“No Kid Hungry Ohio” notes that
as of 2022, almost 22 percent of children in Ohio live in homes that suffer from food insecurity. This organization is working to remedy that situation, by providing school breakfasts, summer meals, afterschool meals, and education in food skills, among other things. Registered dietitians are one of the professionals who can help in educating Ohioans in food skills, including choosing the best foods to eat for a healthy lifestyle.
With one of the most restrictive dietary laws in the country, Ohio’s registered dietitians are highly regulated. If you wish to become a registered, licensed dietitian in Ohio, you must fulfill certain criteria. Only those who fulfill these qualifications may work as registered, licensed dietitians in Ohio and practice dietetics. The practice of dietetics in Ohio, by law, includes:
- Conducting nutritional assessments to determine the nutritional needs of individuals or groups, recommending nutritional intakes
- Providing nutritional counseling or education in order to prevent, cure and restore health
- Developing, administering, evaluating and consulting regarding nutritional care standards
If you’d like to learn how to become a registered, licensed dietitian in the state of Ohio, read on.
Ohio Education and Experience for Registered, Licensed Dietitians
The State Medical Board of Ohio, which regulates dietitians in the state, has coordinated with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) of the American Dietetic Association (ADA). They follow the CDR’s requirements for education, experience and examination for registered, licensed dietitians in Ohio. Per the CDR, anyone who wants to become a registered dietitian must complete a college or university education program that is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND). Although as of this writing, the minimum degree requirement for registered dietitians is a bachelor’s degree, by January 1, 2024, it will change to a master’s degree. Many ACEND-accredited Ohio programs, and those across the country, are changing their degree offerings to align with this new mandate.
You will see a complete list of accredited dietetic education programs here.. Programs offered in Ohio include:
- Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) – A DPD provides just the courses necessary to train to be a registered dietitian, not the experience. Ohio currently has 11 DPDs.
- Dietetic Internship (DI) – If you take a DPD, it must be followed by a DI, which provides a minimum of 1000 hours of monitored dietetic experience. Ohio currently has 13 DIs.
- Coordinated Program in Dietetics (CP)- A CP combines the coursework with the experience, all in one program. Ohio currently offers 3 CPs.
- Graduate Program (GP)– A GP is like a CP but at the graduate level, providing coursework and experience that results in a graduate degree. Ohio currently has 4 GPs.
Ohio Commission on Dietetic Registration Examination for Registered, Licensed Dietitians
Upon finishing your educational and experiential requirements, you will be ready to apply to take the CDR’s Registration Examination for Dietitians. Study the Registration Examination for Dietitians Handbook for Candidates closely, as it provides valuable information about the exam.
You will register with Pearson VUE, the testing company that administers the exam, and pay them the $200 exam fee. You can choose any test center in Ohio or anywhere in the U.S. to take your exam. In Ohio, Pearson VUE centers are found in Columbus, Gahanna, Copley Township, Moraine, Mason, Beachwood, Independence, Maumee, Westlake, and Norwood.
Your score will flash on screen as soon as you finish the exam. Passing the exam qualifies you as a registered dietitian. Before you may legally work in Ohio, however, you must obtain a license.
Ohio Licensure for Registered Dietitians
Now, you are ready to file to become licensed as an Ohio registered dietitian. Create an account in the State Medical Board of Ohio’s eLicense portal. You must pay $228.50 (the initial license fee of $225, plus a $3.50 transaction fee). After you have submitted all information and documentation requested, give the Board ten business days before checking the status of your application in the eLicense portal.
Once your license has been issued, it is renewable every two years, via the eLicense portal. Renewal fees are $183.50 ($180 licensure fee plus a $3.50 transaction fee). You must complete one hour of continuing education related to ethics, laws, rules and regulations governing dietetic practice, during each two-year licensure period. In addition to renewing your Ohio dietitian license, you are obligated to renew your registration with the CDR registration every five years and complete 75 units of continuing education.
Ohio Salaries of Registered, Licensed Dietitians
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) of the U.S. Department of Labor, as of May 2021, dietitians in Ohio earn an hourly median wage of $29.26 and a yearly median wage of $60,850. View the table below to see what dietitians working in various parts of Ohio are making.
| Metropolitan area | Hourly median wage | Annual median wage |
| Cleveland/Elyria | $30.08 | $62,560 |
| Cincinnati | $29.66 | $61,690 |
| Columbus | $29.43 | $61,220 |
| Dayton | $29.43 | $61,220 |
| Southern nonmetro area | $29.17 | $60,670 |
| Akron | $29.12 | $60,570 |
| Toledo | $28.89 | $60,090 |
| North Northeastern nonmetropolitan area | $28.87 | $60,040 |
| Eastern nonmetro area | $28.68 | $59,650 |
| West Northwestern nonmetro area | $28.52 | $59,320 |
| Canton/Massillon | $28.02 | $58,270 |
| Youngstown/Warren/Boardman | $27.50 | $57,200 |
Ohio Jobs for Registered, Licensed Dietitians
Another way to examine what Ohio’s registered, licensed dietitians are earning is to view the classified ads for available positions. As of September 2022, the following positions for registered, licensed dietitians in Ohio were listed as open:
- Clinical Dietitian I – Dayton Children’s Hospital, Dayton
- Salary: $71,000 – $89,800/year
- Bachelor’s degree needed
- RD from CDR needed
- LD in Ohio needed
- Nutrition Health Professional – WIC Program, Cleveland
- Salary: $46,200 – $58,400/year
- Bachelor’s degree needed
- RD from CDR needed
- LD in Ohio needed
- One year of experience in maternal and/or child nutrition needed
- Clinical Dietitian Clinical Nutrition – Nationwide Children’s Hospital, Columbus
- Salary: $57,700 – $73,100/year
- Bachelor’s degree needed
- RD from CDR needed
- LD in Ohio needed
- Experience as a clinical, registered, licensed dietitian preferred
- Clinical Dietitian – HARR Harrison Community Hospital, Barnesville
- Salary: $57,700 – $73,100/year
- Bachelor’s degree needed
- RD from CDR needed
- LD in Ohio, West Virginia or Pennsylvania needed
- Two years of clinical experience needed
- Manager of Clinical Nutrition – Samaritan Medical Center, Ashland
- Salary: $62,000 – $70,000/year
- Bachelor’s degree needed
- RD from CDR needed
- LD in Ohio needed
- Acute care experience needed