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# Best Dietetics/Dietitian Programs in the Midwest (2026)

Updated September 30, 2026

Part of [Best Health Professions Colleges in the Midwest](/rankings/best-health-professions-colleges-in-the-midwest/)

Regional list from [Top Dietetics/Dietitian Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-dieteticsdietitian-programs/)

This page ranks the 30 Dietetics/Dietitian programs in the Midwest by the median earnings of Dietetics/Dietitian graduates four years after completing, highest first. Viterbo University leads the list with median earnings of $63,328 for its graduates four years after completing.

Across the listed programs, the figure ranges from $63,328 to $32,925, with a median of $55,648. For 2 of the 30 programs the earnings figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one.

Public institutions account for 26 of the 30 programs, alongside 4 private nonprofits. University of Illinois Chicago ranks 17th on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions.

University of Illinois Chicago posts the lowest average net price at $10,974, while Southern Illinois University Edwardsville reports the highest admission rate, admitting 98% of applicants.

## The ranked list

30 schools in list order

| Rank | School | Program Earnings | Average net price | Net price, families under $30K | Admission rate |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Viterbo University · La Crosse, WI | $63,328 | $21,260 | $13,657 | 72.4% |
|  | Viterbo University reports $63,328 in median earnings for its Dietetics/Dietitian graduates four years after completing, with 12 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 2 | University of Dayton · Dayton, OH | $60,873 | $29,533 | $21,736 | 65.5% |
|  | [University of Dayton](/school/university-of-dayton/majors/) [admits 65% of applicants](/school/university-of-dayton/admissions/) and its Dietetics/Dietitian graduates earn a median of $60,873 four years after completing. |
| 3 | Miami University-Oxford · Oxford, OH | $60,381 | $28,384 | $16,015 | 75.4% |
|  | [Miami University-Oxford](/school/miami-university-oxford/majors/) reports [median federal debt of $21,670](/school/miami-university-oxford/cost/) among Dietetics/Dietitian completers who borrowed, and its graduates earn a median of $60,381 four years after completing. |
| 4 | Kansas State University · Manhattan, KS | $59,824 | $19,406 | $13,178 | 81.7% |
|  | [Kansas State University](/school/kansas-state-university/majors/) ranks 4th on this list and reports [$59,824 in median earnings](/school/kansas-state-university/outcomes/) for its Dietetics/Dietitian graduates four years after completing. |
| 5 | University of Cincinnati-Main Campus · Cincinnati, OH | $59,703 | $25,648 | $17,974 | 85.3% |
|  | [University of Cincinnati-Main Campus](/school/university-of-cincinnati-main-campus/majors/) shows an [average net price of $25,648](/school/university-of-cincinnati-main-campus/cost/) and its Dietetics/Dietitian graduates earn a median of $59,703 four years after completing. |
| 6 | Purdue University-Main Campus · West Lafayette, IN | $59,649 | $14,600 | $5,098 | 49.9% |
|  | [Purdue University-Main Campus](/school/purdue-university-main-campus/majors/) has an [admission rate of 50%](/school/purdue-university-main-campus/admissions/) and its Dietetics/Dietitian completers earn a median of $59,649 four years after completing. |
| 7 | University of Wisconsin-Stout · Menomonie, WI | $59,392 | $17,490 | $10,966 | 87.7% |
|  | [University of Wisconsin-Stout](/school/university-of-wisconsin-stout/majors/) reports [median federal debt of $23,375](/school/university-of-wisconsin-stout/cost/) among Dietetics/Dietitian completers who borrowed, alongside median earnings of $59,392 four years after completing. |
| 8 | Eastern Michigan University · Ypsilanti, MI | $59,211 | $15,407 | $13,250 | 79.6% |
|  | [Eastern Michigan University](/school/eastern-michigan-university/majors/) [ranks 319th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/eastern-michigan-university/) among nonprofit four-year institutions and reports $59,211 in median earnings for its Dietetics/Dietitian graduates four years after completing. |
| 9 | Michigan State University · East Lansing, MI | $58,989 | $19,680 | $7,068 | 84.8% |
|  | [Michigan State University](/school/michigan-state-university/majors/) shows an [average net price of $7,068](/school/michigan-state-university/cost/) for families earning under $30,000, and its Dietetics/Dietitian graduates earn a median of $58,989 four years after completing. |
| 10 | Ohio State University-Main Campus · Columbus, OH | $58,821 | $17,339 | $4,885 | 60.6% |
|  | [Ohio State University-Main Campus](/school/ohio-state-university-main-campus/majors/) reports [$58,821 in median earnings](/school/ohio-state-university-main-campus/outcomes/) for its Dietetics/Dietitian graduates four years after completing, with 12 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 11 | University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point · Stevens Point, WI | $56,618 | $14,559 | $8,833 | 91.8% |
|  | [University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point](/school/university-of-wisconsin-stevens-point/majors/) [admits 92% of applicants](/school/university-of-wisconsin-stevens-point/admissions/) and its Dietetics/Dietitian completers earn a median of $56,618 four years after completing. |
| 12 | Western Michigan University · Kalamazoo, MI | $56,449 | $15,273 | $5,263 | 84.6% |
|  | [Western Michigan University](/school/western-michigan-university/majors/) reports [median federal debt of $23,442](/school/western-michigan-university/cost/) among Dietetics/Dietitian completers who borrowed, alongside median earnings of $56,449 four years after completing. |
| 13 | Kent State University at Kent · Kent, OH | $56,183 | $20,787 | $15,280 | 86.3% |
|  | [Kent State University at Kent](/school/kent-state-university-at-kent/majors/) reports [median earnings of $56,183](/school/kent-state-university-at-kent/outcomes/) for its Dietetics/Dietitian graduates four years after completing, with 34 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 14 | University of North Dakota · Grand Forks, ND | $56,130 | $18,551 | $13,126 | 76.9% |
|  | Graduates across all fields who borrowed at [University of North Dakota](/school/university-of-north-dakota/majors/) left with a [median of $22,057](/school/university-of-north-dakota/outcomes/) in federal loans, and the school's Dietetics/Dietitian graduates earned a median of $56,130 four years after completing. |
| 15 | Ball State University · Muncie, IN | $55,768 | $14,940 | $7,834 | 85.5% |
|  | [Ball State University](/school/ball-state-university/majors/) posts an [average net price of $14,940,](/school/ball-state-university/cost/) and its Dietetics/Dietitian graduates earned a median of $55,768 four years after completing. |
| 16 | University of Akron Main Campus · Akron, OH | $55,527 | $13,946 | $10,413 | 59.7% |
|  | [University of Akron Main Campus](/school/university-of-akron-main-campus/majors/) [admits 60% of applicants](/school/university-of-akron-main-campus/admissions/) and reports median earnings of $55,527 for its Dietetics/Dietitian graduates four years after completing. |
| 17 | Northern Illinois University · Dekalb, IL | $55,221 | $13,391 | $10,126 | 69.8% |
|  | [Northern Illinois University](/school/northern-illinois-university/majors/) [ranks 116th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/northern-illinois-university/) among nonprofit four-year institutions, and its Dietetics/Dietitian graduates earned a median of $55,221 four years after completing. |
| 18 | Central Michigan University · Mount Pleasant, MI | $55,134 | $17,597 | $12,185 | 89.8% |
|  | Median federal debt among Dietetics/Dietitian completers who borrowed at [Central Michigan University](/school/central-michigan-university/majors/) is $24,877, alongside [median earnings of $55,134](/school/central-michigan-university/outcomes/) four years after completing. |
| 19 | Bowling Green State University-Main Campus · Bowling Green, OH | $54,796 | $24,022 | $18,396 | 81.0% |
|  | [Bowling Green State University-Main Campus](/school/bowling-green-state-university-main-campus/majors/) reports an [average net price of $18,396](/school/bowling-green-state-university-main-campus/cost/) for families earning under $30,000, and its Dietetics/Dietitian graduates earned a median of $54,796 four years after completing. |
| 20 | Illinois State University · Normal, IL | $54,604 | $19,398 | $11,568 | 88.2% |
|  | [Illinois State University](/school/illinois-state-university/majors/) ranks 20th on this list, with [median earnings of $54,604](/school/illinois-state-university/outcomes/) for its Dietetics/Dietitian graduates four years after completing and a cohort of 41. |
| 21 | Western Illinois University · Macomb, IL | $54,394 | $12,937 | $6,941 | 71.2% |
|  | [Western Illinois University](/school/western-illinois-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $54,394](/school/western-illinois-university/outcomes/) for its Dietetics/Dietitian graduates four years after completing, and its admission rate is 71%. |
| 22 | Iowa State University · Ames, IA | $54,391 | $18,589 | $10,582 | 88.7% |
|  | Median federal debt among Dietetics/Dietitian completers who borrowed at [Iowa State University](/school/iowa-state-university/majors/) is $18,546, and the program's graduates earned a [median of $54,391](/school/iowa-state-university/outcomes/) four years after completing. |
| 23 | North Dakota State University-Main Campus · Fargo, ND | $54,301 | $15,543 | $9,370 | 95.0% |
|  | [North Dakota State University-Main Campus](/school/north-dakota-state-university-main-campus/majors/) [admits 95% of applicants](/school/north-dakota-state-university-main-campus/admissions/), and its Dietetics/Dietitian graduates earned a median of $54,301 four years after completing. |
| 24 | Missouri State University-Springfield · Springfield, MO | $53,621 | $17,613 | $13,718 | 90.5% |
|  | [Missouri State University-Springfield](/school/missouri-state-university-springfield/majors/) [ranks 589th on Azimuth's composite ranking](/school/missouri-state-university-springfield/) among nonprofit four-year institutions, alongside median earnings of $53,621 for its Dietetics/Dietitian graduates four years after completing. |
| 25 | Southern Illinois University Edwardsville · Edwardsville, IL | $52,166 | $14,889 | $8,483 | 97.5% |
|  | [Southern Illinois University Edwardsville](/school/southern-illinois-university-edwardsville/majors/) [admits 98% of applicants](/school/southern-illinois-university-edwardsville/admissions/) and reports median earnings of $52,166 for its Dietetics/Dietitian graduates four years after completing. |
| 26 | Youngstown State University · Youngstown, OH | $51,687 | $12,767 | $9,328 | 84.5% |
|  | [Youngstown State University](/school/youngstown-state-university/majors/) ranks 26th on this list, with an [average net price of $9,328](/school/youngstown-state-university/cost/) for families earning under $30,000. |
| 27 | University of Illinois Chicago · Chicago, IL | $49,393 | $10,974 | $7,529 | 77.4% |
|  | Graduates across all fields who borrowed left with a [median of $16,704](/school/university-of-illinois-chicago/outcomes/) in federal loans at [University of Illinois Chicago](/school/university-of-illinois-chicago/majors/), which also posts an average net price of $10,974. |
| 28 | University of Central Missouri · Warrensburg, MO | $46,803 | $14,462 | $10,965 | 63.8% |
|  | [University of Central Missouri](/school/university-of-central-missouri/majors/) reports [$46,803 in median earnings](/school/university-of-central-missouri/outcomes/) for its Dietetics/Dietitian graduates four years after completing, with 19 graduates in the earnings cohort. |
| 29 | Mount Mary University · Milwaukee, WI | $33,993 | $20,144 | $18,155 | 62.3% |
|  | A private nonprofit university in Milwaukee, Mount Mary University has an admission rate of 62% and ranks 701st on Azimuth's composite ranking among nonprofit four-year institutions. |
| 30 | Dominican University · River Forest, IL | $32,925 | $11,745 | $9,759 | 90.3% |
|  | [Dominican University](/school/dominican-university/majors/) reports [median earnings of $32,925](/school/dominican-university/outcomes/) for its Dietetics/Dietitian graduates four years after completing, alongside an average net price of $9,759 for families earning under $30,000. |

## How this list is ordered

Programs are ordered by the median earnings of their Dietetics/Dietitian graduates four years after completing, highest first. Only programs with a reported earnings cohort in the Midwest appear. The figure captures federally aided completers who were working and not enrolled four years after finishing. For 2 of the 30 listed programs the figure is the two-year completion median rather than the four-year one. The metric does not adjust for graduate school enrollment, cost, or who enrolls, and it is not a measure of teaching quality. The spread from top to bottom is $30,403, with Viterbo University reporting $63,328 and the lowest-ranked program at $32,925.

## Job market context in the Midwest

The occupations linked to Dietetics/Dietitian in the Midwest include roles such as Dietitians and Nutritionists and Dietetic Technicians. The median annual wage across those occupations is $56,490, and a quarter of workers in those occupations earn less than $49,761. Projections for 2024 to 2034 show about 2,030 openings a year, or roughly 170 openings a year for every hundred graduates, with more projected openings than graduates. Projections for 2024 to 2034 put employment in those occupations about 5.7% higher. Wages and top occupations exclude management occupations; openings include them. The ranking above uses graduate earnings four years after completing, which is a different measure from the occupational wage figures shown here.

## Related rankings

-   [Top Dietetics/Dietitian Programs in the United States](/rankings/best-dieteticsdietitian-programs/)
-   [Best Colleges in the Midwest](/rankings/best-colleges-in-the-midwest/)
-   [Best Dietetics/Dietitian Programs in the Northeast](/rankings/best-dieteticsdietitian-programs-in-the-northeast/)
-   [Best Dietetics/Dietitian Programs in the South](/rankings/best-dieteticsdietitian-programs-in-the-south/)
-   [Best Health Professions Colleges in the Midwest](/rankings/best-health-professions-colleges-in-the-midwest/)
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