Nutritionist coach salary: Nutrition Coach Salary | Salary.com

How Much Do Nutrition Coaches Make?

While the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics doesn’t track nutrition coaching as a career, it does look at nutritionists, dietitians, and fitness careers. All of these are growing, which means if you have an interest in nutrition, opportunities abound.

A nutrition coach is a great career for anyone interested in nutrition and diet, health goals, and working with people to build healthier habits. Of course, salary is an important consideration when choosing a career. How much you may earn as a nutrition coach depends on several factors. We’ll break some of these down to give you an idea of what to expect.

What is Nutrition Coaching and Health Coaching?

Before diving into salaries, it’s helpful to understand the differences between similar career paths. Both are similar but different to other related careers. Coaches primarily work with clients to evaluate their current choices, set goals, and take steps to achieve those goals.

What Coaches Do

Coaches educate, motivate, plan, adjust plans, and assess and follow up with their clients. A health coach, also sometimes called health and wellness coach, focuses on all areas of health, from fitness and healthy eating to stopping smoking or moderating drinking.

Nutrition coaches do similar work, but they focus more on food and diet. They may have clients looking to lose weight, for instance. A client may also come to a nutrition coach for all kinds of other goals: building better eating habits, developing a plant-based diet, resisting cravings for junk food, and so on.

What Coaches Cannot Do

It’s important to understand that the scope of practice for coaches is limited. Unlike registered dietitians, coaches cannot create a specific meal plan for clients. Coaches do not diagnose or treat medical conditions either. Because of this, they generally earn less than registered dietitians who have much more training and must be licensed.

Nutrition Coach vs.

Nutritionist

Another term that complicates the distinction between these careers is nutritionist. It can mean more than one thing. A nutrition coach may be called a nutritionist, with the same limited scope of practice.

However, some dietitians are officially known as RDNs, or registered dietitian nutritionists. They may shorten the name to nutritionist. It’s important to be sure clients understand the distinction and the different scopes of practice.

Building a career in health and nutrition takes a lot of learning, self-promotion, and hard work. Here’s a guide on how to get started.

How Much Do Nutrition Coaches Make on Average?

Average nutrition coach salaries give you a good starting point for estimating how much you can earn in this career. There is a great deal of variety in salaries based on numerous factors: employer, self-employment, geographical area, certifications, and more.

If not self-employed, nutrition coaches may work for healthcare companies, schools, insurance companies, gyms, hospitals, diet clinics, wellness centers, and large companies that offer coaching as an employee benefit.

What is the Average Annual Salary for a Nutrition Coach in the U.S.?

Several different job sites list average annual salaries for nutrition coaches. There is variation in these numbers, but they give you a good idea of what to expect.

ZipRecruiter.com provides two metrics: the average salary for all nutrition coaches is $46,352, while for an online nutrition coach it is slightly higher at $47,349. Indeed.com reports a lower salary of $36,867 per year for nutrition coaches. Payscale.com reports an average annual salary of just $30,521.

ZipRecruiter also lists the highest average salaries for nutrition coaches by state, which can be useful in determining where to work:

• San Mateo, CA – $57,146

• Berkeley, CA – $55,209

• Daly City, CA – $55, 054

• Richmond, CA – $53,612

• Stamford, CT – $52,205

• Bellevue, WA – $52,062

• San Francisco, CA – $51,613

• Brooklyn, NY – $51,258

How Much Do Nutrition Coaches Make Hourly?

Job sites also list hourly rates for nutrition coaches. According to Indeed.com, nutrition coaches make $15.93 per hour on average across the U.S. The site also lists several other metrics based on different factors:

• $13.69 per hour for coaches with less than one year of experience

• $17.64 per hour for those with three to five years of experience

• $21.75 per hour for coaches working for ten years or longer

• $22.10 per hour in Denver, Colorado

• $19.69 per hour in Cincinnati, Ohio

• $14.97 per hour in Springfield, Missouri

You can go to most job sites and search on your location to find out what the average hourly and annual rates are for nutrition coaches.

How to Earn More Than Average as a Nutrition Coach

An average is a useful starting point, but it’s important to understand that you could earn more or less than this. A lot of factors contribute to coaching salaries. Know these factors and you can earn more than average:

• Certification. States do not require nutrition coaches to hold a certification or license. However, if you do complete a certification program that provides a recognized credential, you can command higher rates and get a better-paying job.

• Specialization. Many certifying programs offer specializations, such as weight loss or weight management. With extra credentials, you can offer clients more services and get higher rates.

• Working Independently. Nutrition coaching is a flexible career. You can find a job with a company or set out on your own. For the latter, you get to set your own rates. Potentially, you can earn more than as an employee, but you must be willing to do a lot of work to market your business and get new clients who will pay a higher rate.

This post discusses all the factors you need to consider when setting your own rates as an independent nutrition coach.

Real-World Examples of Nutrition Coach Salaries

Averages are useful up to a point. It’s also helpful to see what actual employers are offering for nutrition coaches around the country. These real examples from Indeed.com (viewed July 2021) give you an idea of real salaries and what types of companies are hiring nutrition coaches:

• Nutrition and Health Coach, Profile by Sanford, Rochester Minnesota, $17 to $21 per hour

• Personal Trainer/Nutrition Coach, Key Athletics, Saint Clair Shores, Michigan, $20 to $30 per hour

• Weight Loss Counselor/Wellness Specialist/Lifestyle & Nutrition Coach, Options Medical Weight Loss, Glenview, Illinois, $40,000 to $60,000 per year

• CrossFit Coach/Personal Trainer/Nutrition Coach, Second Wind Community Fitness, Washington, D.C., $25 to $75 per hour

• Health Coach (Nutrition and Weight Loss), MSP Wellness, Stow, Ohio, $16 to $21 per hour

• Nutrition Coach, Colfax Strong Strength and Conditioning, Denver, Colorado, $25 to $30 per hour

Nutrition coaching is a rewarding career. You get to work with people and help them get healthier. Following your passion is important, but you still need to earn a living. Consider salaries, compare to other careers, and when you’re ready, take the next step to build your dream career in coaching.

To learn more about this career, check out the ISSA’s online program to become a Nutritionist. It’s the perfect starting point for turning your passion for nutrition into a lucrative career.

Featured Course

By becoming an ISSA Nutritionist, you’ll learn the foundations of how food fuels the body, plus step by step methods for implementing a healthy eating plan into clients’ lifestyles.

View Product

Resources

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Dietitians and Nutritionists, at https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dietitians-and-nutritionists.htm (visited April 19, 2022).

Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Fitness Trainers and Instructors, at https://www. bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/fitness-trainers-and-instructors.htm (visited April 19, 2022).

Nutritional Health Coach Salary. Zip Recruiter. (2022). Retrieved 13 May 2022, from https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Nutritional-Health-Coach-Salary.

Online Nutritional Health Coach Salary. Zip Recruiter. (2022). Retrieved 13 May 2022, from https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Online-Nutritional-Health-Coach-Salary.

Health Coach salary in United States. Indeed.com. (2022). Retrieved 13 May 2022, from https://www.indeed.com/career/health-coach/salaries?from=top_sb.

Nutrition Coach Hourly Pay | PayScale. Payscale.com. (2022). Retrieved 13 May 2022, from https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Nutrition_Coach/Hourly_Rate.

Nutritional Health Coach Salary. ZipRecruiter. (2022). Retrieved 13 May 2022, from https://www.ziprecruiter.com/Salaries/Nutritional-Health-Coach-Salary.

Nutrition coach salary 2022 – How much do nutrition coaches make?

Nutrition Coaching is a desirable market in the United States, and it’s no wonder why!

It is a unique part of the fitness world, and job compensation is a desirable part to question. What is a Nutrition Coach expected to make?

This article covers the average salary expectations of a fitness professional who wants to get into nutrition coaching, along with the following concepts:

Average Nutrition and Wellness Coach Salary

Factors that may influence salary, including certifications

Popular FAQs

By the time you finish reading, you will be well aware of the salary prospects for nutrition coaches in 2022.

Let’s dive in!

Wellness and Nutrition Coach Salary

What is a Wellness and Nutrition Coach salary or a Certified Health Coach Salary?

There are many factors and different business models to utilize in nutritional coaching. There is also general nutrition certification, and other categories like sports nutrition coaching that exist.

No matter the choice of job title, nutrition coach jobs will allow people a potentially higher pay than the general cost of living payscale. It is one of the most interesting jobs within the realm of fitness and exercise science careers, in general.

Oftentimes, a nutrition coach will be a side job or side certification for a personal trainer, thus increasing the typical personal trainer salary.

It could also be for improving the already amazing strength and conditioning coach salary.

Here we will describe some of the most common ways to go about your nutrition coaching business, the associated salaries, and some factors that may influence your salary.

We will also cover some of the ways to help with how to become a nutrition coach while navigating your fitness career.

For example, being salaried and full-time vs. being independent and full-time are two different animals.

Another thing that can matter is the specific organization’s nutrition certifications or even the personal trainer certifications you have achieved. All of this can influence your salary.

If you own a CrossFit gym and are also nutrition coach certified, your income would be very different from someone who works as a personal trainer and is also nutrition coach certified.

And the certified health coach’s salary will be slightly lower on average than that of a registered professional working in dietetics.

Whether you run into nutrition certification before or after your journey to become a personal trainer, this article will help you understand the potential salary outlooks.

While going through this article, consider some of the top options in the industry, like the NASM Nutrition certification, which we have high regard for. It is to the specific area of nutrition that the NASM CPT and ISSA CPT are in Personal training, ergo at the top. To get a general consensus of these two certifications, make sure to look at our Trainer Academy ISSA Exam Info and NASM Study Guide.

Let’s look at each career path we have as a Nutrition Coach and their respective average salaries!

Salary Breakdown

When you are a coach or trainer in the fitness field, you can be either salaried or work on your own.

Salaried employees have a fixed income, or a base salary, that adds up to their yearly total. These details will also be universal for similar fitness arena’s like health coach certifications.

So, with this type of job, you are guaranteed a good amount of pay, regardless of clients and other factors.

Salaried employment is one of the most sought-after forms of payment, but it is the rarer of the forms of employment in nutrition coaching.

From that category, there are also two forms of salaried employment. You could be either full-time or part-time.

For a full-time Nutrition Coach, the average salaried employee is said to be about $40,000.00 a year as a national average, according to the U. S. Bureau of labor statistics.

You also need to consider the benefits that come along with full-time salaried positions. Factor this into your job considerations, and the salaried positions look a lot more viable in life.

Salaried employment is going to be lower than that of a self-employed person’s high-end earning potential, but the good side is that it is guaranteed money and benefits, usually.

For a part-time coach, this entirely depends on how many hours are considered part-time.

You can often find hourly rates more easily for professionals near you by typing in “Nutrition Coach near me” or some specific search like “Keto Coach near me.”

The typical place of employment is varied, but gyms are common places to have at least one full-time Nutrition Coach on staff.

A full-time health coach salary in a gym environment is typically going to earn somewhere in the $40,000.00 area. This is typical for a salaried dietitian employee.

The average salary for a specific certification like the NASM certification salary would be $41,125. 00. This is based on the average pay of $790.00 per week.

When it comes to a self-employed person, the annual salary is generally a bit higher, as it is not guaranteed money each year. There is a little more work required to get clients and keep that client base.

So, when it comes to the annual salary for these self-employed workers, it is generally 10k higher than salaried, which would come in at 50k for a full-time worker.

The top-earning percentiles even earn up to a salary range of 82 – 87k annually. This is, of course, rarer and dependent on so many things like pricing, private practice, and so much more that we could dive into.

The top earners will oftentimes have achieved their degree later in their career and thus, be earning more money.

So, the industry is pretty profitable as a whole and is only getting more and more successful as the existence of health problems rises, and the need for health coaching rises with it.

Coaching rates vary greatly based on the factors we listed at the beginning of the article.

Generally, we can expect Nutrition Coaches to make between $20.00 – $35.00 per hour., which can be more or less depending on the level of coaching done, if it is online, or if it is a part-time salaried employee.

So, if you were to multiply the average pay, which is $25.00 or so, an hour, by 20 hours a week, and then by 52 weeks in a year, you would get a total salary from nutrition coaching equal to 26k. This is pretty good for the typical part-time job.

Self-employment is the most popular business model that we find in the fitness world, and it is the most testing as far as your business skills.

This form of nutrition coaching has a higher range of payment scales, but also you must remember that you will need to pay taxes at the end of the year, generally speaking.

So, the pay might actually equal back out to around the exact same as other salaried positions after taxes are paid.

But, the biggest part of this career choice is the freedom to decide your own work schedule and essentially be your own boss.

You won’t have the company benefits that come with being an employee of a company, but you will have complete freedom to work at the time you want and for the pay that you desire.

Since we touched on the general salaries already, we will simply restate that you can make around 10k or more with this career choice, but you won’t have benefits and will have to pay taxes.

But the freedom of making your own choices in nutrition coaching might outweigh those two things altogether.

Let’s look at how online coaching plays a role in the industry next.

It is possible to find a salaried online coaching position or be a self-employed online Nutrition Coach.

In general, there is more desire for online coaching and online jobs in today’s day and age. This is due to not needing to leave the comfort of your own home.

If we were to break it down to hourly, it would still be in the realm of $20.00 – $35.00 per hour for online nutrition coaching, and the average job would bring in somewhere in the up 40k area. .

It is important to consider all of these business options when we are deciding on our future as Nutrition Coaches.

Okay, so now that we’ve discussed how certain types of employment influence salary, let’s talk about other factors that may influence your Nutrition Coach salary.

Factors That Affect Nutrition Salary

Location

Location, location, location.

This line has likely been nailed down to exhaustion in the minds of professionals.

And this greatly applies to careers in health and fitness, as well as just about every job market out there.

But, for jobs with coaching and one-on-one work like nutrition coaching, this is an even more significant factor.

And this can be easily looked at by considering the markets within bigger cities like New York, San Francisco, and Los Angeles and then comparing them to smaller cities in the country.

You can’t expect to make the same wage in a small city that you would make in a giant city. It’s just not realistic.

If you were going to consider location and had the option to change that factor to some degree, we would suggest that you consider the population size of your choices, the average income of the city, and other smaller factors.

The population size is important because it considers how many possible clients you may be able to reach, and it has some influence on the general average salary in the area.

The average income for the city is vastly important since this will determine whether or not people have the general ability to pay for nutrition coaching services and how much it will be possible to charge for your services.

In addition, actual population size may not matter near as much as the population density.

This means the number of people in a particular space, as opposed to the number of people in a general city, will be more important when it comes to paying rates.

Next, let’s look at how building a client base plays a role in your Nutrition Counselor job.

Building a Client Base

Jobs in the functional fitness and wellness industry have the requirement of building your client base in order to get paid.

This may not be true for the small number of salaried workers, but for the general career as a health coach, weight loss advisor, or personal trainer, it is true.

Success as a health and wellness coach will rely on your own ability to market yourself and build up a base of clients.

Essentially, you will be required to advertise yourself and rely on references between clients you have trained and new ones.

This is a basic and simple definition of the things you will be required to do for your business model, but it helps to think of it this way.

There are some steps to help with the creation of a client base:

1. Create loyal clients with thorough work
2. Ask for referrals from loyal clients
3. Write articles online and locally to get your name out
4. Send out emails every week
5. Make use of social media
6. Offer free trial periods occasionally
7. Get a working relationship with other professionals in Healthcare
8. Make a website
9. Use testimonials to help advertise on your website

These nine steps can be some of the best ways to advance your client base and ensure you are working with as many clients as you can.

Make sure that you think about the things that would make you as a consumer want to hire a Nutrition Coach or instructor. This can help in a major way.

Experience

Experience will always play a role in the amount of money you can make in your health coach career.

People will generally pay more money to a proven and experienced professional with years of experience than they would to one that is just starting in their career.

Generally, experience also means the attainment of additional credentials and knowledge.

Experience doesn’t have to just mean that the person has been in the career for a long time; it can also mean that you have worked under an educator with great experience or taken other forms of internships to gain knowledge from those that have done the job a long time.

The experience could also mean general knowledge and previous use of random specializations like vegan plans, natural eating, and behavioral psychologist work. There is no end to how many types of experience can be helpful in this industry. More is always better.

We should consider the sources and professionals that we go to when we are learning our profession, as learning from a credible person can mean a world of difference in adding experience.

Education/Credentials

Education and credential can also tie into the last point of experience, being a big part of your average salary as a fitness professional and diet coach.

They can definitely go hand in hand, but added education and credentials are a more specific form of “experience.”

The credentials you choose for nutrition coaching will make a difference in the pay you receive, as some are more respected than others.

It will also make a difference in pay when you look at the presence of a degree or the lack of one.

A bachelor’s degree is not required to get the average job in nutrition coaching, but it can be for higher-level and salaried jobs, so this is a consideration to make once you’ve decided the exact route you wish to take. Make sure to look into job descriptions for the exact job you wish to have.

Now that we know how the combination of credentials and overall level of experience affects the average salary of a Nutrition Coach let’s dive into the popular certifications within the nutrition coaching field.

To find how respected certification is, we should consider their level of accreditation and their popularity in the job market.

Here are some of the most popular certifying organizations and the main considerations to look at with them.

• ISSA Nutritionist
• NASM Certified Nutrition Coach
• Precision Nutrtition Level 1
• NCSF Sports Nutrition
• NESTA Nutrition
• ACE Fitness Nutrition Specialist
• AFPA Nutrition

Check out our graph below that shows our personal ratings of each of these comprehensive nutrition certifications!

Certification	Accreditation	Cost	Quality	Passing Grade	Pass Rate	Retake Fee	Popularity (searches per month)	Study Time	Primary Focus	CEU Requirements
ISSA Nutritionist	DEAC	$799	7/10	75%	54%	Free	590	6 Months	Advanced Nutrition Programming	20 hrs in 4 years
NASM CNC	NCCA	$899	7/10	70%	90%	Free	320	6 Months	Nutrition Programming	Renewal Exam every 2 years
PN Level 1	None	$799	8/10	75%	79. 15%	Free	140	Unlimited	Nutrition Programming, Business Integration	not needed
NCSF Sport Nutrition	NCCA	$299	8/10	70%	n/a	n/a	10	6 Months	Performance Enhancement Nutrition Programming	20 hrs in 2 years
NESTA Nutrition	NCCA	$297	6/10	70%	66%	$95	20	3 Months	Nutrition Programming	not needed
ACE Fitness Nutrition	NCCA	$599	6/10	500 points	65%	$199	70	9 Months	Performance Enhancement Nutrition Programming, Business Integration	20 hrs in 2 years
AFPA Nutrition	NCCA	$499	6/10	85%	70%	$75	110	6 Months	Nutrition Programming	16 hrs in 2 years

If you’d like to see the basic information for these respective certifications and want to know more specific details on each nutrition coach certification program, registration, and examination, check out the links below:

• ISSA Nutritionist
• NASM-CNC
• PRECISION NUTRITION (via the ISSA website)
• NCSF SNS
• ACE FNS
• AFPA Nutrition

As an ISSA Nutritionist, your salary is approximately $46,352. 00 per year, which is not too bad!

And, for those of you who want to take your studying to the next level, we suggest our premium ISSA MVP study system, which has a 99% pass rate and a money-back exam pass guarantee.

Next, let’s look at the National Academy of Sports Medicine, or NASM’s nutrition certification and the expected salary.

NASM Certified Nutrition Coaches’ income often varies.

For instance, top earners make about 57k annually, in the 75th percentile, NASM Nutrition Coaches bring in 43k, the average sits at around $41,125.00, while the 25th percentile and newly certified Nutrition Coaches earn around $31,500.00.

And that’s not all, because if you have other credentials or certifications besides the NASM nutrition certification, then your income may be more than what’s expected.

We also recommend that you check out our free NASM study guide and free NASM practice test here.

And, for those of you who want to take your studying to the next level, we suggest our premium NASM MVP study system, which has a 99% pass rate and a money-back exam pass guarantee.

Moving on, to Precision Nutrition.

Average earnings for Precision Nutrition Coaches are approximately $49,000.00 a year, given they work at least 30-40 hours.

Next, we have the NCSF, which is the National Council on Strength and Fitness nutrition, and a well-establish company in the fitness industry that was created back in 1996.

The average annual salary for those who are an NCSF-SNS (Sports Nutrition Specialist) is roughly $47,000.00, which is about the same salary as those with other food and nutrition certifications.

And now, we’ll touch upon NESTA, the shortened form of The National Exercise and Sports Trainers Association, which was founded back in 1992.

NESTA Nutrition coaches earn approximately anywhere between $39k – $101k per year.

This depends on employment type, years of experience, education, location, and basically, the whole 9!

Now, what about ACE Fitness Nutrition Coaches?

The ACE Fitness Nutrition is one of the biggest in nutrition, just like its CPT.

ACE Fitness Nutrition Coaches make roughly $50k per year on average, which isn’t bad for a reputable nutrition cert.

Lastly, The American Fitness Professionals & Associates (AFPA), founded in 1994, has set out to bring health and fitness certifications to professionals with a passion for affordable entrance to their health and fitness careers.

For top earners, the typical AFPA Holistic Nutrition & Wellness Consultant salary is about $83,000 per year, whereas average earners brought in median annual salaries of around $55,000.

This is spectacular!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What is the average Nutrition Coach salary as of this year?

So you want to help clients eat healthily and maintain a healthy lifestyle that lasts a lifetime? You want to be a Wellness and Nutrition Coach, that’s right. The average Nutrition Coach salary is $40,948, to be exact. Salary ranges can vary widely depending on many important factors, including your level of education, other skills and certifications, and years of experience.

What are nutrition caching salary ranges?

The base salary for Nutrition Coaches ranges from $36,144.00 to $46,086.00 per year.

Is Nutrition Coach pay better than Personal Trainer pay?

Honestly, in most cases, the average Nutrition Coach salary is going to be a bit less than that of a Personal Trainer. But, the two are pretty close to sticking to that $40k salary per year. Generally speaking, people attain a nutrition coach certification in addition to a personal training certification.

Can I learn how to become a Nutrition Coach?

In order to become a Nutrition Coach, you just need to complete the certification from one of the organizations in the realm of fitness and nutrition and then apply for a job and start your coaching practice.

What are the best nutrition programs?

The two certifications that we most highly recommend are the ISSA Nutritionist and the Precision Nutrition Level 1 certifications. They are some of the best in the industry and should suit all coaching careers.

What CPT certifications best accompany nutrition certs?

The best CPT certification suggested by Trainer Academy are the ISSA CPT and NASM CPT with the ACE CPT as a close third place contender.

Conclusion

Nutrition coaching is a rapidly growing specialization in the health and wellness fields.

It can be very profitable for new entries into the nutrition coaching business and is undoubtedly a great option for current personal trainers and group exercise instructors to add to their repertoire.

Nutrition Coaches will have a variety of tasks, such as keeping athletes in shape, helping athletes get stronger, assisting people in the ways they eat, and also helping change the lifestyle choices of the general population by understanding basic behavioral psychology.

As discussed above in more detail, a nutrition coaching salary can be very lucrative, all depending on you!

In other words, if you want to make a decent salary as a Nutrition and Wellness Coach, keep in mind the factors that may influence your earning potential.

Things like educational background, experience, other certifications and specializations, degrees, location, ability to maintain and retain clients, and employment type all influence your pay.

Overall, the median salary for Nutrition Coaches ranges between $45k – $57k per year, with top earners making around $80k – $101k or more!

Good luck with your future in the health and fitness industry!

We know that given this knowledge on Nutrition Coach salary, there is no doubt that you’ll make your career as a certified Nutrition Coach outstanding!

Nutrition Coach Salary – How much can you make in 2022?

Post Content

Hello everyone, and welcome to PT Pioneer.

In this article, I’ll be providing you with your ultimate guide to a nutrition coach’s earning potential.

To give you a good idea of what your income could be like, I’ll look at the following:

What a nutrition coach is?

Factors that influence a nutrition coach salary and income

Salary statistics of nutrition coaches in the US

I’ll cover all your burning questions as well as provide a nifty FAQ for a quickfire glance.

If you want more answers, don’t forget to take my quiz to help you decide which cert fits your situation.

And with that said, let’s jump right into it.

Post Content

Introduction

What is a Nutrition Coach?

In this segment, I’ll give more explanation on what is a nutrition coach and how it differs from other similar nomenclatures.

I go over the job description and scope of practice of a nutrition coach in a separate article which you can read here.

By now you probably have a decent understanding of what a nutrition coach is, but just as a refresher, a typical nutritional health coach’s job description includes:

• Assessing clients’ nutritional situation and goals
• Creating a comprehensive program within realistic parameters to achieve those goals
  • Meal planning and scheduling
  • Meal prepping
  • Supplements guide
  • Shopping list
  • Food journal
• Tracking, follow-ups, and feedback
• Modification of the program where the need arises

What Factors Influence Salary

Below, you will understand better the factors that will influence your salary as a nutrition coach.

Before I get into what figures you can expect to pull, I want us to go over what factors play into salary stats.

Understanding what factors are at play will help you optimize your career towards the upper percentile of the income bracket while avoiding common pitfalls.

1. Location

Location is one of the most well-understood factors that influence income.

For generations, people have traveled across borders and continents to ply their trades in more lucrative markets.

Economic migration is a testament to the power of location when it comes to salary and income potential.

Nutrition coaching is no different from any other job title and is also subject to location-based fluctuation.

But how exactly does location play a role?

Local Economy

The local economy of a geographic location is probably the leading sub-factor for the influence of location on salary.

A strong local economy means an active consumer base and more disposable income.

This means more people will be able to afford your services, and let’s face it, a nutrition coach isn’t a typical feature on many people’s monthly budgets.

That means to succeed and pull in the big bucks; you’ll want to situate yourself in areas with a strong economy, strong middle class, and a sizable luxury market.

This would mean locating yourself in affluent areas and cities, states, or countries with strong economies, allowing you to optimize your pricing.

Not only do the populations in such areas have more to spend, but they will also likely have adopted a hands-on attitude towards their general wellness, which brings us to the second sub-factor.

Population Health

Population health is a measure of how healthy and fit the general population in a given location is.

Population health stats are usually measured based on key health indicators such as obesity rates and mortality rates, and the prevalence of certain diseases.

Diseases such as heart disease, type II diabetes, and certain cancers all impact how healthy and health-conscious a population is.

Your best bet is to situate yourself in areas with a decent public health profile as a nutrition coach.

That’s because this is an indication that the population is generally health-conscious, which translates to being willing to spend on their health and fitness.

That increases your odds for success.

Credentials

A nutrition coach doesn’t need credentials, although I highly suggest you get some form of qualifications. 

We’ll go more into that later.

Your credentials have the power to elevate your status by the mere virtue of having them.

The higher your credentials, the higher you will be regarded, and the more credible people will presume you are.

Regardless of this, higher-level credentials such as a university degree will generally open your eyes to a deeper understanding of nutritional principles, both practical and scientific.

You will have a wealth of knowledge and skills that will put your cut above the rest, and this very fact is something you can take to the bank.

However, taking on a degree program is quite a massive decision, and if your goal is just to work as a nutrition coach, I suggest something a little more down-to-earth.

A certification specializing in nutrition coaching is a good way to go.

My top picks are:

• ISSA Nutritionist Certification
• Precision Nutrition Level 1 and 2
• NSAM CNC
• Fitness Mentors CNS
• NCSF SNS
• ACE FNS
• AFPA Nutrition and Wellness Certification
• NESTA Fitness/Sports Nutrition Coach

I go into a lot more detail on these in my “8 Best Nutrition Certifications article.

When it comes to nutrition credentials, an important thing to consider is the business aspect of nutrition coaching.

While most certs offer a good curriculum around the science of nutrition and the practical applications of nutrition programming, few give proper attention to things’ business side.

Your income depends on how business savvy you are, which means learning how to operate as an effective entrepreneur.

For that reason, I would highly recommend either ISSA Nutrition or Fitness Mentors Certified Nutrition Specialist.

That’s because these two nutrition certs get down to business (no pun intended) when it comes to guiding you through the entrepreneurial requirements of running a successful nutrition service.

Level of Experience

Another important factor in optimizing your income as a nutrition coach is your level of experience.

This simply means how much time you’ve spent in the trenches working as a nutrition specialist.

The more time and experience you have, the more money you’re eligible to make as you move up the salary range.

Firstly, the maturity of your presence and that of your brand in the industry increases in value over time.

That is, of course, if you’ve been building a positive, results-driven reputation in your career.

Having a lot of skin in the game also allows you to dignify yourself as an expert or authority. 

You can place a premium on your level of expertise, and you’ll also have the opportunity to apply for higher, more lucrative positions if you’re going the employment route.

At about 3 to 5 years of experience is where most people in the fitness space begin to see rewards and big returns.

This, of course, depends on commitment and consistency while implementing effective business and marketing strategies.

How Much Does A Nutrition Health Coach Make in America

Do you know how much a nutrition coach earns in The USA?

Read on to find out!

Now let’s break down the actual numbers, and when it comes to salary, a nutrition coach in America can expect to earn an average of $40,638 per year.

As I previously mentioned, salary is location dependant, so I’ve taken the time to break down figures for each state according to salary.com.

State		State Capital	Average Salary
Alabama	AL	Montgomery	$38,476
Alaska	AK	Juneau	$45,198
Arizona	AZ	Phoenix	$40,036
Arkansas	AR	Little Rock	$36,689
California	CA	Sacramento	$45,961
Colorado	CO	Denver	$41,097
Connecticut	CT	Hartford	$46,165
Delaware	DE	Dover	$43,288
DC	DC	Washington DC	$45,238
Florida	FL	Tallahassee	$39,562
Georgia	GA	Atlanta	$40,199
Hawaii	HI	Honolulu	$42,126
Idaho	ID	Boise	$42,095
Illinois	IL	Springfield	$40,638
Indiana	IN	Indianapolis	$37,433
Iowa	IA	Des Moines	$38,241
Kansas	KS	Topeka	$39,895
Kentucky	KY	Frankfort	$39,740
Louisiana	LA	Baton Rouge	$37,785
Maine	ME	Augusta	$41,935
Maryland	MD	Annapolis	$45,184
Massachusetts	MA	Boston	$45,787
Michigan	MI	Lansing	$41,333
Minnesota	MN	St. Paul	$39,411
Mississippi	MS	Jackson	$36,374
Missouri	MO	Jefferson City	$38,395
Montana	MT	Helena	$40,638
Nebraska	NE	Lincoln	$37,707
Nevada	NV	Carson City	$41,512
New Hampshire	NH	Concord	$38,421
New Jersey	NJ	Trenton	$46,758
New Mexico	NM	Santa Fe	$34,542
New York	NY	Albany	$48,888
North Carolina	NC	Raleigh	$38,566
North Dakota	ND	Bismarck	$35,847
Ohio	OH	Columbus	$39,017
Oklahoma	OK	Oklahoma City	$37,001
Oregon	OR	Salem	$42,190
Pennsylvania	PA	Harrisburg	$39,406
Rhode Island	RI	Providence	$42,588
South Carolina	SC	Columbia	$38,592
South Dakota	SD	Pierre	$36,481
Tennessee	TN	Nashville	$37,286
Texas	TX	Austin	$39,968
Utah	UT	Salt Lake City	$37,028
Vermont	VT	Montpelier	$40,016
Virginia	VA	Richmond	$45,238
Washington	WA	Olympia	$41,062
West Virginia	WV	Charleston	$39,785
Wisconsin	WI	Madison	$40,219
Wyoming	WY	Cheyenne	$37,295

From these salary figures, we can see that most states do not deviate too far from the national average.

That means working as a nutrition coach presents similar salary potential no matter where you are situated across the United States.

It’s also important to remember that your salary’s dollar value doesn’t always translate to overall value.

You’ll also need to consider the cost of living in your area.

You’ll often find that areas with a low-income average also have a proportionately lower cost of living while high-income areas will have a disproportionately high cost of living.

Always consider how you will need to spend your money and how much of it you stand to make.

Online Nutrition Coaching

Join me below to find out how to use the digital space to expand your scope of operation.

We live in an age where society and economies are increasingly present online. The digital landscape is open for business, from shopping to education to ride home from work.

When it comes to health and fitness, the online world is a goldmine if you’re a professional.

Online fitness is one of the most lucrative digital industries, and nutrition is part and parcel.

I would strongly urge you to get yourself a digital platform to supplement part-time or even create a hybrid model of your existing in-person nutrition and personal trainer services in this day and age.

With online coaching, you can increase the number of clients you have access to, thus increasing your income and revenue stream.

To have a successful online nutrition coaching business, you will need to invest time and money into building up your digital real estate.

That means setting up a website, social media channels, digital marketing assets, and creative content.

Conclusion

That is all I have for you on the Nutrition coach salary. You should maximize the opportunities it offers to help keep clients healthy.

Make a move on it soonest.

A nutrition coach career is a great way to supplement your existing services as a fitness or wellness coach.  

However, on its own, nutrition coaching is a very narrow approach, and the income potential is relatively low compared to other sectors in professional health and fitness.

For that reason, I don’t see it as the most lucrative full-time job opportunity.

With a national average of sound $40k, you’re not exactly laughing to the bank. 

Still, if you’re using nutrition coaching in combination with other more lucrative aspects of health and fitness, you’ll have an easier time lining your pockets.

For example, a health coach salary, along with the added value service of nutrition coaching would be a great combination.

I hope this article has provided the right amount of insight.

If you have any more questions, don’t hesitate to drop a line in the comment section below, and I’ll get right to it.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much money can you make as a nutrition coach?

Salary figures vary tremendously based on multiple factors, but the national average salary for a nutrition coach in America is $59,821.

How do you become a certified nutrition coach?

To become a certified nutrition coach, you’ll need to complete a certification program at one of the institutions I mentioned in the “Credentials” section.

Do you need a degree to be a nutrition coach?

In most cases, you do need a degree to meet the entry requirements for nutrition coach certification.

There are a few nutrition coach certs that don’t require a degree in a healthcare-related field.

How do nutrition coaches make a living?

A nutrition coach can work within a practice or organization such as a clinic, hospital, care home, or health and fitness business.

A nutrition coach can also start their own business or private practice and even deliver online coaching services.

What Does a nutrition coach Do?

A nutrition coach offers guided assistance and mentorship to clients wishing to change their behavior towards a healthy lifestyle.

This may include fitness coaching, nutrition coaching, wellness advice, or even clinical intervention.

What is a Health And Wellness Coach?

A healthcare provider with the knowledge and scope of practice needed to help people form healthy habits for healthier lifestyles.

What are the benefits of being a nutrition coach?

The first benefit is working in a field that offers so much versatility in how you engage with clients, from fitness to clinical intervention.

The second is the income potential.

As far as health and fitness are concerned, nutrition coaching is one of the most lucrative career paths.

Lastly, the purpose and fulfillment that comes with providing real benefits to the population groups you work with.

Where is the best place to open a nutrition health coaching business?

Major metropolitan regions or big cities with thriving populations and economies. examples include New York or Los Angeles.

Citations

eatrightpro.org

• 5 Steps to Become a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist
  https://www.eatrightpro.org/about-us/become-an-rdn-or-dtr/high-school-student…
• About Us
  http://www.eatrightpro.org/resources/about-us/what-is-an-rdn-and-dtr/what-is-…
• https://www.eatrightpro.org/-/media/eatrightpro-files/career/become-an-rdn-or…

eatright.org

• Eatright.org – Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
  http://www.eatright.org/
• Eatright.org – Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics
  https://www.eatright.org/
• http://www.eatright.org/Public/content.aspx?id=6713

cdrnet.org

• – Commission on Dietetic Registration
  https://www.cdrnet.org/
• 2024 GRADUATE DEGREE REQUIREMENT – REGISTRATION ELIGIBILITY – Commission on D…
  https://www.cdrnet.org/new-graduate-degree-eligibility-requirement-effective-…
• Guidelines for Credential Placement – Commission on Dietetic Registration
  https://www. cdrnet.org/rd-credential-placement

bls.gov

• Dietitians and Nutritionists: Occupational Outlook Handbook:: U…
  https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/dietitians-and-nutritionists.htm
• Bureau of Labor Statistics
  https://www.bls.gov/ooh/healthcare/mobile/dietitians-and-nutritionists.htm
• Dietitians and Nutritionists: Occupational Outlook Handbook:: U…
  https://www.bls.gov/OOH/healthcare/dietitians-and-nutritionists.htm

salary.com 

• https://www.salary.com/tools/salary-calculator/health-and-wellness-coach

theana.org

• Certify | American Nutrition Association
  https://theana.org/certify
• Become a CNS® | American Nutrition Association
  https://theana.org/certify/CNScandidate
• Nutritionists & Health Professionals | American Nutrition Association
  https://theana. org/certify/CNScandidate/nutritionpros/apply

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The Salary Per Hour of a Nutrition Coach | Work

By Ashley Donohoe Updated August 13, 2018

Also called health coaches, nutrition coaches are nutritionists who help patients with diet and exercise planning and motivate them to meet their personal goals. Although they often work with clients who have conditions, such as diabetes, obesity or heart disease, they also provide individualized counseling to who wants to live healthier and become fitter. The salary per hour you can expect as a nutrition coach depends on how much experience you have, what facility you work in, your work arrangement and where you live. Self-employment as a nutrition coach gives you the advantage of setting your own hourly pay rate and raising it accordingly.

Job Description

Nutrition coaches use their knowledge of food science and exercise to offer individual support to people who want to manage health conditions, become more fit or eat healthier diets. They meet with clients to learn about their medical background and lifestyle, determine goals, set up food and diet plans, and offer continuing motivation. They watch their clients’ progress closely, offer feedback to get them back on track and perform research to learn new strategies for optimal nutrition. Self-employed nutrition coaches handle additional tasks, such as marketing and scheduling to run their businesses efficiently. To be an effective nutrition coach, you should feel comfortable working with people, have strong organizational and problem-solving skills and be able to communicate complicated topics easily to clients.

Education Requirements

You usually need a bachelor’s degree in dietetics or a similar area in wellness and nutrition to become a health coach. These programs include coursework in life science, psychology, food science, healthcare, counseling and leadership. Since states often require state licensure or certification for nutrition coach jobs, degree programs incorporate supervised internships to meet experience requirements. Employers also prefer or require certification, with the Registered Dietitian Nutritionist credential from the Commission on Dietetic Registration being the most common. You may also need a personal trainer certification offered through agencies, such as the Academy of Applied Personal Training Education and National Exercise Trainers Association.

Industry

Nutrition coaches often work for fitness centers, wellness clinics and medical facilities, such as hospitals and outpatient care centers. Local governments, nursing homes and special food services agencies also hire them, while a small percentage of nutrition coaches is self-employed. In most facilities, they spend the majority of their time directly advising patients or clients. Both part-time and full-time nutrition coach jobs exist to provide flexibility with your workload. Your schedule may include weekend and evening shifts depending on your workplace and client needs. Self-employment gives you the most scheduling flexibility as a health coach.

Years of Experience and Salary

The Bureau of Labor Statistics mentions that nutritionists of all types earn a median wage of $28.56 hourly or $59,410 yearly as of May 2017, with half making more and half earning less. The 10 percent earning the least make under $17.74 hourly or $36,910 yearly, while the top-paid 10 percent make over $39.94 hourly or $83,070 yearly. Healthcare facilities offer the highest average wages of the top employers, paying $29.46 hourly at general hospitals and $31.85 hourly at outpatient care centers. Nutrition coach pay also varies by location. Although a nutritionist in Los Angeles averages $34.19 hourly, one in Atlanta averages $26.34 hourly.

PayScale reports varying hourly rates for health coaches based on how much experience they have. As of August 2018, this hourly pay progression looks like this:

• 0 to 5 years: $12.56 – $31.43
• 5 to 10 years: $15.52 – $35.65
• 10 to 20 years: $17.03 – $40.35
• 20 or more years: $15.40 – $40.85

Job Growth Trend

Between 2016 and 2026, the BLS expects demand for nutrition coach jobs to increase 15 percent, a very fast rate compared to the 7 percent expected for all occupations. This growth is partly in response to an increased interest in exercise and health for the general population. The aging population will also seek coaches to help them improve their diets and manage their health conditions such as high blood pressure and diabetes. You can find the best opportunities if you obtain a credential like the RDN or obtain a master’s degree in health or nutrition.

References

• Bureau of Labor Statistics: 29-1031 Dietitians and Nutritionists
• American Council on Exercise: Nutrition – Planning vs. Coaching
• Bureau of Labor Statistics: Dietitians and Nutritionists
• Indeed: Nutrition Coach Jobs
• PayScale: Health Coach Salary

Resources

• The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics

Writer Bio

Ashley Donohoe started writing professionally in 2010 about career, business and technology topics. She has a Master of Business Administration degree from Western Governors University along with eight years of experience managing all aspects of her small business. Some other places where her business writing appears include JobHero, LoveToKnow, PocketSense, Bizfluent and Study.com.

Nutrition Coach Salary: What You’ll Make and Why

According to various salary aggregate websites, a nutrition coach’s salary in the US ranges between $30,521 and $79,990, with an average salary of $48,212. As of July 2022, the base salaries for nutrition coaches are listed as follows:

Keep in mind: Salary aggregate websites typically rely on data submitted anonymously by individuals using their site. Some websites may have received larger amounts of data of either higher or lower than average salaries, which may affect the site’s calculated average.

Read more: What Is a Nutrition Coach? How to Become One

What influences a salary?

The salary of a Nutrition Coach is determined by a number of factors, including education, experience, and job location. In this article, we will take a closer look at how these factors impact salary.

Years of experience

Salary increases are generally tied to your experience level. In general, the more years you spend working as a nutrition coach, the more you can expect to earn. Here’s how experience can impact your nutrition coach salary, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics and the National Compensation Survey.

Location

Where you live can also impact how much you can make as a nutrition coach. Typically, working in a large metropolitan area correlates to a higher salary, as well as a higher cost of living.

Here is a list of some major cities with their corresponding average nutrition coach salary according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

How does this compare to similar jobs?

Here’s how a nutrition coach’s salary stacks up against similar jobs.

How to increase your nutrition coach salary

Now that you have a better idea of what you could expect to earn as a nutrition coach, let’s look at ways to boost your salary.

1. Strengthen your skills

Pursuing and improving in-demand skills could make you more competitive for promotions and higher-paying positions. These skills include:

• Healthy Eating Education: Teach clients about the importance of a balanced diet and how to make healthy food choices
• Weight Management: Help clients set realistic weight-loss goals and develop individualized plans to reach those goals
• Nutrition Counseling: Listen to clients’ concerns and give evidence-based advice on how to improve their diets
• Meal Planning: Develop healthy meal plans that fit each client’s unique dietary needs and preferences
• Cooking: Demonstrate how to cook nutritious meals that are also delicious

2. Maintain a consistent performance

As a nutrition coach, you need to be able to show that you can help your clients see results. If you can maintain a consistent performance and help your clients meet their goals, you’ll be in a good position to ask for a raise. You can also look for opportunities to take on additional responsibilities, such as leading group classes or giving lectures.

3. Grow your network

As a nutrition coach, you likely already have a strong network of health professionals. But it’s important to continue to grow that network, as it can lead to new opportunities, including ones that come with a higher salary. Attend industry events, or start your own meetup group to get connected with more people in your field.

Article Sources

1. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “National Compensation Survey, https://www.bls.gov/ncs/.” Accessed July 2, 2022.

2. US Bureau of Labor Statistics. “Occupational Employment and Wages, https://www.bls.gov/oes/current/oes291031.htm.” Accessed July 2, 2022.

3. Payscale. “Nutrition Coach Hourly Pay, https://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Nutrition_Coach/Hourly_Rate.” Accessed July 2, 2022.

4. Ziprecruiter. “Nutrition Coach Annual Salary, https://www.ziprecruiter. com/Salaries/Nutrition-Coach-Salary.” Accessed July 2, 2022.

5. Indeed. “Indeed Salary Finder, https://www.indeed.com/career/salaries.” Accessed July 2, 2022.

6. Salary.com. “Nutrition Coach Salary, https://www.salary.com/research/salary/posting/nutrition-coach-salary.” Accessed July 2, 2022.

7. Glassdoor. “Nutrition Coach Salaries, https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/nutrition-coach-salary-SRCH_KO0,15.htm.” Accessed July 2, 2022.

How Much Can Nutrition Coaches Make?

If you’re thinking about becoming a nutrition coach, knowing how much money you can make while working for a nutrition coaching company or yourself is crucial.

How much can you make as a nutrition coach? If you’re working as a nutrition coach for another company, the average salary is between $38,400 to $57,600 annually; however, if you’re a self-employed nutrition coach, then your salary could be between $24,000 – $72,000, depending on the number of clients you have and how much you charge.

After reading this article, you’ll learn:

• The roles and responsibilities of a nutrition coach
• What job opportunities are available to nutrition coaches
• The pay structure for nutrition coaches
• If nutrition coaches can make a full-time living
• How to make more money in nutrition coaching

Roles & Responsibilities Of A Nutrition Coach

The roles and responsibilities of a nutrition coach are to:

• Communicate regularly with clients to offer guidance and support
• Manage client expectations
• Educate clients on nutritional concepts and practices
• Coach clients to become more consistent with their healthy habits
• Offer support and advice when clients are struggling
• Set habit goals and long-term goals with clients and reevaluate them regularly
• Provide clients with meal and snack ideas that support their goals
• Measure client progress and provide constructive feedback
• Refer to other health professionals when something is outside your scope of practice

If you’re not following through on these roles and responsibilities, your client numbers will drop, and you’ll find it hard to get clients who want to work with you because there is a certain level of care expected in working with a nutrition coach.

If you’re not providing value to your clients, they have no reason to stick around or feel you’re worth their time, money, and energy.

How To Become A Nutrition Coach

To become a nutrition coach, you should:

• Learn everything you can about nutrition
• Learn how to coach
• Gain experience in your field
• Look for employment or start marketing yourself

Let’s break each of these points down further. 

Learn Everything You Can About Nutrition

The first step to becoming a nutrition coach is to learn everything you can about nutrition, including calories, macronutrients, micronutrients, and how to adjust them based on client goals.

The best way to do this is by doing an undergraduate degree in nutrition or kinesiology because it will give you a well-rounded background in health and wellness.

However, if going to university isn’t an option, it will be essential for you to do your research by reading evidence-based nutrition articles and textbooks, and eventually work towards nutrition certifications (we explain the best nutrition certifications below)

Learn How To Coach

As you learn more about nutrition, you should also focus on learning how to coach. Even if you were the most educated person in the world in the world of nutrition, if you didn’t know how to help others apply this knowledge, you wouldn’t be a good nutrition coach.

Being educated in nutrition is important, but being able to make this knowledge actionable is what is going to make you a great nutrition coach. 

Clients will often only have the end goal in mind, so you must help them break down their overall goal into habits and actions that will eventually get them to this goal.

Gain Experience In Your Field

The next step is to gain experience in your field, and the best ways to do this are to shadow a well-established nutrition coach and offer friends and family free coaching. 

If you have the opportunity to shadow another coach, I recommend you do it because if they’re a good nutrition coach, you’ll learn valuable coaching tools, tips, and tricks that will serve you well in your own coaching.

If they’re not quite what you expected as a coach, then at the very least, you’ll learn how you would do things differently in your own coaching business.

There is also value in working for free when you’re just starting because it’s easier to talk people into being clients when they’re getting everything for free.

Free clients will serve the purpose of helping you to gain more coaching experience and working with different personalities.

As you gain more experience, you will probably realize that there are certain types of clients that you prefer working with compared to others. Liking some types of clients over others is normal, which is why many nutrition coaches have a niche.

A niche refers to working in a specific area of nutrition with a particular client type, like those who require performance nutrition, post-partum nutrition, shift work nutrition, etc.

A niche is great because it’s easier to market to the clients you want to work with, and you’ll stand out as a go-to person for that nutrition topic. However, it’s okay if you haven’t found your niche yet or prefer not to have a niche at all.

Look For Employment / Start Marketing Yourself

Once you feel confident in your understanding of nutrition and coaching and you’ve taken the time to gain experience working in your field, all that’s left to do is take the plunge into the world of nutrition coaching.

Suppose you want to work for a company. In that case, it’s time to start researching local nutrition companies, online nutrition coaching businesses, or even local detachments that may want a full-time nutrition consultant (gyms, offices, first responders).

If you want to work for yourself, it’s time to start advertising your services and what you offer. In my experience, the best way to do this is to use different social media platforms to get your name and face out. 

The content you put out should provide value, entertainment, education, and, most of all, be relatable to your target audience.

Certifications Required To Become A Nutrition Coach

No certifications are required to become a nutrition coach because there are no governing bodies regarding this title; however, the more credentials you have, the better you’ll look to potential clients and the more respected you’ll be by your peers.

The following list goes from the highest level of education to the minimum amount of education that is required to become a well-respected coach. I’ve also provided the associated costs so that you can decide which level of education is worth the investment to become a successful nutrition coach.

Ph.D. In Nutrition

The highest nutrition certification you could have is a Ph.D. in nutrition, which would require extensive schooling but would be the ultimate level of education in nutrition. 

While a Ph.D. in nutrition certainly isn’t required, I can guarantee that you’d understand any nutritional challenge that came your way through coaching. It would help if you still learned how to coach because nutrition information alone isn’t enough to help your clients.

A Ph.D. in nutritional sciences would cost you approximately $60,000 just for your doctorate program alone (not including undergraduate and master’s degrees that are required to get there). 

It will cost you way too much money to pursue a doctorate in nutrition just to become a nutrition coach. 

The only way this would be worth it is if you had a full-time job in nutrition (professor, epidemiologist, scientist) and decided to become a nutrition coach as a side hustle.

Master’s Degree In Nutrition / Registered Dietician

Next would be a Master’s Degree in Nutrition, which would set you up to become a Registered Dietician if you follow through with a dietetic internship and pass the licensing exam.

Registered Dieticians can work with those with chronic conditions and more severe health concerns because they are trained to do so and are legally protected by their governing body. 

Most registered dieticians work in a clinical setting or public health, but many also choose to do their own nutrition coaching.

A master’s degree in dietetics that sets you up to be a dietician costs approximately $50,000 to $60,000 and doesn’t include the costs associated with an internship and the licensing exam. It also doesn’t factor in the cost of your bachelor’s degree, which is required to pursue a master’s in nutrition.

The appeal of becoming a registered dietician is that it is a well-respected title that allows you to work with ANY client regardless of their health issues. You’ll also be protected by a governing body as long as your standard of care is up to par.

Another benefit of becoming a registered dietician is always being able to fall back on working in a clinical setting. This would provide you with a comfortable living wage until you get to the point where you’re ready to coach full-time.

Bachelor’s Degree In Nutrition, Kinesiology, or Health & Wellness

Next would be a Bachelor’s Degree in Nutrition or Kinesiology, which would provide you with the foundational background in nutrition sciences and potentially exercise science. A bachelor’s degree in any of these disciplines will give you the education to do well in health and fitness.

Many people work as nutrition coaches with just their undergraduate degrees. Still, others choose to do other nutrition certifications on top of their degrees to continue their education and to stand out to clients.

A bachelor’s degree in nutrition, health sciences, or kinesiology will cost you between $14,000-$80,000, depending on which university you choose.

Certifications

Nutrition Coaching Certifications

Nutrition certifications are official documents that state that you know what you’re doing in the world of nutrition. 

Most certifications are designed with the expectation that you have no background in nutrition, so those who already hold a degree in nutrition should already understand most of the material provided.

When you sign up for a nutrition certification, the company will send you study materials with the material that they expect you to understand and apply. Once you feel confident in your comprehension of the material, you can write an exam to achieve the certification. 

The ISSA Nutritionist Certification, Precision Nutrition Certification, and Working Against Gravity Coach Certification are the most well-respected nutrition certifications available.

The average nutrition coaching certification will cost you between $800 to $1,400, which is the most cost-effective option to become a nutrition coach. These certifications are well worth it because they will help attract clients and help you feel more confident about your skill set.

Personal Training Certifications

It’s also valuable to have personal training certifications because exercise and nutrition go hand-in-hand in helping clients to meet their goals. So a personal training certification from CSEP, NASM, or NSCA is also a huge asset.

Review my complete guide on certifications and business licenses needed by personal trainers to get further insight. 

Job Opportunities As A Nutrition Coach

You could work for yourself as a nutrition coach with online clients, in-person clients, other businesses, and first responders. There are plenty of opportunities to provide seminars, workshops, and challenges.

You could also work for a company instead, which would already have a reputation built and a structure for how they market to bring in clients. 

Depending on how the company runs, you could have in-person, online clients, or both. If you’re working with in-person clients, there are also likely opportunities for community outreach and seminars to local companies.

Pay Structure For Nutrition Coach

Employed Nutrition Coach

On average, nutrition coaches employed full-time (40hrs per week) make between $20-$30 per hour; per month, that would be $3,200-4,800 and annually $38,400-$57,600.

The benefit of working for another company is that your income is guaranteed. They often match your retirement saving contributions and have marketing strategies to attract clients. Additionally, they’ve already established a (hopefully positive) reputation.

In my experience, nutrition coaching companies pay you every two weeks, which should be around 80 hours of work if you’re a full-time employee.

Additionally, if you’re doing workshops, webinars, or seminars, the fees that clients or businesses pay are pocketed by the company you work for and just part of your regular salary rather than paid as additional work.

There may be companies that do it differently, but in my experience, the income from these services went directly to the company and likely just helped to pay everyone else’s salary.

Self-Employed Nutrition Coach

On average self-employed nutrition, coaches can make between $2000 – $6000 per month, which would be $24,000 – $72,000 annually just from clients alone; however, there are nutrition coaches out there who make less than this, and those who make much much more.

Ultimately, the amount of money you can make depends on the number of clients you have, which relates to your education, experience, reputation, and relationship with your clients. Aside from that, it will depend on the number of services you offer and how much you charge.

If you’re self-employed, you’ll typically charge long-term clients (with no end date) monthly. However, those just signing up for a period (3 months, 6 months, 12 months, etc) would pay upfront for coaching, so you would be paid before the service has been provided.

Most nutrition coaches will have both types of clients (long-term and short-term), so it’s important to keep track of when each client’s payment is due based on the length of time they’ve been working with you.

If you’re doing seminars, workshops, or challenges, this would be additional income for your regular coaching, which is likely paid upfront or invoiced.

The nutrition coaches with long-term and short-term clients, regular challenges, and seminars or workshops will make more than the nutrition coaches with only one service available.

The challenge of being a self-employed nutrition coach is that you have to put yourself out there and build your reputation to attract clients because if you’re going to make enough money to live the lifestyle you want, you will have to hustle.

Can You Make A Full Time Living As A Nutrition Coach?

Employed nutrition coaches can make a full-time living because they should be guaranteed 40 hours a week at $20-30/hour, which is enough to live comfortably.

Self-employed nutrition coaches can make a full-time living if they have a steady stream of clients coming in, and they’re able to charge a higher price for their services.

However, it’s common for self-employed nutrition coaches to start coaching part-time to gain experience and exposure before taking their coaching business full-time.

If you’re charging $200/month for each client and you have 30 clients, then you’re bringing in $6000 a month and $72,000 annually, which would be a comfortable amount for most people.

However, if you’re charging $100/month and you only have ten clients, then you’d only be bringing in $1000 a month and $12,000 annually, which isn’t enough to live comfortably.

The more clients you have and the more you charge, obviously, the better off you’ll be, but if you’re charging too much for the services you provide and your clients don’t feel like you’re worth it, then it won’t last for long, and you’ll be back where you started.

It’s important to be realistic about your worth when you’re running your own business. 

If you’ve got years of experience and your clients are seeing the results they want, you can probably charge a bit more, but if you’re just starting out and have no credibility, then you’re better off charging a lower price until you can gain more experience.

Ways To Earn More Money As A Nutrition Coach

The tips below are for self-employed nutrition coaches because those who work for a company may not have an opportunity to make more than their salary unless they get a pay raise.

Some ways to gain exposure and make more money as a nutrition coach are to:

• Host a webinar ($50-$100/person): This is a great opportunity to dive into some niche topics like emotional eating, mindful eating, how to master meal prep, etc. which will help potential clients to see your value.

• Offer seminars to local businesses, schools, or gyms ($100-$300): Offering your services at these locations helps you to become a go-to person for these businesses or institutions and connects you with potential one-on-one clients.

• Drop off business cards at businesses (2-3 new clients/month): Getting your name out in your community is one of the best ways to connect and become the go-to person for nutrition help.

• Organize a 6, 8, or 12-week challenge ($150-$300/person): Putting together a challenge is a fun way to get people excited about working with you and reaching their goals. It can also be a more hands-off way to work with clients because the group will stay engaged amongst themselves if you’ve done a good job designing the challenge.

• Offer a meal prep cooking class ($50-$100/person): A great way to build connections is to offer a meal prep cooking class at local grocery stores, schools, or even virtually. This allows you to provide education while also allowing potential clients to connect with you on a more personal level.

• Create partnerships (5-10 new clients/month): Partnerships are a great way to connect with a large audience. For example, I recommend partnerships with FeastGood, which publishes workout nutrition content. Try reaching out to nutrition blogs that don’t already offer coaching to promote your services! 

Choosing one or more of the services above can help to increase your income to help you make enough money to continue running your own business, especially when combined with short-term and long-term client coaching.

Nutrition Coaches Share Advice On Getting Started

I reached out to a handful of nutrition coaches to ask them what their advice would be to those who are just starting out in nutrition coaching; here’s what they had to say.

Riley Nadoroznick, Conviction Fitness Inc.:

“When I first started coaching nutrition, I had grandiose plans of using perfect diets to get all my clients ripped. It didn’t take long to realize that was never going to happen. Every client is different. They have different starting points, different limitations, and different end goals. 

The key to success is to meet the client where they are. Every client must be coached uniquely. Sure, some clients want to look like a Greek god, but most people just want to lose a little weight and feel like themselves again. Your job is to help your client reach their goals, not yours.”

Kelsey Butler, Host of the Taste Buds Podcast:

“Nutrition coaches can make anywhere between $3,000 to $15,000 per month (and possibly even more than that). To get started, I recommend picking up as many opportunities as possible. 

Many fitness and nutrition programs need part-time or contracted nutrition coaches, so take on a few at a time. This can get you lots of experience in many different areas of nutrition and help you hone in on exactly where you want to focus. 

From there, you can grow your knowledge, network, and portfolio to help you build your own program or work exactly where you want to. ”

Actionable Next Steps 

STEP #1: The first step is to have a passion for nutrition.  

Suppose you already follow many nutrition and coaching social media channels, podcasts, and blogs, and you can’t stop learning about how nutrition impacts the body, performance, and well-being. In that case, you definitely should consider becoming a nutrition coach to help share your passion.

STEP #2: Next, at the minimum, you’ll want to get certified as a nutrition coach. 

My recommendation is to start with the Precision Coaching certification program. Once you’ve gone through that program, you can then decide whether you want to continue your formal education or if you want to jump straight into working with clients. 

If you want to charge more for your services and work with a diverse clientele, I suggest continuing your nutrition education.  

STEP #3: At the same time, if you’re learning about nutrition, you should get practical coaching experience.  

You’ll be more marketable as a coach if you have some practical experience working with other coaches in the industry. This will be set up as a mentorship or internship opportunity where they teach you, and you provide ‘free work’.  

They can show you their systems and processes for acquiring and onboarding clients, as well as how they manage the client’s nutrition program overall.  

These are skills that go above and beyond what you can learn in the classroom setting. At this stage, don’t expect to make money. Your ‘payment’ is experience.  

STEP #4: To start getting paying clients, reach out to family and friends.  

While in the previous phase you were working with clients for free, now you’ll want to charge for your services.  

This is so both you and your clients take the relationship seriously, and you can start building your skills around running a business.  

After getting your clients results, you can ask for referrals, which can continue to grow your coaching business.  

STEP #5: If running your own business seems intimidating, then start applying to nutrition jobs 

Many gyms and personal training studios want to offer nutrition coaching services, but don’t have the expertise necessary.  

This is where you can offer your skillset as a nutrition coach. The gym pays you, and you get to work with members of the gym on their nutrition goals.  

STEP #6: Scale your hours and commitment

Some nutrition coaches only want to work part-time as a ‘side hustle’.   

Other nutrition coaches want to make a full-time living. If that’s you, then you’ll want to continue to open yourself up to opportunities where you can work with more clients.  

Perhaps this looks like working for multiple gyms/personal training studios, and at the same time taking on your own private clients.  

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About the author

Naz Ahm is the founder of StudioGrowth and has spent a decade growing start-ups and venture-backed companies. He writes about sales, marketing, and growth, especially in the yoga, fitness, and wellness industry.

Naz has an MBA from IESE Business School and started his journey in the wellness industry when he set up an on-demand wellness business. Naz currently splits his time between the U.K and the US.

where to study, salary, pros and cons

Author:
Professional Guide

Updated by September 21, 2022

Nutritionist (from the Greek díaita – lifestyle, diet.) is a doctor who specializes in improving health with the help of properly selected nutrition. By the way, the ProfGid career guidance center has recently developed an accurate career guidance test that will tell you which professions suit you, give an opinion about your personality type and intelligence.
The profession is suitable for those who are interested in chemistry and biology (see.

choosing a profession based on interest in school subjects). 9Ol000

See also:

Profession features

Dietology is an applied branch of medicine dedicated to the organization of rational nutrition.

The first thing that comes to mind when you hear the word “diet” is weight loss . Indeed, nutritionists are dealing with this problem. Moreover, the excess in kilograms is bad for well-being. When an overweight person comes to the appointment, the nutritionist weighs him, determines the percentage of water, muscle and fat mass in the body (modern equipment allows this). Be sure to find out what diseases the patient has, what kind of food he prefers, what regimen he follows, whether he works physically, whether he is allergic to any products. When all questions are answered, the doctor prescribes a diet that helps to lose weight.

Once the target weight has been reached, the nutritionist develops a program that allows you to maintain the result for as long as possible.

But there are also other health problems . According to nutritionists, most of them can be alleviated and even nullified if you follow the right diet.

Sometimes only a doctor can see the relationship between nutrition and health. For example, noticing persistent peeling of the skin, a person goes to a dermatologist. And there he is surprised to learn that the cause is not a fungus or an allergy, but a poor liver function. And the liver, in turn, could suffer from food excesses.

A gastroenterologist can take care of the liver: he performs an examination, prescribes medications, and also gives some advice on nutrition, ie. he acts as a nutritionist. But recently, more and more often, a nutritionist is involved in the treatment process, who develops a more detailed nutrition program for the patient. The diet must meet all the needs of the body, without which proper metabolism is impossible. On the other hand, some diseases block the absorption of elements important for the body. The diet should take all this into account. For a good result, not only the products themselves are important, but also how they are prepared, the mode of eating.

Read also:

Therapeutic diets are used for diabetes, chronic pancreatitis, gastritis, high blood pressure, heart disease, etc. Many diseases have their own standard diets. But the doctor can make his own adjustments to them, based on the condition of a particular patient.

Athletes also need a well-designed diet: taking into account sports loads and body characteristics. This is what a sports nutritionist does.

Responsibilities

The responsibilities of a dietitian depend on where they work. For example, in a specialized clinic, he consults patients. In a multidisciplinary clinic, a nutritionist may also advise other medical specialists on dietary issues.

Nutritionists working in sports clubs advise athletes and their coaches. Help in organizing competent nutrition during major competitions.

A dietitian in a hospital or sanatorium is responsible for organizing therapeutic nutrition for all patients. He keeps the documentation: he paints the menu for the week, taking into account the diagnoses and the corresponding diets. Supervises the correct preparation of dishes in the kitchen, monitors how food is stored. All these stages are very important for the nutrition of patients to be truly curative.

Workplace

The profession of a dietitian allows you to work in a variety of medical institutions. Nutritionists work in clinics specializing in weight loss, in multidisciplinary hospitals, clinics, dispensaries, sanatoriums and dispensaries. And also in fitness clubs, in sports organizations.

If you are inclined towards research work, you can devote yourself to science. For example, in the Research Institute of Nutrition of the Russian Academy of Medical Sciences.

A dietitian who has achieved authority in his field can set up his own diet clinic.

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Salary

Dietitian salary for September 2022

Salary information provided by hh.ru portal.

Russia 25000—75000₽

Moscow 50000—200000₽

Important qualities

Profession of a nutritionist implies a sense of responsibility, good memory, kindness, ability to communicate with people, willingness to learn new knowledge.

The nutritionist himself must radiate health and follow the rules of a healthy lifestyle. Otherwise, his recommendations simply will not be believed.

Knowledge and skills

To be successful in his profession, a nutritionist must have the knowledge of a general practitioner, a gastroenterologist. It is necessary to understand well the patterns of metabolism in the body, the work of the digestive system. Know the composition of basic foods, imagine what their biological value is and how they affect the body in various diseases. Master dietary practices. As well as diagnostic methods, be able to use diagnostic equipment.

Nutritionist training

Courses

Universities

• 6 years

  220,000 ₽/year

  25
  budget places

• 6 years

  86,930 ₽/year

  20
  budget places

• 6 years

  330,000 ₽/year

  255
  budget places

• 6 years

  340,000 ₽/year

  255
  budget places

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What is the salary of a sports coach?

From 2 to 300 euros per month net, depending on experience, discipline (amateur or professional) and employer. Volunteer trainers working for a non-competitive organization sometimes receive bonuses.

Second What is the hourly salary of a sports coach?

Prices per session sports trainer vary by location and practice playful . Prices for indoor sports start from 20 euros. But in general, prices vary from 40 to 80 euros per hour.

However, what is the salary of a physical education coach?

Le salary

As a rule, the prices charged by fitness trainer from 30 to 70 euros per hour. In some professional clubs with very high level athletes , fitness trainer can earn up to 10,000 euros per month.

What is the salary of Bpjeps?

What is the salary after BPJEPS ? Quel Regardless of sector, the usual minimum income for a sports educator is 1,534 euros gross. If the mission of a sports coach is to plan the physical and sports activities of the team, the salary of goes to 1800 euros.

When will gyms open again? At , gyms will be able to reopen their doors on June 9, subject to strict health guidelines.

How does Fitaya work?

Choose between 1, 3 and 6 months. No support or follow up. At the end of the introductory offer, you will be automatically renewed to a no-obligation monthly subscription of €9.99 per month. You are a Diamond, and like any diamond worthy of its name, we provide you with personalized support.

How to become a coach in a football club?

Why training and diplomas to become a physical trainer ? To do this, you must at least obtain a STAPS (Mentioning Sports Training) license, that is, Bac + 3, to inform you fitness trainer and have your professional card.

What are the studies to become a physical trainer?

. studies that allow access to the profession

The STAPS Master of Sports Training can be a good starting point in this profession. Just like university degree physical training or State certificate of a sports teacher (BEES).

What is the salary of a nutritionist?

Un nutritionist earns from 1 euro to 500 2 euro gross per month in France , salary on average 1 euro gross per month.

How to get BPJEPS?

Employees on permanent contracts may receive a professionalization period to follow BPJEPS 9019eight . The professionalization period is financed by the OPCA (collector approved by a joint body), to which the company pays its contribution.

Become a nutritionist for . This means that anyone can give themselves this label, even if they drop out of school. without formal training in food science.