Twenty-two California schools offer credential-track nutrition and dietetics programs: 19 universities and 3 community colleges. Costs run from California’s community college enrollment fee of $46 per unit to about $126,700 for Loma Linda University’s master’s for career changers. Integrated graduate RD routes run from 16 months at the University of the Pacific to three years for Loma Linda’s combined bachelor’s and master’s.
Most programs are campus-based. USC offers its dietitian master’s on campus or through a distance track for applicants 100 or more miles from Los Angeles, with supervised practice still required in person; Cal State Long Beach mixes online and in-person classes; and Cal Poly Pomona’s master’s in dietetics is fully online.
Since January 1, 2024, a bachelor’s degree no longer leads to the RDN credential on its own. The Commission on Dietetic Registration now requires a master’s degree, ACEND-accredited coursework, and at least 1,000 hours of supervised practice.
- Ten schools combine all three in a graduate route, either fully integrated or as a master’s paired with the school’s own dietetic internship.
- Four more pair a Didactic Program in Dietetics (DPD) with an on-campus internship that students apply to separately.
- Five offer DPD coursework only, so students must find a master’s and supervised practice elsewhere.
- The three community colleges prepare students for the Nutrition and Dietetics Technician, Registered (NDTR) exam, not the RDN.
Nutrition Programs in California — Comparison Table
| School | Credentials | Est. Cost | Format | RD Pathway |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loma Linda University | B.S.+M.S.: 3 yrs M.S.: 2 to 2.25 yrs (two routes) M.P.H.: 2.33 yrs |
$73.2K to $126.7K per program | Campus | Yes, Coordinated Program, all four routes |
| University of the Pacific | M.S. Clinical Nutrition: 59 cr, 16 months M.S. Nutrition Science (online) |
~$71.1K program expenses | Campus (M.S.C.N.) | Yes, ACEND Graduate Program (M.S.C.N. only) |
| University of Southern California | M.S. Nutrition, Healthspan and Longevity: 44 units | ~$111.7K total ($2,539/unit) | Campus or Hybrid distance | Yes, Coordinated Program |
| Cal State Long Beach | M.S. Applied Nutrition and Dietetics: 19 months B.S. Nutrition and Food Science |
$8,548/yr grad tuition; ~$10.5K/yr with fees | Hybrid | Yes, ACEND Graduate Program (M.S.) |
| UC Berkeley | Master of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics: 21 months | ~$67.5K total ($1,022/unit) | Campus | Candidate status, integrated master’s |
| Pepperdine University | B.S. Nutritional Science (DPD) M.S. Nutrition and Health Science: ~10-13 months |
~$77.1K M.S. total ($2,335/unit) | Campus | Yes, Coordinated Program (M.S.) |
| Chico State | B.S. (DPD) M.S. + Dietetic Internship |
$6,838/yr B.S.; $8,548/yr M.S.; + fees | Campus | Yes, combined M.S./DI, up to 6 a year |
| Fresno State | B.S. (DPD) M.S. + Dietetic Internship: 30-33 units (Fresno’s own pages disagree), 2 yrs |
$6,838/yr B.S.; $8,548/yr M.S.; +~$1,797/yr fees | Campus | Yes, ACEND Dietetic Internship (not a Coordinated Program) |
| Sacramento State | B.S. (DPD) M.S./DI: 21 months DI only: 9 months |
$6,838/yr B.S.; $8,548/yr M.S.; +~$2,818/yr fees | Campus | Yes, ACEND Dietetic Internship (not a Coordinated Program) |
| Cal Poly San Luis Obispo | B.S. (DPD) Dietetic Internship, paired with a master’s (not one combined degree) |
B.S. ~$14.0K-$15.0K/yr with Cal Poly’s own fees; stand-alone DI ~$12.3K to $14.3K | Campus | Yes, DI plus a separate master’s |
| San José State | B.S. (DPD) M.S. (DPD option) Dietetic Internship |
$6,838/yr B.S.; $8,548/yr M.S.; +~$2,715/yr fees | Campus | Partial: internship open to SJSU graduates only |
| San Francisco State | B.S. Dietetics (DPD) DI Certificate + M.A. |
~$8.8K/yr B.S.; ~$10.5K/yr M.A. (with fees) | Campus | Partial: internship through national match |
| Cal State Northridge | B.S. (DPD) Post-bacc DPD Certificate Combined M.S./DI or DI-only |
$8,328/yr resident tuition and fees | Campus | Yes, combined M.S./DI or DI-only (for those with a master’s) |
| Cal Poly Pomona | B.S. (DPD) Dietetic Internship M.S. Dietetics: 30 units |
$6,838/yr B.S. + fees; M.S. $825/unit self-support, ~$24.75K total | Campus (B.S., DI); Online (M.S.) | Partial: M.S. and DI cannot be combined |
| UC Davis | B.S. Clinical Nutrition (DPD) | ~$18.1K/yr resident (tuition and fees); +$39.3K nonresident supplemental tuition | Campus | DPD only |
| San Diego State | B.S. Foods and Nutrition (DPD) M.S. Nutritional Sciences (DPD option) |
$6,838/yr B.S.; $8,548/yr M.S.; +~$2,942/yr fees | Campus | DPD only |
| Cal State LA | B.S. Nutritional Science (DPD) Post-bacc Certificate (DPD) M.S. Nutritional Science |
$6,838/yr B.S.; $8,548/yr M.S.; + fees | Campus | DPD only; Coordinated Program inactive |
| Cal State San Bernardino | B.S. Nutritional Science and Dietetics (DPD) | $6,838/yr + fees | Campus | DPD only |
| Point Loma Nazarene University | B.S. Dietetics (DPD) | Not yet verified | Campus | DPD only |
| Orange Coast College | A.S. Nutrition and Dietetics Technician: 64.5 units | $46/unit resident | Campus | No; NDTR exam eligibility |
| Santa Rosa Junior College | Dietetic Technician Program | $46/unit resident | Campus | No; NDTR exam eligibility |
| Merritt College | A.S. Dietetic Technology | $46/unit resident | Campus | No; NDTR (status to confirm) |
CSU figures are 2026–27 systemwide tuition for full-time students, before campus fees. Nonresidents at CSU pay an extra $471 per semester unit. UC figures are 2026 cohort tuition before campus fees. Loma Linda, Pacific, USC, Pepperdine, and Point Loma are private and charge one rate regardless of residency.
Which California Nutrition Program Fits You
Choose Loma Linda if you want no internship match from any starting point. All four of its dietetics routes are Coordinated Programs, including a three-year bachelor’s-plus-master’s for community college transfers and a Post-DPD master’s at about $73,200.
Choose the University of the Pacific if speed matters most. At 16 months, its clinical nutrition master’s is shorter than the other integrated RD master’s with published lengths, and it admits career changers with prerequisites as well as DPD graduates.
Choose USC if you want a Coordinated Program built inside a gerontology school with a longevity and healthspan research emphasis. A distance track exists for applicants 100 or more miles from Los Angeles, with a part-time option over two to three years, though supervised practice is still in person on every track.
Choose Cal State Long Beach if you want an integrated RD master’s at public tuition. The 19-month program starts each January, needs no DPD verification statement, and offers a distance option in its second year.
Choose UC Berkeley if you want dietetics training built on a research university’s science core. Its 21-month master’s replaced the old undergraduate dietetics specialization, so Berkeley undergraduates now take Physiology and Metabolism first.
Choose Pepperdine if you want a small Christian liberal arts setting and the fastest Coordinated Program timeline in this guide. Its M.S. runs about 10 months for Pepperdine’s own undergraduates or about 13 months for outside applicants, though everything happens on campus within 60 miles of Malibu.
Choose Chico State if you want nutrition education work and a very small cohort. Its combined master’s and 1,000-hour internship takes up to six students a year, with priority for Chico graduates.
Choose Fresno State if you want a two-year combined master’s and internship in the Central Valley. It pairs a 30-unit M.S. with at least 1,000 supervised hours.
Choose Sacramento State if you already hold a DPD verification statement. Its 21-month M.S./DI route and a 9-month internship-only route for master’s holders give two entry points near the state capital.
Choose Cal Poly San Luis Obispo if you want a Central Coast internship with a small cohort of about 10 interns a year. Students can pair it with Cal Poly’s M.S. in Nutrition or bring a master’s from elsewhere.
Choose San José State if you plan to stay at one school from bachelor’s through internship. Its internship admits only SJSU nutrition graduates and requires a graduate degree, which cuts the applicant pool but not the need to be accepted.
Choose San Francisco State if you want a Bay Area internship paired with a master’s. Interns without a graduate degree complete the 1,024-hour internship alongside an M.A. in Family and Consumer Sciences.
Choose Cal State Northridge if you have an unrelated bachelor’s and want the DPD at public rates. Its post-baccalaureate certificate issues a verification statement, and its internship provides 1,216 hours of supervised practice.
Choose Cal Poly Pomona if you want an online master’s while finishing supervised practice. The 30-unit asynchronous M.S. in Dietetics meets the graduate degree requirement, but it is not a supervised practice program.
Choose UC Davis, San Diego State, Cal State LA, Cal State San Bernardino, or Point Loma for DPD coursework only. Each requires a separate master’s and supervised practice afterward, so check that step before enrolling.
Choose Orange Coast College, Santa Rosa Junior College, or Merritt College for a two-year technician credential at community college fees. Orange Coast’s degree includes at least 450 supervised practice hours.
California Nutrition Schools
Full profiles for these schools are in progress. Each summary below is based on the school’s own program pages as of September 2026.
Loma Linda University
Loma Linda, in the Inland Empire, is a Seventh-day Adventist health sciences university. All four of its dietetics routes are ACEND Coordinated Programs taught in person.
- B.S. + M.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics: 3 years after two years of transfer coursework, about $116,000
- M.S., prior bachelor’s in any field: 2.25 years, about $126,700
- M.S., Post-DPD: 2 years, about $73,200
- M.P.H. in Nutrition (Coordinated Program): 2.33 years, about $97,700
No route requires a separate internship match. The three Allied Health routes emphasize medical nutrition therapy; the M.P.H. emphasizes public health nutrition. Religion courses are required in the Allied Health routes, and M.P.H. students attend weekly chapel.
Full Loma Linda University profile
University of the Pacific
Pacific runs its clinical nutrition master’s at its Sacramento campus. The program is an ACEND-accredited Graduate Program with campus-based classes and supervised experiential learning.
- M.S. in Clinical Nutrition: 59 credits, 16 months over four continuous trimesters, about $71,057 in program expenses excluding living costs
- M.S. in Nutrition Science: fully online, not ACEND-accredited, no clinical rotations
Applicants need either a DPD verification statement or a bachelor’s in any field plus prerequisites. The priority deadline for the August 2027 cohort is February 15, 2027. The online M.S. serves dietitians and interns who need a master’s, not students seeking supervised practice.
Full University of the Pacific profile
University of Southern California
USC’s Leonard Davis School of Gerontology offers an ACEND Coordinated Program master’s, delivered on campus in Los Angeles or through a distance track for students living 100 or more miles away.
- M.S. in Nutrition, Healthspan and Longevity: 44 units; 21 months full time or 24 to 36 months part time
Didactic courses and supervised practice run concurrently, and the program accepts 22 to 24 students a year across on-campus, full-time distance, and part-time distance groups. The application deadline is January 15. Supervised practice is in person even for distance students. Tuition is $2,539 per unit, about $111,700 for the full 44-unit program before fees.
Full University of Southern California profile
Cal State Long Beach
Cal State Long Beach replaced its DPD and dietetic internship with an ACEND-accredited Graduate Program housed in Family and Consumer Sciences.
- M.S. in Applied Nutrition and Dietetics: 19 months full time, January start, at least 1,000 supervised hours
- B.S. in Nutrition and Food Science: not ACEND-accredited
The master’s admits any bachelor’s holder with prerequisites and needs no verification statement. Cohorts are about 20 students, classes mix online and in-person sessions, and a distance option is available in the second year. CSULB undergraduates can apply through a blended track that double-counts 12 units. The $8,548 systemwide graduate rate is tuition only; CSULB’s own campus fees add about $1,910 a year, for a combined cost closer to $10,458 a year.
Full Cal State Long Beach profile
UC Berkeley
Berkeley’s Master of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics is a full-time, 21-month, 66-unit program that covers ACEND coursework, supervised practice, and the graduate degree. ACEND has granted it candidate status rather than full accreditation.
- Master of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics: 21 months, continuous, 66 units, about $1,022 per unit
Students spend the first year mainly in the classroom, complete a research experience and capstone that summer, and move into supervised practice for at least 1,100 hours. Berkeley consolidated its former undergraduate Dietetics specialization, along with Physiology and Metabolism and Toxicology, into a single new major called Nutrition and Metabolic Biology.
Pepperdine University
Pepperdine’s Seaver College in Malibu runs its nutrition programs within the Natural Science Division of a Christian liberal arts college.
- B.S. in Nutritional Science with a Didactic Program in Dietetics
- M.S. in Nutrition and Health Science, Coordinated Program: 33 units plus a capstone, about 10 months for Pepperdine’s own undergraduates or 13 months for outside applicants
The Coordinated Program pairs the master’s with 1,048 hours of supervised practice within 60 miles of Malibu and holds ACEND accreditation through January 2030. Pepperdine’s own DPD page currently lists an accreditation end date that has already passed, so applicants relying on the bachelor’s DPD status should confirm it directly with the school.
Full Pepperdine University profile
Chico State
Chico State’s Department of Nutrition and Food Science offers a DPD bachelor’s and a combined master’s and dietetic internship in far Northern California.
- B.S. in Nutrition and Food Sciences, General Dietetics option (DPD)
- M.S. in Nutritional Science, Dietetics option, combined with a 1,000-hour internship
- M.S. options in general nutritional science and nutrition education
The Dietetics option admits up to six students a year, for fall only, with priority for Chico State graduates. Applicants need a DPD verification statement from the past five years or a letter of intent. Master’s students without a DPD can earn one by taking at least 18 DPD credits at Chico.
Fresno State
Fresno State’s Department of Food Science and Nutrition offers a combined graduate program in the Central Valley.
- B.S. in Nutritional Sciences, Certificate in Dietetics Option (DPD)
- Combined M.S. and Dietetic Internship: 30 to 33 units, depending on which Fresno State page is consulted, plus at least 1,000 supervised hours over two years
- Stand-alone M.S. in Nutritional Sciences
The combined program recruits through the spring DICAS match, and ACEND accredits its supervised-practice component specifically as a Dietetic Internship rather than a Coordinated Program. The stand-alone M.S. serves students who want a master’s before a non-degree internship, or who plan careers in teaching, industry, or doctoral study.
Sacramento State
Sacramento State’s Nutrition, Food and Dietetics program offers a DPD, a combined master’s and internship, and an internship-only route.
- B.S. in Nutrition and Food with a DPD
- M.S. in Nutrition and Food with Dietetic Internship: 21 months
- Dietetic Internship only: 9 months, at least 1,100 supervised hours and 24 graduate units
The internship-only route is for applicants who already hold or are finishing a master’s. Both routes require a DPD verification statement by the program start, and most internship places go to the combined M.S./DI cohort. A separate Sacramento State page describes the internship-only route differently, as a 42-week, 1,260-hour, 10-unit program, so confirm current details directly with the department.
Cal Poly San Luis Obispo
Cal Poly’s Food Science and Nutrition Department offers a DPD bachelor’s and a dietetic internship on the Central Coast.
- B.S. in Nutrition, Applied Nutrition concentration (DPD)
- Dietetic Internship, combinable with Cal Poly’s M.S. in Nutrition
The internship enrolls about 10 interns a year across San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura counties. Applicants need a master’s or enrollment in a Cal Poly graduate degree. The 2025–26 stand-alone internship cost about $12,330 to $14,330 and is not eligible for traditional financial aid.
Full Cal Poly San Luis Obispo profile
San José State
San José State’s Department of Nutrition, Food Science, and Packaging runs a DPD and an internship for its own graduates.
- B.S. in Nutritional Science, Dietetics concentration (DPD)
- M.S. in Nutritional Science, with DPD courses available
- Dietetic Internship: at least 1,000 hours in San José and nearby areas
The internship admits only SJSU nutrition graduates, and applicants must already hold or be completing a graduate degree. It is not a combined M.S./DI program, and SJSU students are not guaranteed a place.
San Francisco State
San Francisco State’s Family, Interiors, Nutrition and Apparel department offers a DPD bachelor’s and a dietetic internship paired with a master’s.
- B.S. in Dietetics (DPD)
- Certificate in Dietetics (Dietetic Internship): at least 1,024 supervised hours over about 32 weeks
- M.A. in Family and Consumer Sciences, taken with the internship by those without a graduate degree
Admission to the internship runs through the national DICAS match, with a separate $70 SFSU fee. Rotations typically run from mid-August to early June.
Full San Francisco State profile
Cal State Northridge
CSUN’s Department of Family and Consumer Sciences in the San Fernando Valley offers a DPD bachelor’s, a post-baccalaureate DPD certificate, and a genuinely combined M.S./Dietetic Internship, plus a shorter DI-only track for applicants who already hold a master’s.
- B.S. with a Didactic Program in Dietetics
- Post-Baccalaureate DPD Certificate for bachelor’s holders in any field
- Combined M.S. and Dietetic Internship (about 24 months), or a DI-only track (about 12 months): 1,216 hours of supervised practice and alternate hours
CSUN lists 2026–27 resident undergraduate tuition and fees at $8,328. The certificate issues a verification statement; the certificate’s application cycle closes July 1, while the Dietetic Internship’s own deadline is January 15.
Full Cal State Northridge profile
Cal Poly Pomona
Cal Poly Pomona’s Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences offers a DPD, a dietetic internship, and an online master’s.
- B.S. in Nutrition with a DPD
- Dietetic Internship, with three required graduate courses
- Online M.S. in Dietetics: 30 units, asynchronous, one or two years
The online M.S. meets the graduate degree requirement but is not a supervised practice program, and it cannot currently be combined with the internship. M.S. graduates can apply to the internship the year they finish. The M.S. is billed separately at $825 per unit through Cal Poly Pomona’s self-support college, about $24,750 total for 30 units, not the $8,548 CSU state-supported graduate rate.
UC Davis
UC Davis offers its DPD within the Clinical Nutrition major.
- B.S. in Clinical Nutrition (DPD)
Graduates receive a verification statement and apply to supervised practice programs that include a master’s degree. The separate Nutrition Science major is not a DPD. UC Davis’s own resident cost runs closer to $18,078 a year once campus fees are added to the $15,588 systemwide tuition figure.
San Diego State
San Diego State’s School of Exercise and Nutritional Sciences offers DPD coursework at both degree levels.
- B.S. in Foods and Nutrition with the DPD
- M.S. in Nutritional Sciences with the DPD
Completing the DPD within the M.S. covers the graduate degree requirement, but supervised practice must still come from a separate program.
Cal State LA
Cal State LA offers the DPD through its Nutritional Science bachelor’s and a post-baccalaureate certificate.
- B.S. in Nutritional Science, Option in Dietetics (DPD)
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate in Nutritional Science (DPD)
- M.S. in Nutritional Science, two tracks
Its Coordinated Program is inactive, and the DPD is not accepting applications through the M.S. Career changers are directed to the post-baccalaureate certificate.
Cal State San Bernardino
Cal State San Bernardino offers a B.S. in Nutritional Science and Dietetics, formerly Nutrition and Food Sciences. The school describes it as an accredited DPD.
Point Loma Nazarene University
Point Loma, a Christian university in San Diego, offers an on-site B.S. in Dietetics. The school confirms its DPD is ACEND-accredited, and bachelor’s holders can also earn a verification statement.
Orange Coast College
Orange Coast College in Costa Mesa offers an ACEND-accredited technician program.
- A.S. in Nutrition and Dietetics Technician: 49.5 major units, 64.5 total, at least 450 supervised practice hours
Graduates receive a verification statement and can sit for the NDTR exam.
Santa Rosa Junior College
Santa Rosa Junior College in Sonoma County holds full ACEND accreditation for its Dietetic Technician Program, which prepares students for the NDTR exam. It also offers transfer coursework toward a four-year dietetics degree.
Merritt College
Merritt College in Oakland is listed as offering an A.S. in Dietetic Technology. Its current ACEND status has not yet been confirmed on the school’s own pages.
How to Choose a Nutrition Program in California
Decide whether you want supervised practice built in.
Loma Linda, Pacific, USC, Cal State Long Beach, Berkeley, and Pepperdine fold coursework, supervised practice, and the master’s into one program. Chico, Fresno, Sacramento State, and Cal Poly SLO pair a master’s with their own internship.
Every other university route ends with a separate application for supervised practice. That application is competitive, and some internships, such as San José State’s, admit only their own graduates.
Match the program to your starting point.
High school graduates can start in any of the DPD bachelor’s programs. Community college transfers can aim for Loma Linda’s B.S. + M.S. or Cal State Long Beach’s blended track.
Career changers with an unrelated bachelor’s can go straight to Pacific, USC, Cal State Long Beach, or Loma Linda’s prior-bachelor’s master’s. They can also earn DPD coursework through CSUN’s or Cal State LA’s post-baccalaureate certificate. DPD graduates have the widest choice, including Loma Linda’s Post-DPD master’s and the combined M.S./DI programs at Chico, Fresno, Sacramento State, and Cal Poly SLO.
Compare public and private cost structures.
All CSU campuses charge the same 2026–27 systemwide tuition, $6,838 for undergraduates and $8,548 for graduate students, plus campus fees. UC Davis undergraduates pay more, and nonresidents at both systems pay substantial supplements.
Private master’s programs are priced by the program: about $71,000 at Pacific and $73,000 to $127,000 at Loma Linda, before living costs. A public DPD bachelor’s followed by a CSU combined master’s and internship usually costs far less in tuition than a private integrated master’s. The trade-off is the separate application and a longer timeline.
Check delivery before relocating.
USC offers its integrated RD master’s fully online, with supervised practice in person. Cal State Long Beach mixes online and in-person classes and adds a distance option in year two. Cal Poly Pomona’s online M.S. covers the degree requirement only.
Watch intake dates and cohort size.
Most graduate dietetics programs admit once a year. Chico’s Dietetics option admits up to six students each fall, and Cal Poly SLO’s internship takes about 10. Cal State Long Beach starts in January, while Loma Linda’s Allied Health routes start in summer.
Nutrition Licensure and Credentials in California
California does not currently require state licensure or certification for registered dietitian nutritionists. The RDN credential from the Commission on Dietetic Registration is what employers look for.
Nutrition and dietetics technicians are defined in California’s Business and Professions Code, which requires them to be registered with the Commission on Dietetic Registration. Graduates who plan to practice in another state should check that state’s rules on the CDR licensure map.
Before You Apply
California’s dietetics programs are changing quickly under the graduate degree requirement. Cal State Long Beach closed its DPD and internship, Berkeley consolidated its undergraduate dietetics specialization into a new Nutrition and Metabolic Biology major, and Cal State LA’s Coordinated Program is inactive.
Before applying, confirm each program’s current status in ACEND’s accredited program directory. Also check whether its supervised practice step is built in or a separate application.