An associate degree in nutrition takes about two years and leads in one of two directions. Dietetic technician programs are ACEND-accredited and prepare students for the credential for nutrition and dietetics technicians, which is not the registered dietitian credential. Transfer-oriented associate degrees cover the first two years of a bachelor’s and lead into a four-year nutrition or dietetics program at another school. The table below lists the 14 schools in 11 states with a profile on this site that offer an associate-level nutrition program. Each row shows the associate programs at that school with their own estimated tuition, duration, and credits.
Neither kind of associate degree leads to the registered dietitian credential on its own. Technician programs include supervised practice and prepare students for the NDTR exam, and transfer degrees usually need the receiving school’s agreement to count toward its major. The RD Pathway column shows where each program leads.
Associate Nutrition Programs at 14 Schools
| School | Program | RD Pathway | Format |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anne Arundel Community College Arnold, MD | A.S. | No transfer credential only | Campus |
| Casper College Casper, WY | A.S. Nutrition | No transfer coursework toward a four-year program | Campus |
| Central Arizona College Coolidge, AZ | A.A.S. | No NDTR technician track | Online |
| Gulf Coast State College Panama City, FL | See the profile for details | No transfer AA, not a dietetics credential | Campus |
| Jones County Junior College Ellisville, MS | A.A. | No transfer credential only | Campus |
| Merritt College Oakland, CA | A.S. Dietetic TechnologyAS-T Nutrition and Dietetics | No leads to the DTR credential, not RD/RDN | Campus |
| Middlesex College Edison, NJ | A.S. Dietetics – Transfer | No transfer pathway to the Rutgers DPD | Campus |
| North Hennepin Community College Brooklyn Park, MN | A.S. Nutrition | No transfer associate degree, not an RD route | Hybrid, Campus |
| Paradise Valley Community College Phoenix, AZ | A.A.S. | No NDTR technician track | Campus |
| Pierpont Community and Technical College Fairmont, WV | A.A.S. Nutrition and Dietetic Technology | No leads to the NDTR credential, not RD/RDN | Online, Hybrid, Campus |
| Seminole State College of Florida Sanford, FL | See the profile for details | No transfer AA, not a dietetics credential | Online, Campus |
| Snow College Ephraim, UT | A.S. Nutrition | No transfer coursework toward a four-year program | Campus |
| Tarrant County College Arlington, TX | A.A.S. Nutrition and Dietetics | No leads to the NDTR credential, not RD/RDN | Hybrid |
| WVU Potomac State College Keyser, WV | A.S. Human Nutrition and Food | No feeds into the WVU Morgantown bachelor's and DPD | Campus |
The table lists only schools with a profile on this site, so it is not every associate program in the country. Costs are per credit as published on each profile, and each school name links to the full profile with curriculum, admission, accreditation, and cost details.
How to Choose a Nutrition Associate Program
Decide between a technician credential and transfer
If you want to start working in food service, community nutrition, or clinical support soon after graduating, look at the dietetic technician programs, whose profiles mention supervised practice and the technician credential. If you plan to finish a bachelor’s, a transfer degree is the lower-cost start, but check which courses the destination school accepts.
Check ACEND status and the credential name
Technician programs are accredited by ACEND, and schools use different names for the credential, such as NDTR or DTR. The profiles quote each school’s wording and note where ACEND’s pages show a reduced term or other monitoring.
Check transfer agreements
Transfer degrees depend on articulation agreements, and some name only one receiving school. Confirm in writing which university will accept the credits before you enroll. If you plan to continue, see the bachelor’s degree programs page.
Compare cost and format
Community college tuition is set by district or state residency, so resident and non-resident prices can differ sharply. The Format column shows whether a program is campus-based, online, or hybrid.