Dietitians / Nutritionists Salaries
Money can be one of the most difficult issues to discuss with our friends, family and colleagues. However, money is one of the big things we simply need to discuss while negotiating for a salary with a potential employer. One of the biggest mistakes you can make when negotiating a dietitian salary is to be uninformed about salary trends in your industry.
In addition to knowing median salaries in your area, it is important to be knowledgeable about where your skill and experience place you on the salary ladder during negotiations. If you’re about to submit salary your requirements to a potential employer, don’t take another step without checking out this guide to the most important salary negotiation tips.
How Much Do Dietitians Make?
The answer to how much a dietitian makes varies by state. The median salary for a nutrition professional in the United States is $55,920. The top 10 percent of professionals in this field make over $78,000 annually. Those in the bottom 10 percent of the salary range make less than $34,000.
It is important to be informed about the salary trends for professionals with the same amount of education and experience as you. In addition, you should know exactly what your professional peers make in the city you work in. Metropolitan areas like San Francisco and New York City pay some of the highest salaries for dietitians in the country.
If you are unable to find data regarding what people in similar positions make in your geographical area, you can also choose to add 10 percent to the starting salary at your previous position. It is up to you whether you want to ask for a firm dollar amount or provide a hiring manager with a range to work with.
Put It in Writing
Many people submit a salary negotiation letter along with their resume because doing so can help them steer clear of offers that won’t interest them. After all, you wouldn’t want to waste time interviewing with an organization that can’t match the nutritionist salary you’re demanding. A salary negotiation letter is a great tool that doesn’t give an employer a chance to wiggle out of meeting your very clear salary demands.
An effective letter will very formally state your desired salary or salary range. When it comes to determining how much you are able to go back and forth with negotiations, only you can decide how low you are willing to go if presented with another offer.
The other key part of a negation letter is your justification for why you deserve the amount you are asking for. This is your chance to prove to a potential employer that there are economic incentives for hiring someone with your skills and expertise. Use this portion of the letter to highlight any innovations or cost-saving benefits you brought to your previous job.