Food Service Management Program • Fairmont, WV • Hybrid (Campus, Online, or a Mix) • $239/Credit (Resident)
Pierpont offers 1 nutrition-related credential:
- A.A.S., Food Service Management, Nutrition and Dietetic Technology Concentration (the NDTR pathway, not RD/RDN)
Program Tracks Overview
| Program | Est. Tuition | Est. Duration | Credit Hours |
|---|---|---|---|
| A.A.S. Nutrition and Dietetic Technology | About $6,562/yr resident, tuition plus the program fee (24 credits) | 2 years | 64 |
Pierpont’s differentiator is a real, ACEND-accredited path to the Nutrition and Dietetic Technician, Registered (NDTR) credential, not the RD/RDN pathway, at open-enrollment community college pricing, deliverable fully in person, fully online, or a mix. This concentration prepares dietetic technicians who work under RDN supervision; it does not lead to RD eligibility.
Quick Facts
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Format | Completable fully in-person, fully by distance learning, or a combination of both, per Pierpont’s own catalog |
| Credit Hours | 64 (up from 63 in earlier catalog years) |
| ACEND Accreditation | Yes, per Pierpont’s own catalog: accredited through June 30, 2030, for both in-person and full-distance delivery of coursework and supervised practice. This is a Dietetic Technician Program, not a DPD or Coordinated Program. Note: this accreditation could not be independently corroborated on ACEND’s own static decisions pages for 2020 through 2026, which list no Pierpont entry despite listing dozens of other Dietetic Technician Program decisions in the same years |
| RD/RDN Eligibility | No. This program leads to the Nutrition and Dietetic Technician, Registered (NDTR) credential, a distinct, lower-tier credential that works under RDN supervision, not the RD/RDN pathway itself |
| Supervised Practice | Built into FOSM 2229N Food Service Internship (5 required hours of a 1–8 credit range) and a capstone course; exact clock-hour totals and site lists were not published |
| Admissions | Open enrollment; a standard Pierpont application only, with no GPA minimum found. This program does not appear on Pierpont’s own list of selective, competitive-entry programs |
| Reported Outcomes | A combined 2024-25 rate across all four Food Service Management concentrations shows a 69.05% graduation rate and 100% job placement; no NDTR-specific exam pass rate or employment figure was found |
| Tuition | $239/credit resident, $569 non-resident, $460 metro rate (2025-26 and 2026-27, unchanged); plus a $34/credit program fee |
| Institutional Accreditation | HLC (Higher Learning Commission); Pierpont was on “Accredited-On Notice” status from June 2024 until the sanction was removed on June 25, 2026 |
A.A.S., Food Service Management, Nutrition and Dietetic Technology Concentration
The estimated tuition is about $6,562 a year for a resident at 24 credits, combining $239 per credit in tuition with a $34 per credit program fee. The degree is 64 credits over two years, and this is one of three active concentrations inside the broader Food Service Management A.A.S. (Culinary Arts and Pastry and Baking Arts are the other two).
Curriculum and Delivery
The program mixes general studies with dietetics-specific coursework and a required internship (FOSM 2229N) and capstone (FOSM 2995N). Pierpont’s catalog states the concentration can be completed fully in person, fully by distance learning, or a combination of both, for coursework and supervised practice alike.
You Should Know
Pierpont’s own catalog states full ACEND accreditation through June 30, 2030, and its marketing pages describe this as “West Virginia’s first fully accredited Nutrition and Dietetic AAS Degree program.” That first-in-state claim is plausible and uncontradicted. A separate marketing claim that West Virginia is “the only state with an ACEND-accredited community college program” is false: ACEND’s own decisions pages list active Dietetic Technician Programs at community colleges in numerous other states, including New Jersey, Ohio, Arizona, Nevada, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Massachusetts, New York, and California. Treat that specific uniqueness claim as incorrect if you see it elsewhere.
Pierpont’s own accreditation could not be independently confirmed on ACEND’s static decisions pages for 2020 through 2026, though it is stated plainly, with a specific term date, on Pierpont’s own catalog and accreditation pages. Confirm current status directly with the program before enrolling.
Admissions
Open enrollment: only a standard Pierpont application is required. No GPA minimum, test score, or portfolio was found, and this program is not on Pierpont’s own list of selective, competitive-entry programs.
Tuition
Pierpont’s per-credit rates are identical for 2025-26 and 2026-27, per the college’s own dated tuition pages:
- West Virginia resident: $239/credit; non-resident $569/credit; Metro rate (bordering Pennsylvania and Maryland counties) $460/credit
- Full-time (12 credits/semester): resident $2,881/semester, non-resident $6,830, Metro $5,531
- Program fee: $34/credit, $400 at full time (12 credits), in addition to base tuition
Be aware that:
Pierpont’s mandatory-fee line items appear to differ slightly between its 2025-26 and 2026-27 tuition pages (a facilities fee shown on one and not clearly shown on the other); the figures above use tuition plus the confirmed program fee only. Confirm the full current fee stack directly before enrolling.
Official figures are on Pierpont’s tuition and fees page.
Why Choose This Nutrition Program?
Best suited for students who want the dietetic technician credential quickly and affordably, with the flexibility to study fully online, rather than the longer bachelor’s-to-graduate RD pathway.
Students watching cost and time can finish an ACEND-accredited associate degree in two years at open-enrollment community college rates, with no GPA gate to clear.
Students who need flexibility can complete the entire concentration, including supervised practice, fully online if they choose.
The honest trade-off is credential level: this is the NDTR pathway, not the RD/RDN credential, and Pierpont’s own accreditation claim, while specific and dated, could not be independently confirmed on ACEND’s own public decision records.
Accreditation
Pierpont is institutionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC). The college was placed on “Accredited-On Notice” status in June 2024 following its first full evaluation as a stand-alone institution; that Notice sanction was removed on June 25, 2026, returning Pierpont to full “Accredited” status, with its next comprehensive evaluation scheduled for 2027-28.
Pierpont’s own catalog states the Nutrition and Dietetic Technology concentration is accredited by ACEND through June 30, 2030, as a Dietetic Technician Program, covering both in-person and full-distance delivery. This claim was not independently found on ACEND’s own static decisions pages from 2020 through 2026, so confirm current status directly with the program before applying.
Graduates of this program are prepared for the Nutrition and Dietetic Technician, Registered (NDTR) credential, working under a registered dietitian’s supervision. This is not the RD/RDN pathway, and this program does not lead to RDN eligibility.