Getting one of the best online bachelor’s degrees in nutritional science can help secure a well paying job that’s versatile and in demand.
More and more studies have been coming out in recent years highlighting the impact your diet has on your overall health. This is causing more people to take charge of their health. This is where you would come in. An online bachelor’s program in nutritional science will teach you the skills to help people with their food and exercise choices in order to optimize their health. Those with this degree often become nutritionists and dieticians, but you can choose from a variety of different career paths with this degree. You could choose to become a food science technician or even a fitness trainer.
What is a Nutritional Science Degree?
In this program, you’ll learn the relationship between nutrition, human health, and medicine. One of your main focuses will be creating healthy eating habits that are specific to one’s nutritional needs. You’ll utilize chemistry, biology, and social science to analyze the effects of food and medicine on the body. Other than science, you’ll also learn communication skills, program management, and public policy.
Featured Programs
Some classes you may take in this program include:
- Nutrition and Exercise
- Human Metabolism
- Clinical Nutrition
In order to apply for this program, you’ll need to have your high school diploma or GED. Many programs expect a 3.0 minimum GPA for admission. If you have a lower GPA, some programs will still accept you if you have strong standardized test scores or relevant job experience. You typically don’t need any prerequisite coursework. Bt if you have experience in the field, it may translate into credits.
Careers for Nutritional Science Majors
As mentioned previously, those who go into this field typically land a career as a nutritionist or dietitian. There are other specialties within this career path. You may decide to become a management dietitian, who essentially plan food programs. You may manage other dietitians and/or the kitchen staff.
Another career path for this major would be a clinical dietitian/nutritionist. Your job is to provide medical nutrition therapy. You’d be working in a healthcare facility, creating nutrition programs for patients based on their health needs while also improving their health through nutrition. You may choose to specialize and work with patients with specific conditions.
Community dietitians and community nutritionists often work with specific groups of people, like children or the elderly, to create programs and give guidance on public health topics. Many people in this field do go on to get advanced degrees.
Nutritional Science Salary Potential
Now here’s the part you’ve been waiting for. How much can you earn with a bachelor’s in nutritional science? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average salary for dietitians and nutritionists was $60,370 per year as of 2018. That’s a pretty healthy salary for a bachelor’s degree program.
The highest 10 percent of workers in this field earned a salary of more than $84,610 per year. Treating practitioners and those involved in health diagnostics earned a salary of $80,990 per year. Both of these salaries are more than $20,000 higher than the average salary of nutritionists and dietitians.
As far as entry-level salaries go, you can expect to make $48,000 per year. Most states require you to have a license in order to be a nutritionist or dietitian. You may choose to earn the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist credential, which is not always required but has similar qualifications as getting your state license.
What are the Best Nutritional Science Degrees?
We know that you have educational goals that you’re itching to pursue, but you may not know where to start. The editors of CollegeRank utilize a unique ranking methodology based on the following three aspects:
40% Potential Salary After Graduation: Average mid-career salary of school alumni
30% Institutional Accreditation: Regional and National Accreditation for the 2019-2020 school year
30% Overall Degree Affordability: Average cost of undergraduate and graduate tuition per school
At CollegeRank, we strive to do our best to guide you and your family toward a fruitful academic career. The pursuit of knowledge is a noble one, and we want to help you reach your goals. For questions, comments, badge downloads, or data corrections, please feel free to reach out to us at editor@collegerank.net.
University of Arizona
A forward-thinking school with a number of great programs, of which nutritional science is just one, the University of Arizona is our top pick when it comes to online nutritional science programs. The degree offered by UA is a Bachelor of Science in Nutritional Sciences. UA’s online program is fantastic, offering students a top-notch education in a convenient online setting.
At a net price of just over $15,000 per year, the UA online BS in Nutritional Sciences is relatively affordable and offers an immense amount of value for the price. As one of just four accredited online undergraduate dietetics programs, UA’s curriculum has a lot to offer when it comes to academics.
The University of Arizona has an acceptance rate of 78.6%. This isn’t overly selective, so students with an unweighted GPA of at least 3.0 shouldn’t have too many problems getting in. The online nutritional sciences program is, hands down, the best in the country, and it’s one that should be looked at closely by students looking for a stellar program.
Kansas State University
Part of Kansas State University’s online College of Health and Human Sciences, KSU’s Bachelor of Nutrition and Health degree is ideal for preparing students for many high-paying and productive careers. According to KSU’s own data, this degree works best as a preparatory program for students who are in a pre-nursing, pre-dental, or other preparatory course for numerous different fields.
This program is one of the best in the nation, when it comes to online nutritional health, and KSU’s acceptance rate is fairly lenient, at 95%. Most students, as long as they have a decent educational background, shouldn’t have too much of a struggle getting accepted.
KSU’s online Nutrition and Health program has been ranked one of the top five most affordable online programs in the United States, and it offers tremendous value to students who are interested in the field. KSU’s online health and nutrition program should be one of the first options students interested in nutrition should consider.
Texas Woman’s University
Texas Woman’s University, founded in 1901, is a mid-sized school with big aspirations and well-rounded programs. Enrolling in the Texas Woman’s University nutrition program is one of the best ways to get hands-on, real-world experience in the field of nutrition. Students even have the opportunity to conduct field-related research with their professors, which provides them with a thorough understanding of the nutrition discipline as a whole.
Coming out of college, students will be well-equipped to enter many common nutritional sciences fields. Additionally, the BS in Nutrition program from TWU is a great preparatory degree for one of the many medical fields and professional studies that require advanced degrees.
Despite its name, Texas Woman’s University is, in fact, a coed school, so both men and women seeking a rewarding degree in nutrition should feel comfortable applying. Students can expect to complete the degree in four years or less. Between 120 and 123 credit hours, depending on circumstances, are required for graduation.
The University of Alabama
With its nutrition program, the University of Alabama offers an excellent online program for students who want to explore one of the many careers related to the degree. The technical term for the online degree at UA is a Bachelor of Science in Food and Nutrition.
Pricing comes in at $375 per credit hour, and 120 credits are required for graduation. The University of Alabama boasts that recipients of its Food and Nutrition degree may choose from a wide variety of careers and career settings, once they’ve completed their studies.
Alumni of this program have found work in prestigious and well-paying positions, including food editor at myRecipes.com and regional manager at Frito-Lay. The University of Alabama is one of the highest-ranked colleges in the state of Alabama when it comes to alumni post-graduation annual salaries, at just over $40,000.
University of Northern Colorado
The University of Northern Colorado is a respected, affordable school that offers one of the few accredited online dietetics programs in the United States. It is not highly selective, with an acceptance rate of 90%, so most aspiring dietetics majors shouldn’t have any trouble gaining admission.
Thirty Didactic Program in Dietetics courses must be completed to earn a bachelor’s degree from UNC, 15 of which are provided online. To complete this degree, prior or concurrent coursework must be completed at another university and then transferred into the program. This doesn’t mean that UNC has a subpar program, though – it’s one of the best in the nation.
College students looking for an affordable yet quality choice for an online nutrition program should be sure to consider the University of Northern Colorado among their top choices. A well-respected program and streamlined distance experience are both elements that should encourage prospective or current students to take a look at UNC’s online nutrition sciences degree.
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