Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Services at University of Dayton

The estimated $30,750 in debt for this nutrition program—while borrowed alongside four-year earnings that climb from roughly $38,500 to over $50,000—reflects a debt load above what similar programs nationally typically produce ($24,497 median). That gap matters because nutrition science is a field where many graduates need additional credentials before commanding higher salaries, making the undergraduate borrowing baseline particularly important.

What's promising is that by year four, reported earnings of $50,692 put Dayton graduates well ahead of the Ohio median and closer to top-tier state programs like Cincinnati and Akron. This suggests the program delivers real value over time, even if first-year figures based on comparable Ohio programs start modestly. The 0.80 debt-to-earnings ratio sits in reasonable territory, though it doesn't account for the internship and registration exam costs that most dietitians face before full licensure.

The calculus here depends heavily on career path. Students planning to pursue registered dietitian credentials (which most nutrition science majors do) should factor in an additional year of supervised practice—often unpaid or low-paid—before reaching that four-year earnings figure. If your child can minimize that $30,750 through merit aid or family contribution, the trajectory looks solid. At full sticker debt, it's manageable but tight given the field's front-loaded credential costs.