What Can You Do With a Degree in Health and Nutrition Sciences?

There are many career paths in health and nutrition sciences, including clinical, food management, education, community health, and research, to name a few. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, employment for dieticians and nutritionists is expected to grow 15 percent faster than the average for all occupations through 2026. Most career paths such as those in the health and nutrition sciences field require you to have a minimum degree of a bachelor's. This provides a wide variety of career path opportunities in the field. You develop skills and abilities that make you very marketable in a wide variety of jobs from food service to nutrition education. Individuals holding advanced degrees in health and nutrition sciences have several additional career opportunities available. Many nutrition majors also pursue advanced degrees in foods management, sports nutrition, nutrition education, clinical dietetics, or other professional areas.

Brooklyn College alumni with a degree in health and nutrition sciences work in healthcare services, education, community nutrition settings, food service, research, corporate wellness, nutrition therapy, and many more.

Top Employers for Brooklyn College Health and Nutrition Sciences Internships and Full-Time Jobs for Alumni (Based on LinkedIn)

There is a lot of information available on LinkedIn, including profiles of Brooklyn College alumni who graduated with a degree in health and nutrition sciences. Join the Brooklyn College Alumni group and see where alumni are currently working, their skill sets, and their career progression. You can filter further based on employer, class year, etc.

Keep in mind, this list isn't inclusive of all the opportunities available to health and nutrition sciences students. Use the Magner Career Center resources to your advantage to find opportunities that align with your interests!

Selected Alumni Profiles

Naudia Jones, RD, CDN '17

Clinical Dietitian
New York Presbyterian
B.S. Health and Nutrition Sciences

Kaydine Edwards '18

Newsletter Editor
National Organization for Blacks in Dietetics
B.S. Health and Nutrition Sciences

Eddie Sakowitz '16, '20 M.S.

Registered Dietitian
New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
B.S. Health and Nutrition Sciences, 2016
M.S. Nutrition, 2020

Career Guides and Articles

Here are some career guides and articles that share information on career options open to health and nutrition sciences majors:

My Next Move
O*Net Online
Indeed
Century College has a great resource, "What can I do with a major in the health sciences?" (pdf), highlighting many professional career choices.

What Is the Average Salary for Those in the Health and Nutrition Sciences Field?

There are several different aspects of the health and nutrition sciences field that affect the average salary, such as education level, industry type, experience, and location. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median salary is $59,410 per year in May 2017. The top 10 percent earned more than $83,070 per year. The best approach to determining possible salaries is to research them on websites like Indeed.com and Salary.com.

On-Campus Resources

There are a number of resources on campus that will help you learn more about health and nutrition sciences career options. Attend events and keep current on the resources available to you.

Magner Career Center

The Magner Career Center has a wealth of information on everything you need to get started in your career, help with résumés, an internships database, job fairs, etc.

They host frequent career events that may be of interest to you, which include Careers for Health Science Majors, How to Get a Job in Healthcare, etc.
Hear from current and former students in health and nutrition.
You can get matched with alumni who majored in health and nutrition sciences at Brooklyn College to learn about their experiences, get career advice, and develop a professional relationship.
Miriam Loyd is the liaison to the School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences and someone you can meet with for career guidance. For more information or to set up appointments, visit the center's website, call 718.951.5696, or visit 1303 James Hall.

Department of Health and Nutrition Sciences Resources

The department website has a section for students that includes information about upcoming career opportunities, research sources, etc.
Kathleen Axen, the department chair, is a contact when applying for graduate school.
The department hosts workshops semesterly on topics including How Can I Get into Graduate School via e-mail.

Student Clubs

To find all clubs and the latest events, search for the names of clubs and sign in to RSVP for the events you would like to attend.

Off-Campus Resources

NYS Office of the Professions

The NYS Office of the Professions provides detailed information on licensure requirements for those interested in going into the health and nutrition field. It is important to note that licensure requirements often vary by state, so if you are interested in living in another state you will want to see their licensing requirements.

Vault Guides

Review the Vault Guides to learn about careers. For example, you may want to review include Vault Guide to Non-Profit Jobs, Vault Career Guide to Curating, Vault Guide to Education or Vault Guide to Government Jobs to name a few.

Occupational Network (O*NET)

Occupational Network (O*NET) offers occupational statistics such as salaries and growth potential for all occupations. Additionally, you can search occupations by name or by your own interests, skills, abilities, etc.

Occupational Outlook Handbook

Occupational Outlook Handbook gives you information on the training and education needed for the job, earning potential, expected job prospects, what you would be doing on the job, and what the working conditions are like.

Academy for Nutrition and Dietetics

The Academy for Nutrition and Dietetics is a membership opportunity that provides a search engine for careers in the field, internships etc. This allows you to apply for positions directly, entailing résumé submission along with job alerts.

Nutritioned.org

Nutritioned.org is a great resource to learn about state requirements, no matter what state you're living in, and different careers in the health sciences and nutrition field. You can also search for different schools that offer master's programs in the field.

Organizations

Students interested in pursuing a career in health and nutrition sciences would be well served in joining at least one of the many existing health sciences organizations.

Meet Up

CUNY Meetups host various events throughout the semester open to all CUNY students and alumni.