Nutrition Sciencesat University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Graduates earn $24,746/yr in their first year — about 19.0% below the national Nutrition Sciences average. Base-case 10-year earnings $394K; scenarios range from $389K to $385K depending on AI disruption.
What this degree looks like at University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Your journey through Nutrition Sciences at UMass-Amherst prepares you with a solid academic foundation, but the real-world career landscape for bachelor's graduates often presents challenges. Most of the higher-earning positions in this field—like becoming a Registered Dietitian, a clinical manager, or a research scientist—almost universally demand a master's degree, extensive supervised practice, and specific certifications.
Without these advanced credentials, you'll likely start in roles such as community health outreach, food service management in schools or hospitals, or entry-level wellness coordination. The regional job market in Western Massachusetts also doesn't boast the high concentration of corporate R&D or pharmaceutical companies that drive top salaries for biological scientists. Furthermore, the high AI risk suggests that routine dietary analysis or basic nutritional guidance could become automated, pushing demand towards complex clinical judgment and advanced research skills. Therefore, if this path interests you, plan your graduate education or RD certification pathway from day one to truly unlock its potential.
Three scenarios, ten years out
Each scenario is a different assumption about how AI reshapes the career paths this major feeds into. Earnings projections stack the full 10-year cumulative trajectory; scores use the same 0–100 metric as the hero, recomputed under that scenario's assumptions.
10 year projection
Year-by-year earnings under each scenario. Base case reflects BLS growth patterns applied to University of Massachusetts-Amherst's starting earnings; optimistic and pessimistic adjust for AI's effect on each career path this major feeds into.
Common career destinations for this program's graduates, weighted by the school's specific occupation mix. Salary is BLS national median; AI risk is per-role task-exposure research.
Peer schools offering Nutrition Sciences
How University of Massachusetts-Amherst stacks up against other schools offering this major.
Other top programs at University of Massachusetts-Amherst
Other highest-scoring programs offered at University of Massachusetts-Amherst, ranked by DegreeOutlook Score.
Frequently asked about Nutrition Sciences at University of Massachusetts-Amherst
How does University of Massachusetts-Amherst's Nutrition Sciences program score?
This program scores 21/100 — on the lower end for Nutrition Sciences. Prospective students should carefully weigh costs against likely earnings.
How vulnerable is Nutrition Sciences to AI automation?
AI won't 'replace' Nutrition Sciences careers outright, but it is likely to reduce the number of job openings. We model 44% task exposure, which compresses field employment probability in our scenarios.
Why are Nutrition Sciences earnings lower at University of Massachusetts-Amherst?
Lower starting pay at University of Massachusetts-Amherst may reflect local labor market conditions rather than program quality. Many graduates see convergence with national averages within 3-5 years.