Becoming a Registered Dietitian in Oklahoma

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that Oklahoma has the fourth-highest adult obesity rate in the country, at 36.8 percent. Among high schoolers in Oklahoma, the obesity rate is also high, with 17.3 percent of them being obese or overweight. Overweight and obesity can lead to serious health problems, such as heart disease, diabetes, stroke, and 13 types of cancer. 

Registered dietitians in Oklahoma are specially trained to help people improve their diets and eating habits. The Oklahoma Licensed Dietitians Committee works under the supervision of the Oklahoma Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision to regulate registered dietitians in the state. They enforce the rules set forth in the State of Oklahoma Registered Dietitian Act. If you want to learn more about training to be a registered dietitian in Oklahoma, keep reading.

Who Needs a Dietitian License in Oklahoma?

Registered dietitians in Oklahoma must meet certain qualifications before they may legally practice in the state. There are some exemptions to the law, however. The following dietitians do not need licensure in order to practice in Oklahoma:

• Registered dietitians who are serving in a branch of the U.S. armed forces do not need a license to practice in Oklahoma
• Registered dieticians who are employed by a public health program that receives funding from the state or federal government do not need a license to practice in Oklahoma
• Registered dietitians who are employed by the U.S. Veterans Administration do not need a license to practice in Oklahoma, provided that their practice and services relate to their employment directly
• Health practitioners who are registered, certified or licensed under Oklahoma law may perform dietetic services without a license as long as those services fall within their practice scope 

Oklahoma Dietitian Education

The State of Oklahoma Registered Dietitian Act mandates that all prospective registered dietitians must have a minimum of a bachelor’s degree with 24 credit hours in dietetics, human nutrition, food systems management, or food and nutrition. They must also fulfill an internship and pass an examination. 

The Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) handles the registration of dietitians across the country, and has its own requirements that must be met before you may become a registered dietitian. These do align with those of Oklahoma, with the exception being that as of January 1, 2024, the CDR will require all registered dietitians to have a minimum of a master’s degree. 

Prospective registered dietitians must complete an education program in dietetics approved through the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND), and a minimum of 1000 hours’ monitored dietetic practice experience. 

Oklahoma offers the following types of educational programs for registered dietitians: 

• Didactic Programs in Dietetics (DPD), which offer strictly coursework, not the internship portion of the requirement. There are three DPDs in Oklahoma as of October 2022.
• Coordinated Programs in Dietetics (CP), which offer coursework and an internship integrated into one program. Oklahoma currently has one CP.
• Graduate Program (GP), which offers coursework and a supervised practice experience and culminates in a graduate degree. Oklahoma offers one GP.

Oklahoma Dietitian Exam

Next, you must succeed on the CDR’s Registration Examination for Dietitians. The Registration Examination for Dietitians Handbook for Candidates will give you the most up-to-date information about the exam, its contents and its procedures.

Pearson VUE, the appointed examination center company, will accept your registration for the exam online, as well as the $200 exam fee. You will take the exam at a Pearson VUE center in Oklahoma, which may be found in Norman, Oklahoma City, and Tulsa. Or, you may choose a center anywhere, including nearby Texas, Arkansas, and Kansas. 

Upon finishing the exam, your score will be given to you. If you pass, the CDR will send your Registered Dietician registration card by USPS mail within a few weeks.

Oklahoma Dietitian Licensure 

Once you have passed the CDR test, you are qualified to file for dietitian licensure in the state of Oklahoma. All application forms may be found here. Be sure to enclose the initial licensure fee of $120 (paid online). You must also complete an Extended Background Check. Mail everything to Oklahoma State Board of Medical Licensure and Supervision, 101 NE 51^st St., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73105. You may also contact them via phone at (405) 962-1400; fax at (405) 962-1440; and email at licensing@okmedicalboard.org. 

Your license renews annually on Nov. 1. The renewal fee is $100.

Oklahoma Dietitian Salary

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that, circa May 2021, Oklahoma’s dietitians earn an annual median wage of $60,560. Those earning in the 75^th percentile make $67,500 yearly; while those earning in the 90^th percentile earn $77,560 per year. 

Annual pay for dietitians working around the state vary. For example, in Tulsa, the annual median wage for dietitians is $61,370. In Oklahoma City, it is $60,770 per year. Northeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan dietitians earn $59,930 per year. Southeast Oklahoma nonmetropolitan area dietitians earn $47,820 annually. 

Oklahoma Dietitian Jobs

Looking at jobs for dietitians available across the state of Oklahoma, the following opportunities are of note:

• Performance Dietician – Bering Straits Native Corporation, Altus AFB
  • Salary: $73,200 to $92,600 annually
  • Minimum of bachelor’s degree required
  • RD required
  • LD in Oklahoma required
  • Three years of full-time dietician experience required
  • Board-eligible to be certified in Sports Dietetics required
• Inpatient Dietitian – US Veterans Health Administration, Muskogee
  • Salary: $44,740 to $86,074 annually
  • Minimum of bachelor’s degree required
  • RD required
  • LD in Oklahoma required
• Clinical Dietitian – Mercy, Oklahoma City
  • Salary: $51,900 to $65,700 annually
  • Minimum of bachelor’s degree required, master’s degree preferred
  • RD required
  • LD in Oklahoma required
  • One to three years of healthcare experience in clinical dietetics preferred
• Dietitian – Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, Norman
  • Salary: $47,100 to $59,700 annually
  • Minimum of bachelor’s degree required
  • RD required
  • LD in Oklahoma required
  • One year of clinical dietetics experience preferred
• Clinical Dietitian, Hospital – Stillwater Medical, Stillwater
  • Salary: $46,300 to $58,700 annually
  • Minimum of bachelor’s degree required
  • RD required
  • LD in Oklahoma required