Getting your master’s degree in nutrition, health and wellness allows you to work in a variety of fields and to educate both individuals and the public. You’ll target specific conditions or populations and work to improve education and awareness within a specific company, organization or community.
If you have a Master’s in Nutrition, Health and Wellness, you are eligible to test for advanced nutritionist certification; once you acquire this license, you can work in a variety of settings and with individuals with complex medical needs. Corporate, hospital, government and non-profit agencies all hire individuals with this degree and skill set and an aging population ensures that this area will continue to see strong growth in the future.
#1 Corporate Wellness Manager
Soaring health insurance costs and a need to offer competitive benefits and the best possible working conditions has led to opportunity for those in the nutrition, health and wellness fields. Brands of all sizes hire wellness managers to help employees get and stay healthy. Healthy employees cost the company less money in terms of healthcare and missed time and are more likely to be productive.
A corporate wellness manager works within an organization to promote fitness and health initiatives, from improving food choices in the company cafeteria to offering classes and programs designed to boost overall wellbeing. If you use your Master’s in Nutrition, Health and Wellness for this role, your duties would include:
- Designing health and wellness initiatives for team members
- Running contests, competitions and teams designed to promote activity and healthy goals
- Creating screening and wellness initiatives that will benefit the team, from mammograms and blood pressure screenings to flu shots
- Boosting training and awareness with programs and classes
- Integrating with other departments to create comprehensive offerings
- Working with events planning, marketing and other departments to coordinate your efforts and create a healthier workplace
According to Payscale.com, the median salary for a corporate wellness director is $58,063.
#2 Public Health Educator
This is a government or non-profit based position that focuses on education entire populations and communities about health and wellness. Whether you work for a specific community and plan education programs, screenings and other initiatives designed to teach the public how to live healthier lives or you work with a specific population, your Master’s in Nutrition, Health and Wellness will help you in this role.
Public Health Educators have a wide range of responsibilities depending on the actual employer they work for and the population they are targeting. Your responsibilities would include:
- Creating easy to understand education materials for specific demographic groups
- Planning and implementing training sessions for the public and creating outreach tools to improve health in your community
- Offering free screenings and preventative healthcare opportunities
- Working with marketing staff to boost awareness of your efforts and what you have to offer
- Coordinating private and public resources to help boost awareness of your initiatives
Public health educators improve the community’s awareness of conditions like Autism or Alzheimer’s, make specific populations aware of the importance of prenatal care or blood pressure screenings and educated the population about the spread of illness and disease. A public health educator’s income will depend on their level of expertise and location, but the median salary is $44,390, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
#3 Certified Nutrition Specialist
More than a dietitian or nutritionist, this specialist role is designed to help patients and providers create nutrition plans that address specific disabilities, conditions or challenges. Your Masters in Nutrition, Health and Wellness is a requirement for this role and you’ll need to become licensed as well. Once you are licensed, you can work in a clinic or hospital setting or work as an independent provider. Your responsibilities as a Certified Nutrition Specialist include:
- Understanding key nutrition concepts and implementing them in a variety of settings
- Creating individualized plans for those suffering from specific conditions or requiring specific diets
- Working with medical specialists, from oncologists to feeding therapists to create specific plans for patients undergoing treatment.
- Work within a facility like a hospital, prison or school to ensure that food offerings meet nutritional and wellness guidelines
According to the Unites States Bureau of Labor and Statistics, the role of certified nutrition specialist counselor is seeing faster than average growth and has a median salary of $64,880 with top earners generating over $80,000 in income annually.
#4 Community College or Specialty Teacher
Your Master’s degree in Nutrition, Health and Wellness will allow you to teach others in a variety of settings. Highshools and community colleges both have opportunities for nutrition science teachers, as do vocational schools and training programs. You can use your degree to teach others and help them succeed in the field. In most states, a Master’s degree will allow you to teach in any or all of these settings and in some colleges and university settings as well.
A post-secondary teacher has a median salary of $75,430, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
#5 Personal Trainer and Coach
Whether you work with only a select few clients or offer your services via a gym or fitness center, working as a personal trainer allows you to help others reach their wellness goals. You can work for an employer, as an independent contractor or as a consultant and work with clients one on one. You’ll be helping people individually and forging lasting connections – and be able to see the impact your work has on others in real time. IN this role, you’ll:
- Assess your client’s current nutrition and create a plan to improve their overall wellness
- Create food and fitness strategies to help your clients succeed
- Work one on one with clients in a wellness setting
- Help patients recovering from cardiac and other events get better
- Help obese or overweight individuals meet their goals and adopt healthier habits
In 2016, personal trainers and fitness instructors had a median salary of $38,160 and are experiencing average job growth, according to the United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics.
References
- Corporate Wellness Manager (2017, August 20) Retrieved http://www.payscale.com/research/US/Job=Corporate_Wellness_Manager/Salary
- Public Health Educator (2017, August 20). Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/health-educators.htm
- Certified Nutrition Specialist (2017, August 20). Retrieved from https://nutritionspecialists.org/become-cns/cns-nutrition-and-health-professionals
- Post-Secondary Teacher (2017, August 20). Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/education-training-and-library/postsecondary-teachers.htm
- Personal Trainer (2017, August 20) Retrieved from https://www.bls.gov/ooh/personal-care-and-service/fitness-trainers-and-instructors.htm
