Pay, location & work-life context
Dietitian Salary Map by State (2026)
Median dietitian pay across 48 states from real job listings — switch views to adjust for cost of living or overlay burnout scores. Medians blend permanent salaries with annualized locums/contract rates. National median: $78,000.
Highest median
California
$93,070
Best real purchasing power
West Virginia
$94,126 adjusted
Best lifestyle score
Idaho
7.1/10 avg burnout score
Compare state markets
Choose a metric, then select a state to see its figures and available breakdown.
Tile positions are approximate, not geographic boundaries. Selection adds an outline without changing the metric color. Work-life scores describe listings, not surveyed clinician burnout.
Dietitian pay by state
Sorted by median advertised pay. On smaller screens, scroll the table sideways to compare all metrics.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Take-home, COL-adj. | Work-life score | Listings |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| California | $93,070 | $84,059 | $76,241 | 5.2/10 | 486 |
| Washington | $86,320 | $80,663 | $80,663 | 5.7/10 | 129 |
| West Virginia | $84,240 | $94,126 | $89,589 | 6.4/10 | 33 |
| Oregon | $84,105 | $81,370 | $73,315 | 5.2/10 | 36 |
| Hawaii | $83,564 | $76,001 | $67,641 | 6.4/10 | 8 |
| Utah | $82,545 | $83,493 | $79,695 | 5.3/10 | 32 |
| New Jersey | $80,673 | $74,145 | $69,422 | 4.8/10 | 149 |
| New York | $80,000 | $74,128 | $69,051 | 5.3/10 | 272 |
| Connecticut | $80,000 | $77,213 | $71,815 | 5.6/10 | 33 |
| Massachusetts | $79,401 | $75,079 | $71,325 | 5.5/10 | 142 |
| Nevada | $78,728 | $78,745 | $78,745 | 5.5/10 | 14 |
| Maryland | $78,000 | $74,315 | $70,042 | 5.7/10 | 140 |
| Rhode Island | $77,491 | $75,764 | $71,225 | 5.8/10 | 15 |
| Illinois | $76,347 | $76,379 | $72,598 | 5.0/10 | 167 |
| Colorado | $76,180 | $73,924 | $70,671 | 5.0/10 | 59 |
| Florida | $75,000 | $72,524 | $72,524 | 5.2/10 | 85 |
| Pennsylvania | $75,000 | $76,866 | $74,507 | 5.4/10 | 95 |
| Arizona | $75,000 | $74,496 | $72,633 | 5.2/10 | 27 |
| Idaho | $75,000 | $78,539 | $74,066 | 7.1/10 | 7 |
| Delaware | $74,880 | $75,024 | $70,072 | 5.8/10 | 25 |
| Minnesota | $74,880 | $75,927 | $68,448 | 6.0/10 | 61 |
| Texas | $74,880 | $77,151 | $77,151 | 5.6/10 | 107 |
| Oklahoma | $74,880 | $85,243 | $81,194 | 5.4/10 | 14 |
| Missouri | $73,840 | $81,306 | $77,485 | 5.4/10 | 32 |
| North Dakota | $73,320 | $82,420 | $80,359 | 5.0/10 | 11 |
| Virginia | $72,800 | $72,005 | $67,865 | 5.8/10 | 162 |
| Kansas | $72,800 | $80,828 | $76,318 | 6.4/10 | 8 |
| New Mexico | $72,800 | $78,949 | $74,291 | 5.7/10 | 8 |
| Vermont | $72,800 | $74,318 | $67,815 | 5.9/10 | 13 |
| Indiana | $72,561 | $77,748 | $75,415 | 4.8/10 | 34 |
| South Dakota | $71,500 | $80,713 | $80,713 | 5.0/10 | 16 |
| South Carolina | $71,500 | $76,267 | $71,539 | 6.1/10 | 41 |
| Michigan | $71,000 | $73,792 | $70,655 | 5.6/10 | 54 |
| New Hampshire | $70,720 | $67,892 | $67,892 | 6.0/10 | 10 |
| Wisconsin | $70,200 | $74,605 | $70,651 | 5.3/10 | 36 |
| Alabama | $70,000 | $78,808 | $74,868 | 6.0/10 | 14 |
| Ohio | $69,680 | $75,107 | $72,478 | 5.6/10 | 103 |
| Maine | $69,650 | $71,767 | $66,636 | 5.1/10 | 9 |
| Arkansas | $68,640 | $78,954 | $75,875 | 5.1/10 | 17 |
| Kentucky | $68,640 | $76,132 | $73,087 | 6.0/10 | 44 |
| Georgia | $67,600 | $70,202 | $66,418 | 4.6/10 | 54 |
| Tennessee | $67,600 | $73,582 | $73,582 | 5.7/10 | 78 |
| Louisiana | $67,600 | $76,638 | $74,339 | 5.7/10 | 7 |
| Montana | $67,470 | $71,287 | $67,081 | 5.8/10 | 17 |
| Iowa | $67,470 | $76,878 | $73,957 | 5.8/10 | 11 |
| North Carolina | $66,560 | $70,564 | $67,565 | 6.4/10 | 115 |
| Mississippi | $65,000 | $74,753 | $71,464 | 5.2/10 | 16 |
| Nebraska | $62,785 | $69,681 | $66,058 | 5.4/10 | 10 |
Common questions
Which state pays dietitians the most?
California currently has the highest median dietitian salary at $93,070, based on 486 real job listings. Adjusted for cost of living, West Virginia offers the highest real purchasing power at $94,126.
Which state offers the best after-tax dietitian pay?
West Virginia currently leads the take-home view at $89,589 — the state median after its state income tax (Tax Foundation state income tax rates (2025)), divided by the local cost-of-living index. No-income-tax states like Texas, Florida and Tennessee often outrank nominally higher-paying states here.
Why adjust dietitian salaries for cost of living?
Prices differ across states. The adjusted view divides each state's pay benchmark by its regional price index (U.S. average = 100). Source: BEA Regional Price Parities (2024). This is a state-level comparison, not a personal budget or a city-level cost estimate. Missing price data is shown as unavailable.
Which state has the best dietitian lifestyle scores?
Idaho currently has the highest average WeekdayDoc burnout score (7.1/10, higher is better) for dietitian listings — a measure of call burden, weekend requirements, and schedule flexibility across postings.
More salary maps
See the full percentile breakdown on the Dietitian salary page.