How to Become a Registered Dietitian in Louisiana 2026: License Guide

How to Become a Registered Dietitian in Louisiana

Louisiana regulates dietetic practice through the Louisiana State Board of Examiners for Dietetics and Nutrition. Practitioners must hold an active state license before practicing dietetics or using the protected title "Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist" (LDN) in Louisiana. The state's vibrant healthcare market — anchored by Ochsner Health, Tulane Medical Center, Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center (OLOLRMC) in Baton Rouge, and VA New Orleans — creates strong demand for credentialed RDs in clinical, community, and dialysis settings.

Step 1: Complete an ACEND-Accredited Nutrition Program

CDR's master's-degree requirement effective January 1, 2024 means all new RD/RDN candidates must complete an ACEND-accredited graduate-level program. Your options:

• DPD + Dietetic Internship: ACEND-accredited Didactic Program in Dietetics followed by at least 1,200 hours of supervised practice, paired with graduate credit or a concurrent master's degree.
• Coordinated Program (CP): An ACEND-accredited master's program integrating coursework and supervised practice. LSU and Tulane offer graduate-level nutrition programs relevant to this pathway.
• MS/DI Combined Programs: Typically completed in two years from post-baccalaureate entry; designed to deliver both the graduate degree and internship hours.

Curriculum covers medical nutrition therapy, food science, biochemistry, community nutrition, foodservice management, and research methods. Confirm ACEND accreditation status at eatright.org/acend before enrolling.

Step 2: Pass the CDR Registration Examination

Active CDR registration is required before Louisiana will issue a state license. Exam details:

• Format: 145 questions (125 scored + 20 unscored), computer-adaptive
• Delivery: Pearson VUE centers (New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Shreveport) or remote proctoring
• Fee: ~$200 (verify at eatrightpro.org)
• Domains: Principles of Dietetics, Nutrition Care for Individuals and Groups, Management of Food and Nutrition Programs, Population and Community Nutrition
• Maintenance: 75 PDUs per 5-year CDR recertification cycle; 1 PDU in ethics required

LSU's dietetics program and Tulane's nutrition department provide exam prep support to graduating students. AND's official CDR exam study guide is the most widely used preparation resource.

Step 3: Apply for Your Louisiana Dietitian License

After earning CDR registration, apply to the Louisiana State Board of Examiners for Dietetics and Nutrition:

• Application: Louisiana State Board portal or paper application (lsbedn.org)
• Required documents: CDR registration certificate, official transcripts, supervised practice verification, background check authorization, and application fee
• License fee: Approximately $75–$100 (verify current fee on the Board website)
• Endorsement: Active licensees from states with equivalent requirements may apply by endorsement
• Processing time: Typically 4–8 weeks for complete applications
• Renewal: Annual or biennial (confirm current renewal cycle on the Board website); CE verification required

Louisiana does not participate in a multistate dietitian licensure compact as of 2026.

Continuing Education Requirements

Louisiana's CE obligations for license renewal align with CDR's national standard:

• CDR requirement: 75 PDUs per 5-year recertification cycle
• Louisiana state requirement: CE hours required at renewal — verify the current hour requirement on the Louisiana State Board website, as the board periodically adjusts CE rules
• Approved CE activities: AND-approved programs, CPEU webinars, professional conferences, university courses, and peer-reviewed self-study
• Louisiana's high rates of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease make CE in chronic disease management, MNT for metabolic syndrome, and community nutrition programming particularly relevant
• Retain CE completion records for at least 5 years

RD vs. RDN: What's the Difference?

"Registered Dietitian" (RD) and "Registered Dietitian Nutritionist" (RDN) are the same CDR credential with two optional titles. CDR added the "Nutritionist" designation in 2013. Louisiana issues a combined "Licensed Dietitian/Nutritionist" (LDN) state title:

• Identical education requirements, CDR exam, and 75-PDU maintenance for both RD and RDN
• Full Medicare, Medicaid, and commercial payer billing recognition for both
• Ochsner, Tulane, and Louisiana hospital credentialing bodies recognize both equally

Clinical dietitians in Louisiana's major medical centers typically use "RD," while community nutrition and outpatient roles more often use "RDN" or the state "LDN" designation.

Louisiana RD Salary Ranges

Louisiana salaries for registered dietitians reflect the state's significant healthcare sector and cost-of-living dynamics:

• Entry-level clinical RD (New Orleans/Baton Rouge): $52,000–$64,000
• Experienced clinical RD: $64,000–$78,000
• Renal/dialysis RD (DaVita/Fresenius): $65,000–$85,000
• Travel RD: $35–$50/hr (housing stipend and M&IE separate)
• Outstate Louisiana (Shreveport, Lafayette, Lake Charles): $48,000–$64,000
• WIC/public health: $44,000–$58,000

Ochsner Health is the largest non-governmental employer in Louisiana and typically pays at the upper end of the range; Tulane's academic setting offers research opportunities that attract RDs interested in nutrition science and public health.

Top Employers for Registered Dietitians in Louisiana

• Ochsner Health — Largest non-governmental employer in Louisiana; hospitals throughout the state; strong clinical nutrition, transplant nutrition, and oncology programs
• Tulane Medical Center — Academic medical center in New Orleans; research-oriented clinical nutrition roles
• Our Lady of the Lake Regional Medical Center (OLOLRMC) — Baton Rouge's largest hospital; Franciscan Missionaries of Our Lady Health System
• VA Medical Center New Orleans — Federal employer; clinical nutrition with strong benefits
• DaVita Kidney Care / Fresenius Medical Care — Dialysis clinics across Louisiana; renal RD demand high given state's ESRD burden
• Louisiana WIC Program — LDH-administered; parish-level nutrition positions statewide
• Baton Rouge General / Franciscan Health System — Regional hospitals with clinical nutrition programs
• Skilled nursing facilities — Consistent demand statewide, particularly in rural parishes