How to Become a Nutrition Nurse
Credit: ProfessionalStudioImages / E+ / Getty ImagesNutrition plays a significant role in healthy living, disease prevention, recovery, and managing chronic illnesses and conditions. While nutrition is not a formal nursing specialty, it is an essential component of patient care and a consideration that many nurses incorporate into their daily practice.
Nurses interested in informally specializing in nutrition can pursue one of many certifications. In this guide, discover these options to find the right path for your needs.
How Long to Become
3-5 Years
Degree Required
ADN or BSN
Certification
CNC, CNSC, CNS
What Is a Nutrition Nurse?
Nutrition nurses are registered nurses (RNs) with specialized nutrition training and/or certifications. While it’s not a formal designation, nutrition nurses — or nurse nutritionists — can work in various fields where nutrition is a factor in managing diseases or chronic health conditions.
These nurses study and understand how nutritional support can affect medical conditions and improve health outcomes. They can work in many healthcare sectors, including geriatrics, cancer care, and public health. Beyond healthcare settings, nutrition nurses can find opportunities in schools, research institutions, and weight management organizations.
There are no state licensure requirements for nutrition nurses, but some organizations require RNs to hold certification to provide specialty nutritional care. Credentials from the National Board of Nutrition Support Certification (NBNSC), the American Association of Nutritional Consultants (AANC), and the American Nutrition Association (ANA) can prove valuable assets in this field.
Even if your employer doesn’t require certification, most prefer it. These credentials help you demonstrate your nutritional expertise and your ability to:
- Develop and monitor wellness programs
- Use nutritional therapies
- Administer intravenous feedings
- Recommend supplements
- Provide recommendations that affect eating, digestion, and nutrient absorption
Steps to Becoming a Nutrition Nurse
RNs can become nutrition nurses in many different ways. The requirements can vary by employer, but they usually include a set of prescribed steps. For example, the process begins with an associate degree in nursing (ADN) or a bachelor of science in nursing (BSN), which leads to the RN credential and ends with nutrition-related certification.
Other role requirements include communication, time management, and interpersonal skills, as well as basic life support and advanced cardiac life support certification.
- 1
Earn an ADN or BSN Degree From an Accredited Program
To qualify for RN licensure, you first need an ADN or a BSN. Both degree programs feature similar core nursing studies and RN licensure prep, but the four-year BSN includes more comprehensive and advanced studies than the two-year ADN programs.
RN-to-BSN programs offer an alternative pathway for ADN graduates. Schools also offer accelerated BSNs for graduates with non-nursing bachelor’s degrees.
- 2
Pass the NCLEX Exam to Receive RN Licensure
Prospective RNs must pass the NCLEX-RN exam from the National Council of State Boards of Nursing to qualify for state licensure. Test-takers have five hours to complete the exam, which covers the following topics:
- Management of care
- Safety and infection control
- Health promotion and maintenance
- Psychosocial integrity
- Physiological integrity
- Basic care and comfort
- Pharmacological and parenteral therapies
- Reduction of risk potential
- Physiological adaptation
Once you pass the NCLEX exam, you can apply for RN licensure with your state’s nursing board.
- 3
Become Certified
The certification process depends on the credential, but the CNC, CNSC, and CNS certifications require you to pay an application fee and pass an exam to demonstrate your field knowledge.
The CNC exam series costs $400, the CNSC costs between $330-$430, and the CNS costs $500 for application and testing. Only the CNSC has eligibility requirements, which include valid RN licensure and a recommended two years of nutrition support practice.
Test-takers can complete these exams at a testing center near them.
Nutrition Nurse Education
Nutrition nurses can take several pathways to the specialty. An ADN offers the shortest route to the field, but a BSN may lead to more educational and professional opportunities. An ADN is the minimum education requirement to qualify for RN licensure.
ADN Degree
An ADN degree is the minimum education requirement to become an RN and a nutrition nurse, but it may not be the preferred education for some employers. This degree is best suited for candidates who want to enter the workforce quickly. It can also lead to savings, as ADNs typically cost less than BSN programs.
- Admission Requirements: Most programs require a high school diploma or GED certificate for admission. Some programs require a minimum GPA (2.5 or higher) and prerequisites in biology, chemistry, anatomy, and physiology.
- Program Curriculum: Most ADN programs feature core nursing courses, such as fundamentals of nursing, mental health, health assessment, and human growth and development. Students also complete general education credits and may culminate their programs with a capstone course or project.
- Time to Complete: ADN programs typically take two years to complete for full-time students, while part-time students take up to four years.
- Skills Learned: ADN programs provide clinical skills, such as patient care, medication administration, and wound care. Students also learn effective communication with patients, families, and the healthcare team and patient education.
BSN Degree
The BSN is the longest pathway to RN licensure but can lead to some of the best professional and continuing education opportunities available. The degree is best suited for those who may want to pursue an advanced degree or a leadership position in the future. BSN-prepared nurses often enjoy access to more opportunities and higher-paying jobs in healthcare.
- Admission Requirements: Most BSN programs require a high school diploma or a GED certificate for admission, though RN-to-BSN programs usually require an ADN and RN licensure. Candidates also typically need a minimum GPA (2.5-3.0) and science prerequisites, such as biology, chemistry, anatomy, and physiology.
- Program Curriculum: BSN programs typically feature core nursing courses in nursing practice fundamentals, care across the lifespan, psychology, and epidemiology. Students also complete general education courses, electives, and practical requirements.
- Time to Complete: Full-time students usually complete BSNs in four years, but part-time enrollment extends this timeline. Some schools offer accelerated pathways, as well.
- Skills Learned: Students acquire medical knowledge, nursing techniques, leadership skills, and the fundamentals of nursing research. They also learn about current trends and issues in nursing, professional ethics, and community health nursing practices.
Nutrition Nurse Licensure and Certification
Two important credentials can help you on your journey to becoming a nutrition nurse. The first is a state RN license conferred by your state board of nursing. The second is certification as a nurse with special expertise in nutrition.
An active RN license is required to practice as a nurse, and most states require you to renew your license every two years. To qualify for renewal, you need to complete a state-specific number of continuing education hours.
Regarding nutrition nursing credentials, though none of them are required for employment, you can pursue Certified Nutritional Consultant (CNC), Certified Nutrition Support Clinician (CNSC), and Certified Nutrition Specialist (CNS) certifications. Each requires you to pass an exam. Membership with the certifying organization and RN licensure may also be required.
The renewal process varies but may require recertification. For example, you must retake the CNSC exam with the NBNSC every five years.
Nutrition Nurse Salary and Jobs Outlook
As our understanding of the health and medical benefits of nutrition grows, so too should the opportunities for nutrition nurses. While we don’t have access to job growth projection data specifically for nutrition nurses, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) projects a 7% growth for nutritionists and a 6% growth rate for RNs from 2023-2033, both outpacing the national projection for all occupations.
Like nutritionists, nutrition nurses work primarily in hospitals, government agencies, nursing care facilities, and outpatient care facilities. According to ZipRecruiter, the average annual salary for nutrition nurses is $54,140 as of April 2025. Depending on factors like education level, credentials, experience, and location, salaries in the field can range from $32,500-$90,000.
Frequently Asked Questions About Becoming a Nutrition Nurse
A nutrition nurse is a catch-all term for RNs with expertise and/or credentials in nutritional care. These professionals may work in nutrition-related fields or simply incorporate nutrition into their patient care practice.
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