PRACTICE APPLICATIONS President’s Page
Compensation and Benefits: Positive Trends
T
HE ACADEMY OF NUTRITION and Dietetics has just published the 2013 Compensation & Benefits Survey of the Dietetics Profession, our sixth such survey since 2002. It shows that, supported by the many programs and activities of the Academy, our profession continues to make economic gains that make nutrition and dietetics a desirable, “destination” profession. I urge all Academy members to download this free ($250 for nonmembers) comprehensive report at www.eatright.org/salarysurvey. It details compensation for dozens of core dietitian and dietetic technician jobs, broken down by region, education, experience, supervisory responsibility, and much more. We are doing much to support you in raising the perceived value of nutrition services to all stakeholders and increasing your compensation opportunities, while respecting legal and ethical restraints that govern businesses and professions.
SALARIES KEEP PACE As I reviewed the 2013 salary survey, here are just some of the interesting facts I found:
Registered dietitian nutritionists’ (RDNs’) salaries are keeping pace with inflation. In a turnaround from 2011, we see this year that RDNs’ salaries essentially matched the 2-year inflation rate of 3.4%. For DTRs, median wages remained relatively constant from 2011 to 2013. As in all previous surveys, we see a distinct wage premium associated with being a member of the Academy. RDNs who are members make an annualized average of $728 more than nonmembers. Likewise, dietetic technicians, registered (DTRs) who are Academy members make $1,144 more annually than nonmembers. One way of looking at this premium is that Academy membership pays
ª 2014 by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
for itself—several times over— every year. Salaries for RDNs and DTRs have increased steadily over time. In 2002, RDNs earned a median annualized salary of $45,760, compared with $60,000 in 2013. Similarly, DTRs earned a median annualized salary of $30,660 in 2002, and $40,000 in 2013. Each of these figures exceeds the inflation rate since 2002. In a reversal of the findings of previous surveys, professionals holding state licenses in 2013 have essentially reached parity with those who are not licensed.
The positions with the greatest percentage wage gains since 2011 include research dietitian; outpatient dietitian, specialist—weight management; Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) nutritionist; clinical dietitian; outpatient dietitian, specialist—renal; director of food and nutrition services; private practice dietitian—patient/ client nutrition care; and outpatient dietitian, general.
ACADEMY RESOURCES The Academy works to increase income opportunities for members by assisting us in shaping our environment and by creating tools we can use to demonstrate our value to employers and other health professionals. Education opportunities include professional development programming, Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo sessions; live webinars; online certificates of training; and pre-recorded online modules focused on increasing members’ business savvy and marketing skills regarding coding, coverage, and positioning RDNs and nutrition services in evolving health care delivery and payment systems. In the area of coverage and reimbursement, we are working to expand coverage of medical nutrition therapy services under Medicare Part B to
Glenna McCollum include conditions beyond diabetes, kidney disease and post-renal transplant; and working with Congress and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to include RDNs as providers who can bill for Intensive Behavioral Therapy for Obesity for Medicare beneficiaries. And in career guidance, we have developed new and revised (and reaffirmed existing) publications of Standards of Practice (SOP) and/or Standards of Professional Performance (SOPP) for focus areas of practice, and promoted the services and expertise of the RDN and assist individual members offering consulting services through an online referral service free to Academy active category members.
BRIGHT OUTLOOK With the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicting jobs in the dietitian/nutritionist category will increase by approximately 9.25% between 2008 and 2018, the Academy is committed to helping members meet the current and future need for more RDNs and DTRs, seizing—and creating—job opportunities and salary negotiating power. Our career outlook is bright indeed. Dr Glenna McCollum, MPH, RDN [email protected] http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2013.11.004
JOURNAL OF THE ACADEMY OF NUTRITION AND DIETETICS
9
Compensation and Benefits: Positive Trends
T
HE ACADEMY OF NUTRITION and Dietetics has just published the 2013 Compensation & Benefits Survey of the Dietetics Profession, our sixth such survey since 2002. It shows that, supported by the many programs and activities of the Academy, our profession continues to make economic gains that make nutrition and dietetics a desirable, “destination” profession. I urge all Academy members to download this free ($250 for nonmembers) comprehensive report at www.eatright.org/salarysurvey. It details compensation for dozens of core dietitian and dietetic technician jobs, broken down by region, education, experience, supervisory responsibility, and much more. We are doing much to support you in raising the perceived value of nutrition services to all stakeholders and increasing your compensation opportunities, while respecting legal and ethical restraints that govern businesses and professions.
SALARIES KEEP PACE As I reviewed the 2013 salary survey, here are just some of the interesting facts I found:
Registered dietitian nutritionists’ (RDNs’) salaries are keeping pace with inflation. In a turnaround from 2011, we see this year that RDNs’ salaries essentially matched the 2-year inflation rate of 3.4%. For DTRs, median wages remained relatively constant from 2011 to 2013. As in all previous surveys, we see a distinct wage premium associated with being a member of the Academy. RDNs who are members make an annualized average of $728 more than nonmembers. Likewise, dietetic technicians, registered (DTRs) who are Academy members make $1,144 more annually than nonmembers. One way of looking at this premium is that Academy membership pays
ª 2014 by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.
for itself—several times over— every year. Salaries for RDNs and DTRs have increased steadily over time. In 2002, RDNs earned a median annualized salary of $45,760, compared with $60,000 in 2013. Similarly, DTRs earned a median annualized salary of $30,660 in 2002, and $40,000 in 2013. Each of these figures exceeds the inflation rate since 2002. In a reversal of the findings of previous surveys, professionals holding state licenses in 2013 have essentially reached parity with those who are not licensed.
The positions with the greatest percentage wage gains since 2011 include research dietitian; outpatient dietitian, specialist—weight management; Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) nutritionist; clinical dietitian; outpatient dietitian, specialist—renal; director of food and nutrition services; private practice dietitian—patient/ client nutrition care; and outpatient dietitian, general.
ACADEMY RESOURCES The Academy works to increase income opportunities for members by assisting us in shaping our environment and by creating tools we can use to demonstrate our value to employers and other health professionals. Education opportunities include professional development programming, Food & Nutrition Conference & Expo sessions; live webinars; online certificates of training; and pre-recorded online modules focused on increasing members’ business savvy and marketing skills regarding coding, coverage, and positioning RDNs and nutrition services in evolving health care delivery and payment systems. In the area of coverage and reimbursement, we are working to expand coverage of medical nutrition therapy services under Medicare Part B to
Glenna McCollum include conditions beyond diabetes, kidney disease and post-renal transplant; and working with Congress and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services to include RDNs as providers who can bill for Intensive Behavioral Therapy for Obesity for Medicare beneficiaries. And in career guidance, we have developed new and revised (and reaffirmed existing) publications of Standards of Practice (SOP) and/or Standards of Professional Performance (SOPP) for focus areas of practice, and promoted the services and expertise of the RDN and assist individual members offering consulting services through an online referral service free to Academy active category members.
BRIGHT OUTLOOK With the Bureau of Labor Statistics predicting jobs in the dietitian/nutritionist category will increase by approximately 9.25% between 2008 and 2018, the Academy is committed to helping members meet the current and future need for more RDNs and DTRs, seizing—and creating—job opportunities and salary negotiating power. Our career outlook is bright indeed. Dr Glenna McCollum, MPH, RDN [email protected] http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jand.2013.11.004
JOURNAL OF THE ACADEMY OF NUTRITION AND DIETETICS
9
