires previous experience as a head chef and hospitality, as well as a degree:

nutritionist job opportunities

Many jobs advertising for chefs often prefer some form of experience. However, some do state that training will be provided. 

If you already have a qualification, this shows determination and dedication to the industry, increasing your chances of employment.

job opportunities for nutritionists

Job opportunities for nutritionists, such as the one above, can be great entry-level positions for those looking to break into the industry. 

Roles offering to train individuals are great as a way for you to gain valuable experience in this kind of environment.

If you follow a vegan diet, you may find you want to specialise in this kind of cooking, especially if you have a talent for it. 

How much can I earn?

According to Indeed, the average hourly rate for a chef is £10.67 based on over 40,000 salaries.

While salaries are different depending on where you’re employed, Prospects states:

  • Typical starting salaries for commis/junior chefs are between £12,000 and £16,000.
  • More experienced chefs, such as sous chefs, earn between £20,000 and £30,000.
  • Head chefs can expect higher salaries of £25,000 to £55,000 or more.

However, income figures vary greatly depending on where you’re employed and what kind of establishment you work for. Naturally, a chef in a smaller establishment will earn less than someone working in a 5-star hotel restaurant.

#9 - Catering Nutritionist

Average salary: £24,295

nutritionist degree jobs

The role of a catering nutritionist is to plan, organise, and develop the food & beverage services of organisations and businesses. 

This is one of the more niche job opportunities for certified nutritionists, but it does allow you to develop and learn more skills that can allow for greater opportunities for the future.

It’s your job to meet consumer expectations and ensure the establishment is meeting food and hygiene standards. You may also:

  • Manage and recruit staff
  • Plan menus
  • Work to set budgets
  • Meet financial targets

Depending on where you find employment, this can be a very varied role. In smaller companies, you’ll be expected to take more of a ‘hands-on’ approach, dealing with the day-to-day running of the business. 

However, with larger companies you’ll likely have other managers and supervisors to delegate tasks to. This means they will usually handle the different catering functions and outlets.

Catering nutritionists can work in a range of different establishments, including:

  • Schools
  • Hospitals 
  • Factories
  • Prisons
  • Cruise Ships
  • Hotel Chains
  • Universities 

Jobs opportunities for nutritionists wanting to work in the catering industry may look like this:

nutritionist degree jobs

This particular job advertisement is an example of public sector work outside of the NHS you can find with a degree in nutrition. 

You will use your nutrition knowledge to ensure all food prepared will conform to all food safety standards as well as deliver training on managing allergens.

Caterers may find similar jobs on websites such as caterer.com, allowing you to find work based on your location and personal preferences.

nutritionist job opportunities

What are my responsibilities as a catering nutritionist?

Once again, this role varies depending on where you’re employed but some general responsibilities include:

  • Managing the food and beverage provision for functions and events
  • Planning menus in consultation with chefs
  • Organising, leading, and motivating the catering team
  • Ensuring health and safety regulations are strictly observed
  • Monitoring the quality of the product and service provided
  • Keeping financial and administrative records
  • Interacting with customers if involved with front of house work
  • Liaising with suppliers and clients
  • Maximising sales and meet profit and financial expectations

As a catering manager, you may also be involved in coming up with various marketing strategies. This could be about planning new initiatives and promotions or contributing to business development.

You may also have to keep on top of trends in the industry, such as changing consumer tastes and what customers most enjoy.

Similar to a chef, you don't usually require a specific degree to become a catering manager. This is because, in this kind of work, relevant experience and skills are often more important than qualifications. 

However, as demonstrated above, a degree in Nutrition is something that can set you apart from the crowd as it highlights how you already have prior knowledge about food and nutrition. 

Plus, you’re already likely to be aware of macro- and micronutrients, which are key components in building a healthy menu.

How much can I earn?

As highlighted by the job advertisement above, salary nutritionists can earn anywhere between £31,000 to £35,000 - depending on who they’re employed with.

As with any career, the more experience you acquire, the more opportunity there is for career progression and this means an increase in salary too.

As with most careers, salaries vary depending on the size and location of the establishment you work for. 

Of course, a catering nutritionist in London will earn far more than one working in a more rural area.

#10 - Herbalist

Average salary: £22,460

nutritionist job opportunities

Using their knowledge of plant medicines, herbalists provide therapeutic applications to relieve illness and promote health. You will prescribe herbal remedies to be used alongside medicines and treatments, looking at the underlying causes of illness, not just the symptoms.

Herbalists can prescribe herbal remedies for a number of issues, including:

  • Allergies
  • Anxiety & Stress
  • Digestion Issues
  • Immune System Health
  • Skin Complaints
  • Nutritional Health

What are my responsibilities as a herbalist?

Some of your responsibilities as a herbalist include:

  • Carrying out initial consultations with patients to diagnose a condition or illness
  • Carrying out a physical examination and other relevant tests
  • Using your knowledge of plant remedies to prescribe medicines appropriate for the treatment of a range of illnesses, with the aim of assisting the body's own healing properties
  • Referring patients to other health practitioners and specialists where appropriate
  • Maintaining stock levels and order new stock
  • Keeping accurate patient records
  • Marketing your business and promote your services
  • Working to high ethical and professional standards

As most herbalists are self employed, you will likely spend a lot of time marketing your business and trying to find new clients. However, while many are self employed, there are job opportunities available for employed work such as this one:

job opportunities for nutritionists

A job such as this would involve a lot of retail responsibilities. However, you would be working in an environment where you can use your knowledge and passion for herbalism and nutrition to help customers.

How much can I earn?

Glassdoor states the average salary for a Herbalist is £22,460, based on 3,588 anonymous salaries. The lower end of the salary range is £18,000 with the higher range at around £28,000.

As a herbalist, you can charge between £45 and £100 for an initial consultation, which lasts anywhere from an hour to 90 minutes, or even two hours. However, these longer times will cost clients more.

These follow-up sessions will usually be shorter meaning you’ll charge less but can be anywhere between 20 to 40 minutes long. Medicine costs are usually provided in these fees too.

However, there are various factors affecting your income, including:

  • Price you charge per hour
  • Running costs
  • Number of patients
  • Whether you work from home or in a practician

Keep in mind, all mentioned hourly rates are intended as a guide only. All the factors above will largely affect how much you can charge for your services.

#11 - Nutritional Therapist

Average salary: £33,876

job opportunities for nutritionists

The role of nutritional therapists is to provide personalised nutrition, dietary, and lifestyle recommendations to enhance an individual’s health and wellbeing. If you’ve been seeking more traditional nutritionist job opportunities, this is likely the career for you!

Nutritional therapists will often take a more holistic approach to clients by devising personalised nutrition and lifestyle plans to help maintain their wellbeing. 

There may also be a focus on avoiding certain toxins and allergens, detoxification and the use of supplementary nutrients such as vitamins for energy

Nutritional therapy is classed as a complementary medicine, intended for people who wish to improve their general health. However, they will often be seen alongside other healthcare professionals.

What are my responsibilities as a nutritional therapist?

General responsibilities of a nutritional therapist include:

  • Carry out initial consultations on a one-to-one basis with patients to conduct an assessment of their health and get a detailed case history from them
  • Explain the physiological impact of complex biochemical imbalances and nutritional deficiencies to help your client and answer any questions they may have
  • Agree on personalised nutrition and lifestyle plans
  • Help clients to understand the link between their diet and their health
  • Refer clients to other health practitioners, as appropriate

As most nutritional therapists are self-employed, you'll also carry out administrative tasks that are necessary for running a business, such as managing your finances and schedule. 

An example of this is The Natural Health Consultant, Julia who uses her knowledge to support clients with a range of issues:

nutritionist degree jobs

She provides Bowen Therapy and Health Consultations, with her Bowen Therapy packages ranging from £285 for six sessions to £540 for twelve sessions.

However, you may find job advertisements such as the one below interesting: 

nutritionist degree jobs

A job like this one would allow you to undertake the responsibilities of a self-employed nutritional therapist while also being tied to a company such as Yorktest Laboratories. 

You would be providing phone consultations and conducting sessions online just as you would if working independently making this a great online job for a nutritionist.

How much can I earn?

According to findcourses, the average salary for a nutritional therapist is anywhere between £33,535 and £34,723. However, this should only be taken as a guide and not a concrete salary expectation.

As Prospects states, most nutritional therapists are self-employed so incomes are dependent on a range of factors. 

These factors include:

  • The number of hours worked
  • Amount charged per hour
  • Number of patients
  • Running costs and overheads

For the first consultation, you may charge anywhere between £40 and £160. For follow-up consultation, this is likely to be reduced to around £30 to £100.

Location and consultation length are also factors to consider as certain clients may require longer sessions than others. If you’re working in London or other major cities, you will earn more than nutritional therapists in other areas.

#12 - Naturopath

Average salary: £27,699

nutritionist degree jobs

As the name suggests, naturopaths use natural therapies to encourage clients to achieve optimal health and wellbeing by stimulating the body’s own ability to improve.

Naturopaths specialise in therapies such as:

  • Nutritional therapy
  • Osteotherapy
  • Acupuncture
  • Homeotherapy
  • Herbal medicine

You will blend modern scientific knowledge with traditional, natural forms of treatment. 

Other forms of therapy may include things such as these ones provided by Multidimensional Healing:

nutritionist job opportunities

What are my responsibilities as a naturopath?

The general job opportunities of a naturopath include:

  • Carrying out initial consultations to gain a detailed account of the person's condition, medical history, diet and lifestyle, and any treatments they take
  • If needed, carry out pathology testing such as hair, stool, or blood analysis 
  • Consider drug/nutrient interactions before making recommendations 
  • Recommend and give advice on diet changes, exercise regimes, lifestyle, herbal medicine and homoeopathic remedies
  • Provide follow up care through additional one-to-one sessions to track progress and review treatments as required
  • Occasional referral of clients to other practitioners who can help the client with issues that sit outside of your remit, such as counsellors

If you have your own business or are self-employed, it’s likely you’ll also need to manage client and financial records, undertake business administration, and create marketing content to promote your services.

You'll focus on addressing the underlying cause of illness and disease rather than simply suppressing the symptoms. 

Depending on your qualifications, you’ll use a range of therapies, including:

  • Hydrotherapy
  • Fasting
  • The benefits of regular exercise
  • Massage
  • Reflexology
  • Lifestyle Counselling
  • Spiritual Healing

These assessment methods and treatment will vary depending on the areas you've trained in.

How much can I earn?

According to Indeed, the average salary for a Naturopath is £27,699. Once again, this salary is only intended to be a guide, not a definitive income.

This is another one of the nutritionist job opportunities on our list that is suited for those wanting to be self-employed.

If working on a self-employed basis, you can charge between £65 to £90 for an initial consultation. For follow-up consultations, this may be around £45 to £65. If you’re a beginner, it’s best to remain at the lower end of the price range. 

The higher hourly rates are most often charged by those who have worked in the industry for years and are trusted by clients, such as Cheshire-based Dr. Jess of The Natural Doctor:

jobs for nutrition graduates

According to Prospects, practitioners often offer packages such as a six to eight week programme of an initial consultation and one follow up, or a 12-week programme with an initial consultation and two follow up appointments.

If you’re self-employed, you may have to factor in things such as the cost of room to hire and indemnity insurance. These are things that will come out of your hourly income.

Many naturopaths also conduct their work on a part-time basis, so this is more of a part time job for nutritionists. Sessions may take place in the evenings or on weekends, until you gain more clients and can work full time. However, it’s likely you’ll need additional work to supplement your income.

While a majority of naturopaths are self employed, this doesn’t mean there aren’t companies out there hiring them. For example, this job advertisement from Clavora in Melbourne is hiring specifically for naturopaths:

nutritionist job opportunities

This also highlights how you can find employment outside of the UK by working in the field of natural therapies. 

 

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Companies Hiring Nutritionists

part time jobs for nutritionists

Job opportunities for certified nutritionists can be within a range of different industries. From medical fields to food retailers, there are plenty of options if you’re unsure of where exactly you’d like to work.

The NHS

job opportunities for certified nutritionist

One of the most popular job opportunities for nutritionists is to work in the healthcare industry, more specifically the NHS.

According to their website, around 25,000 vacancies are advertised every month in more than 350 careers. There’ll be a job to suit you, whether you want to work directly with patients or behind the scenes.

NHS Jobs is their online recruitment service where most NHS organisations advertise their jobs and apprenticeships.

More specialised roles in the NHS (such as sports therapists and dietitians) usually have specific degrees in these subjects. 

For example, this job for the NHS requests those with a dietitian or nutritionist degree:

part time jobs for nutritionist

Most roles within the NHS will require at least a Bachelor's degree in a nutrition-related field, especially as you're likely to be working with some of the most vulnerable members of society. 

Sports Organisations

job opportunities for certified nutritionist

There are job opportunities for nutritionists to work with sports teams and organisations. As a good diet is crucial for sports team members to achieve optimal success, your employment would make you a crucial part of training.

If working with a sports organisation rather than individual athletes, some of your job roles may include:

  • To be committed to ensuring the safeguarding and welfare of all elite players, promoting their well-being needs whilst maintaining professional boundaries
  • To lead the nutritional monitoring of all players
  • To ensure all players have specific nutritional support and educational programmes
  • Ensure best practice is followed and players are receiving optimal advice at all times
  • To create a nutritional framework to guide the nutrition provision for the senior players
  • To create an education programme targeted at improving first team player’s nutritional knowledge
  • Create nutrition protocols for the senior players for key training days

Take a look at this job advertisement posted on Indeed for a nutritionist to work with Blackburn Rovers Women’s Football Club:

part time jobs for nutritionists

This is an example of what a typical job advertisement will look like. Once again, as you gain more experience in the industry, you’ll be able to seek work with larger teams and organisations in different sports.

Food Retailers and Manufacturers

job opportunities for certified nutritionist

Nutritionist job opportunities involve working with food manufacturers and retailers. Similar to a food technologist, there is a responsibility to ensure all products are safe and meet industry standards.

Food manufacturers produce a range of edible goods to sell to food retailers, wholesalers, and private businesses. The role is centred around overseeing the production and sale of food in large or industrial kitchens.

Once you’ve completed your studies, you could apply to work for places like this:

part time jobs for nutritionists

Apprenticeships can be a great way to break into an industry and get paid for doing so. Although they can be competitive, already possessing a qualification in nutrition can be hugely desirable for employers, even if this isn’t specified on the job advertisement.

Educational and Research Institutions

nutritionist job opportunities

There are job opportunities for nutritionists in colleges and universities where they can teach and perform research. This could be anything from the development of food to clinical trials about diabetes or the body’s metabolism.

Before we go any further, it should be mentioned that most jobs in educational and research institutions require degrees in a relevant subject.

A typical job advertisement may look something like this one posted on Indeed:

part time jobs for nutritionists

As shown in the example above, research jobs aren’t always permanent as you may only be required to be present during various trials which can be anywhere from 6 months to over a year.

Should I Get Work Experience?

nutritionist degree jobs

If you’re looking to advance your career and expand your opportunities, relevant work experience is always valuable to have on your CV. However, this is only beneficial if the experience matches the opportunities you’re seeking.

While you can look for employment with various companies and institutions, it may be difficult to obtain these roles if you have little to no experience. This is where you will have to be prepared to undertake voluntary work and schedule it around your other commitments.

If you’re interested in a career in the catering industry or in educational establishments, you may be able to shadow people in the industry and gain experience this way.

Voluntary work often looks great on CVs as it shows dedication and commitment to the field you’re looking to break into. It highlights how you aren’t just doing the work for the money but are showing initiative to make yourself more employable.

You can find relevant work experience and internships in your area here.

Before You Go!

Now you know all about the available job opportunities for nutritionists! 

Remember, you can enhance your career prospects even further with our Level 4 Nutrition course!

Enquire today and find out the range of courses we have on offer by either downloading our free prospectus or entering your details below.

Written by James Brady

Fitness Writer & Enthusiast

James graduated with an MA in Creative Writing from the University of Manchester. His desire to find a place where he could combine his passion for writing and love of fitness is what brought him to OriGym. He believes his passion for daily exercise, especially running, is imperative in keeping him motivated and productive. As a result, he has a particular interest in the psychology of health and fitness and the relationship between physical and mental health. Outside of work, James enjoys reading, swimming, writing short stories, watching classic movies and has a keen interest in journalism and filmmaking.

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