How to Get a Nutrition Certification

If you are looking to increase your career path or earning potential, one great way to do that is to get a nutrition certification. Nutrition coaches are in high demand at places like fitness centers, gyms, wellness centers, private practice, and even corporations providing nutrition education and support as part of personal training services or to employees. 

There are a lot of different names that these can go by, usually based on what the respective brand has used as their title.

Some might say “Sports Nutrition Certification” or “Nutrition Coach Certification” or even “Nutrition Certification,” but they all mean generally the same thing.

So, how do you go about getting a nutrition certification?

How to Get a Nutrition Certification

The steps are fairly simple at face value:

1. Pick a brand
2. Pay the tuition
3. Work through the curriculum
4. Take the final exam (and pass it)
5. Start working as a nutrition coach

That said, there isn’t just one brand that offers a nutrition certification which complicates those steps a bit because you have to choose the brand that fits your needs or the tuition that fits your budget. 

Almost all major brands providing a nutrition certification will offer payment plans that cost a little bit more compared to paying a lump sum. However, that does make it possible for you to simply pay for the first month, start taking the course and pass whenever your time frame allows, and then start making money as a nutrition coach to help cover the remaining costs of your exam.

My Top Nutrition Certifications

There are a lot of nutrition certs out there, but my favorites are:

1. ISSA: Most robust education offerings, the biggest toolbox, and a lot of support after you pass
2. NCSF: Best for those who want to work in clinical settings with athletes
3. NASM: Best for those who want an emphasis on behavior change and coaching tips
4. PN: Best for anyone who wants a physical textbook included in the cost

What I Look For

So when it comes to evaluating how to get a nutrition certification, I look for several things, including the cost, the tools and support that come with that cost, how long it’s going to take people on average to complete a course, any additional requirements or recertifications, and what the deadline is.

For example:

If you want to figure out how to get a nutrition certification as quickly as possible, you want to look for a brand that offers a self-paced learning medium online that can be done as quickly as possible. ISSA and NASM both claim that you can complete your certification in as little as four weeks but speaking from personal experience, if you are focusing full time on getting your certification, ISSA can be done in less time than that.

If you want to figure out how to get a nutrition certification for the lowest price, you’re going to want one that is either the cheapest at face value while still being reputable or that has the best repayment plan. ISSA offers the cheapest price for nutrition certification if you pay the full amount up front, and even if you pay monthly, it is still more affordable than the others. 

So, let’s look at my picks. 

ISSA

ISSA has the Nutritionist Certification, which covers the fundamentals of nutrition science, being a nutrition coach, and methods for creating and implementing healthy eating plans.

For me, ISSA stands apart for so many reasons, and the biggest one is the curriculum. When you compare the curriculum for the nutritionist certification to that of comparable brands like NCSF or PN, you will see that it offers a lot more.

The number of chapters or number of quizzes might look the same at face value but you get a much more comprehensive education that spans several important and intersectional areas of nutrition and nutritional health. What your clients eat will impact their physical performance, the supplements they take can have positive or negative impacts on their health or their athletic abilities, when and how much water they drink can also be a factor.

With other curriculum, you might only get part of this, like supplements and hydration or coaching techniques and motivational change theory, but with ISSA, you get all of it. 

Cost: 

≈$629.28

Course Duration: 

10 Weeks

Completion Deadline: 

8 months from the time you sign up

NCSF

NCSF offers a program called the Certified Nutrition Specialist. For this, you get a lot of in-depth knowledge about Sports Nutrition, in particular with an emphasis on using supplements and using nutrition to enhance performance. The last segment really emphasizes the role of hydration.

While ISSA also covers hydration, the NCSF has that focus on the way hydration ties into things like immediate physical performance for people who are competitive or athletes who might be preparing for a bodybuilding competition.

This is a well-regarded option for people who specialize in Sports Nutrition so if you are planning to work with athletes or professional fitness clients, this is a good option.

Cost: 

≈$425 (test only, as a non-member)

Course Duration: 

8-12 Weeks

Course Duration: 

6 months from the time you sign up

NASM

NASM offers a Certified Nutrition Coach program. This program provides a lot of in-depth training that emphasizes behavioral change strategies, being a good coach, and the science behind nutrition. They are a very well-respected leader around the world when it comes to fitness and health so this can increase your likelihood of getting a job and being successful within the industry.

I think NASM is best suited for personal trainers, people who already have a personal training cert or have another coaching cert, and want to add nutrition credentials so that they can not only provide clients with guidance on the right exercises but on the right food choices.

Cost: 

≈$660

Course Duration: 

4-12 Weeks

Course Duration: 

1 year from the time you sign up

PN

Precision Nutrition offers a nutrition level 1 certification that focuses more on the practical application of good nutrition choices and getting your clients to change their behaviors.

With this certification, you get access to your textbook, workbooks, and online learning modules, but the focus with all of this is more on building good habits in your clients. 

Though this company is endorsed by a lot of industry experts, my biggest issue is that the website looks very gimmicky. As soon as you click on it, you will assume that you somehow accidentally clicked on an AI-slop YouTube ad. If I didn’t already know that it was a reputable source, I would exit out immediately.

So I don’t really like the layout, but that doesn’t mean their curriculum is bad. What does is the curriculum. It doesn’t really have a lot of information on the science of nutrition, which is something I look for when trying to better understand nutrition.

Why does this matter?

Because there is a distinct line between being a certified nutritionist and being a nutrition coach with a nutrition certification. The first one requires a lot more education and a medical background, but the second one is what you will get if you are looking to work in the fitness industry or at a local gym. The second one is also what I’m reviewing here. 

It’s the second one that allows you to help clients change their behaviors, recognize maladaptive eating behaviors, and understand the impact that what they eat can have on things like emotions and physical performance, as well as sleep and cognition. So I personally believe that this requires a deep understanding of the science of nutrition, but apparently Precision Nutrition thinks it requires a deep understanding of nutrition coaching and how to develop strategies that encourage behavioral changes in your clients.

You might not agree, and you might genuinely think that getting a nutrition coaching certification means getting an education in how to be a good coach and if so, don’t shy away from this one. 

Cost: 

≈$599

Course Duration: 

4-16 Weeks

Course Duration: 

No deadline

Which Cert I Like Most

My favorite out of all these nutrition certifications is ISSA. Why?

• They have the most robust online platform 
• Their curriculum is expansive
• You can try to take the test twice without a fee
• You get to take an open book test
• The cert is a self-paced online cert
• You get access to a lot of discounts, bundles, and other benefits when you are done