Steps to Become a Registered Dietitian in Nevada

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Follow the step by step process or choose what situation that best describes you:

1. Complete a Course of Education Approved by the (ACEND)
2. Finish a Dietetic Internship (DI) Program in Nevada
3. Take the Dietetic Registration (CDR) Exam in Nevada
4. Apply for Licensure as a Dietitian in Nevada
5. Maintain your Dietitian License and Registration in Nevada

Nevada Dietitian/Nutrition Career Information

As of April 2022, the Commission on Dietetic Registration reported a total of 692 Registered Dietitians (RDs) and Registered Dietitian Nutritionists (RDNs) in Nevada. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, as of May 2021, nutritionists and dietitians in Nevada earned an average salary of $63,860. Early career professionals earned about $47,390, while those with extensive experience earned about $78,940 during this time.

Not surprisingly, the major metro area of Las Vegas reported an average salary of $66,440 for dietitians and nutritionists, which exceeded the state average by about $3,000.*

In the State of Nevada, the Division of Public and Behavioral Health mandates that you fulfill certain educational, experiential and examination qualifications prior to working as a licensed dietitian. We will explore these requirements here.

Education in Dietetics (ACEND) in Nevada

In order to become a Registered Dietitian (RD) with the Commission on Dietetic Registration (CDR) and a licensed dietitian in Nevada, you must complete a course of study that culminates in a bachelor’s degree or higher. As such, the program you choose must be accredited by the Accreditation Council for Education in Nutrition and Dietetics (ACEND).

You may choose from a variety of programs, including Coordinated Programs (CP), which fulfill both the coursework and experiential part of the requirements; and Didactic Programs in Dietetics (DPD), which offer only the coursework and must be followed by a Dietetic Internship (DI) to gain supervised experience.

ACEND-Accredited Coordinated Programs in Nevada:

As of July 2019, there are no CPs to be found in the state of Nevada.

ACEND-Accredited Didactic Programs in Dietetics (DPD) in Nevada:

• University of Nevada Las Vegas
  • Bachelor of Science in Nutrition Sciences
• University of Nevada Reno
  • Bachelor of Science in Nutrition, Specialization in Dietetics

Want to Become a Nutritionist in Nevada Instead?

Although Nevada does not license nutritionists in Nevada, you can earn professional recognition through certification as a Certified Nutritionist Specialist (CNS) certification through the Board for Certification of Nutrition Specialists.

Before you can qualify to sit for the CNS examination and become a CNS, you must achieve the following:

• A master of science or doctoral degree in nutrition or a doctoral degree in a clinical healthcare field, both from a regionally accredited college or university
• The completion of specific coursework within your program, including:
  • At least 9 semester credit hours in nutrition
  • At least 6 semester credit hours in biochemistry
  • At least 3 semester credit hours in physiology or anatomy/physiology
  • At least 12 semester credit hours in clinical or life sciences
• The completion of at least 1,000 hours of documented supervised practice experience in nutrition

Your CNS designation must be renewed every 5 years, and you must show documented proof of the completion of at least 75 continuing education credits at the time of renewal.

The following bachelors and Master’s programs offer career-focused instruction delivered by trained nutritionists with experience in the field. Find out more what each individual course of study offers through the locations below.

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Dietetic Internship (DI) Program in Nevada

Upon completing your educational program in dietetics through an ACEND-accredited program, you must then apply for and attend a dietetic internship (DI). ACEND-accredited DI programs include at least 1,200 hours of supervised practice experience, vary in length, and may offer no degree or a graduate degree. Within Nevada, there are two DI programs:

• University of Nevada Las Vegas
  • • Full time non-degree program
    • Seven months long
    • Emphasis on clinical dietetics and food insecurity
  • University of Nevada Reno
    • Seven months long
    • Full-time non-degree program
    • Emphasis on Nutrition Therapy

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Take the (CDR) Exam in Nevada

After completing an ACEND-accredited DI program, you will be eligible to sit for the CDR exam. Your DI program director will likely contact CDR directly and notify them of your eligibility to sit for the exam. As such, you can expect to receive an email from Pearson VUE, on behalf of the CDR, informing you of the registration process and providing you with directions on how to register and pay the $200 application fee.

Once you have registered and paid the registration fee, you will receive an email from Pearson VUE, asking you to schedule the date, time, and location of your CDR exam. There are more than 250 PSI Testing Centers located throughout the United States. In Nevada, they include:

Once you have scheduled your exam, print out the email confirmation from Pearson VUE and remember to bring it, along with your government-issued photo ID, to Pearson VUE on the day of your exam.

In the meantime, you can prepare to take the exam by reading the Comprehensive Study Outline and Study Guide and the Registration Examination for Dietitians Handbook for Candidates.

The CDR exam consists of at least 125 questions, 25 of which are pre-test questions that are not scored. PSI will provide you with a simple calculator to take the exam. You cannot bring an outside calculator with you.

You must score at least 25 out of a possible score of 50 to pass the exam. You can immediately view your score upon completing the exam.

If you don’t pass the exam, you may retest after 45 days. Contact CDR to obtain rescheduling authorization at [email protected], or by telephone at (312) 899-4859.

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Apply for Licensure as a Dietitian in Nevada

To apply for licensure as a dietitian in Nevada, you apply using the Department of Health and Human Services’ Division of Public and Behavioral Health’s online system. You will be asked to pay the initial license application fee of $100. They will also notify you of what documents to upload or mail in, such as a copy of your CDR card. You must also undergo a Criminal Background Check, including fingerprinting, which carries a separate fee.

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Maintain your Dietitian License in Nevada

Your license will expire two2 years from the date of issuance. To renew your state licensure, you must pay the $200 renewal fee. You will receive renewal information and instructions before the expiration of your dietitian license. There is currently no continuing education requirement to maintain a dietitian’s license in Nevada.

To maintain your CDR registration as an RD, you must renew your registration every five years and show proof of the completion of at least 75 continuing education credits during the renewal period. The CDR requires that you maintain and track your continuing education credits through the CDR’s Professional Development Portfolio. Read about it in the CDR’s PDP Guide and find qualifying CPEUs through the CDR’s online CPE database. For 2019, examples of CPE activities available in Nevada include:

• American Society for Parenteral and Enteral Nutrition – various events for CPEUs ranging from 1.0 to 2.0 CPEUs throughout 2019
• Abbott Nutrition Laboratories – Hospital Malnutrition – 1.5 CPEUs, January 2018-2021

View how to become a nutritionist in Nevada here.

*2021 US Bureau of Labor Statistics salary figures and job growth projections for dietitians and nutritionists reflect state data not school-specific information. Conditions in your area may vary. Salary statistics representing entry-level/early career = 25th percentile; senior-level/highly experienced = 90^th percentile. Data accessed April 2022.

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