by our College Data Analytics TeamStudying Human Nutrition explores Human Nutrition. A Program That Focuses On The Relationships Between Food Consumption And Human Development And Health. Includes Instruction In The Cellular And Molecular Processes Of Food Processing In The Human Body, Related Metabolic Processes, The Relationship Of Food And Nutrition To Disease, And Nutritional Needs Across The Life Span. Read on to learn the essential details every human nutrition major should know — including career paths, salary data, the skills you will develop, and the best colleges offering human nutrition programs.
Across the country, human nutrition draws strong interest, with 1,095 degrees awarded annually.
Our 2026 Best Human Nutrition Schools ranking analyzes these 50 schools to determine the best overall colleges for human nutrition students. Continue reading to check out one of our many unbiased rankings of human nutrition programs later in this article.
Studies in Human Nutrition develop a specific mix of skills, knowledge, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in the occupations human nutrition graduates commonly enter.
Skills emphasized by a human nutrition program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:
According to O*NET, a human nutrition major emphasizes the following knowledge areas:
There are several human nutrition degree levels. The table below shows the typical length of the most common levels, and how many graduates earn each one.
| Degree | Typical Program Length | Graduates Annually |
|---|---|---|
| Associate Degree | 2 years | 23 |
| Bachelor’s Degree | 4 years | 533 |
| Master’s Degree | 1-3 years | 532 |
| Doctorate | At least 4 years | 7 |
People currently working in careers related to human nutrition tend to have obtained the following education levels.
| Level of Education | Percentage of Workers |
|---|---|
| Post-baccalaureate certificate | 40.2% |
| Master’s degree | 34.2% |
| Doctoral degree | 13.9% |
| Bachelor’s degree | 8.2% |
| Associate’s degree (or other 2-year) | 2.4% |
| Postsecondary certificate | 0.5% |
| Some college courses | 0.3% |
| Post-doctoral training | 0.2% |
| First professional degree | 0.1% |
View the chart below to get an idea of what level of education most of those in human nutrition careers hold.
Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*
Majoring in human nutrition can lead to many career paths. Below are some of the most common occupations related to human nutrition.
The following options are some of the most in-demand careers related to human nutrition.
| Occupation | Projected Jobs | Expected Growth |
|---|---|---|
| Dietitians and Nutritionists | 3,155,854 | 1.4% |
| Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | 1,267,153 | 0.4% |
Federal data tracks median earnings of human nutrition graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. These numbers tend to grow as graduates gain experience.
| Years Out | Median Earnings |
|---|---|
| 1 year | $35,066 |
| 4 years | $41,526 |
| 5 years | $47,346 |
Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.
Salaries for human nutrition graduates vary widely by occupation. The following table shows the top highest-paying careers human nutrition grads often go into.
| Occupation | Median Annual Salary |
|---|---|
| Dietitians and Nutritionists | $125,305 |
| Family and Consumer Sciences Teachers, Postsecondary | $99,604 |
With 50 different human nutrition programs to choose from, finding the best fit can be a challenge. We have analyzed these schools to produce unbiased human nutrition school rankings to help you.
If you are interested in human nutrition, you may also want to explore other closely related fields of study within the same broad area.
| Related Major | Annual Graduates |
|---|---|
| Foods, Nutrition, and Wellness Studies, General | 2,264 |
| Foodservice Systems Administration/Management | 373 |
| Foods, Nutrition, and Related Services, Other | 135 |
More about our data sources and methodologies.
