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Salary comparison

Dietitians and Nutritionists vs. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses: Who Earns More?

Dietitians and Nutritionistss out-earn Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess by $12K a year at the national median, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Dietitians and Nutritionistss land at $76,400 and Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess at $64,400. The education gap is real: dietitians and nutritionist programs typically require bachelor's degree, while licensed practical and licensed vocational nurse programs require postsecondary nondegree award. Top-paying state for Dietitians and Nutritionistss is California ($98,850); for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess it's Washington ($83,150).

Dietitians and Nutritionists
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
Median salary
$76,400
$64,400
Hourly rate
$36.73/hr
$30.96/hr
Entry level (10th %)
$49,090
$49,740
Senior level (90th %)
$103,720
$83,440
Education required
Bachelor's degree
Postsecondary nondegree award
U.S. employment
77,570
648,410
Job growth (10-year)
N/A
N/A
Category
Healthcare
Healthcare
Top-paying state
California
Washington

Pay by state

States where both occupations have BLS data, sorted by Dietitians and Nutritionists median pay.

State
Dietitians and Nutritionists
Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses
California
$98,850
$79,750
Alaska
$87,980
$80,800
New Jersey
$84,450
$75,160
Washington
$84,220
$83,150
Oregon
$84,180
$80,470
District of Columbia
$82,150
$75,740
Connecticut
$80,600
$73,690
Maryland
$77,800
$74,660
Massachusetts
$76,660
$80,220
Colorado
$75,510
$73,880
Illinois
$73,520
$75,000
New Hampshire
$71,840
$77,110
Rhode Island
$71,300
$80,090
Nevada
$69,030
$76,160
Arizona
$64,410
$77,070

Source: BLS OEWS May 2025. Highlighted value is higher in each row.

Common questions

Who earns more, Dietitians and Nutritionistss or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess?

Dietitians and Nutritionistss earn more nationally. The median is $76,400 for Dietitians and Nutritionistss versus $64,400 for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess, a difference of $12K. Per BLS OEWS May 2025.

Which has better job growth, Dietitians and Nutritionists or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?

BLS Employment Projections data is not available for one or both occupations. Check the individual career pages for current outlook figures.

Which requires more education, Dietitians and Nutritionists or Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses?

Dietitians and Nutritionists typically requires bachelor's degree. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses requires postsecondary nondegree award. Education requirements vary by employer and state licensing board.

Where do Dietitians and Nutritionistss get paid the most?

California is the top-paying state for Dietitians and Nutritionistss at $98,850/year, per BLS OEWS May 2025. Major metro areas within that state typically pay even more than the state average.

How does Dietitians and Nutritionists vs. Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses pay differ by state?

The gap varies significantly by state. In California, Dietitians and Nutritionistss earn $98,850 vs. $79,750 for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess. See the state comparison table on this page for the full picture.

Full Dietitians and Nutritionists salary breakdownView →Full Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nurses salary breakdownView →Best cities for Dietitians and Nutritionistss by take-home payExplore →Best cities for Licensed Practical and Licensed Vocational Nursess by take-home payExplore →How to become a dietitians and nutritionistsGuide →How to become a licensed practical and licensed vocational nursesGuide →