Per diemPosted 30+ days ago
Clinical Dietitian
CommonSpirit Health · Santa Cruz, CA
$54.85–$63.61/ hour
Top 25% pay
Registered Dietitian jobs in Watsonville, CA
The median registered dietitian pay in the Watsonville area is $46.86 per hour ($97,460 a year), with the typical range running from $39.13 to $52.80. 1 open role with published pay is listed for Watsonville and its metro area. The CMS hospital directory lists 1 hospital in Watsonville. Tell us your role and we email current openings near Watsonville.
- $46.86median pay per hour, Santa Cruz
- $39–$53typical range per hour
- 50registered dietitians employed in the metro area
- 1open roles with published pay in the metro area
Open Registered Dietitian roles near Watsonville
Roles in other cities of the Santa Cruz-Watsonville area.
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55+ more Registered Dietitian roles for you in Watsonville, CA
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Get my free pay reportRegistered Dietitian pay in Watsonville, CA
The metro median is 4% above the California statewide median of $45.02 per hour. Nationally the median is $35.50 per hour. BLS counts about 50 dietitians and nutritionists employed in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville metro area, 0.5 per 1,000 jobs. Employment is more concentrated here than in the country as a whole (location quotient 1.11).
| Level | Per hour | Per year | Compared with U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lowest 10% | $25.93 | $53,930 | 27% below U.S. median |
| Lower quartile | $39.13 | $81,390 | 10% above U.S. median |
| Median | $46.86 | $97,460 | 32% above U.S. median |
| Upper quartile | $52.80 | $109,820 | 49% above U.S. median |
| Top 10% | $58.53 | $121,740 | 65% above U.S. median |
How Watsonville ranks
- 8th of 266 U.S. metro areas by median hourly pay
- 12th of 251 after adjusting for local prices
- 8th of 21 California metro areas
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2024, Dietitians and Nutritionists (SOC 29-1031), all industries. This is what employers report paying, not an offer for a specific role.
What your pay buys in Watsonville
- Overall prices in Santa Cruz-Watsonville run 10% above the U.S. average (index 109.9, U.S. = 100).
- Housing is the biggest driver: 64% above the U.S. average (index 164.3).
- Adjusted for local prices, a $46.86 median hour buys what $42.64 buys at the national price level, 20% above the national median.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, Regional Price Parities by metropolitan area, 2024. Prices are for the metro area, not for a single neighborhood.
Estimate your Watsonville paycheck
Estimated weekly gross$1,687
- Per year: $84,348
- Per month: $7,029
Gross pay before taxes and benefits, from BLS pay levels for the Santa Cruz-Watsonville metro area. For take-home pay use the take-home pay calculator.
Travel assignment per diem in Watsonville
| Item | Federal rate |
|---|---|
| Lodging per night | $148 |
| Meals and incidentals per day | $86 |
| Per week (7 nights, 7 days) | $1,638 |
| 13-week assignment | $21,294 |
Travel registered dietitian assignments commonly pay housing and meals stipends. The GSA per diem is the federal benchmark for what those stipends can be tax-free. Whether a stipend is tax-free for you depends on keeping a valid tax home, so confirm with your recruiter and a tax professional. Compare with your offer in the travel pay calculator.
Source: U.S. General Services Administration per diem rates, fiscal year 2026 (average across months).
Hospitals in Watsonville
CMS lists 1 hospital in Watsonville, 0 of the 1 rated ones with 4 or 5 stars. Hospitals are a major employer of registered dietitians.
| Hospital | Type | Ownership | CMS rating | Emergency |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Watsonville Community Hospital Watsonville, CA | Acute care | For-profit | 2 of 5 | Yes |
Source: CMS Hospital General Information, public data. A directory of hospitals, not a list of our clients.
Registered Dietitian pay in nearby cities
| City | Distance | Median pay | Population |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gilroy, CA | 12 mi | $51.21/hr | 60,390 |
| Santa Cruz, CA | 15 mi | $46.86/hr | 62,581 |
| Salinas, CA | 18 mi | $46.67/hr | 160,783 |
| San Jose, CA | 26 mi | $51.21/hr | 997,368 |
| Cupertino, CA | 31 mi | $51.21/hr | 58,710 |
| Santa Clara, CA | 32 mi | $51.21/hr | 133,132 |
Registered Dietitian jobs in California · Registered Dietitian jobs nationwide
License and tax basics in California
RD credential from the CDR. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what California requires for your role with the California licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date.
California taxes wage income. Use your own rates in the take-home pay calculator.
Other healthcare roles in Watsonville
Watsonville city guide: hospitals, employers and licensing
Common questions
How much do registered dietitians make in Watsonville, CA?
Registered Dietitians in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville metro area have a median pay of $46.86 per hour, about $97,460 a year. The middle half earn between $39.13 and $52.80 per hour (BLS, May 2024).
Is Watsonville a good place for registered dietitians once cost of living is counted?
Santa Cruz-Watsonville ranks 12th of 251 metro areas for registered dietitian pay after adjusting for local prices, and 8th of 266 before adjusting. Overall prices run 10% above the U.S. average.
Who is hiring registered dietitians in Watsonville?
We list 1 open role with published pay from 1 employer in the Santa Cruz-Watsonville area. Your free report adds named employers and pay near Watsonville.
Do I need a California license to work in Watsonville as a registered dietitian?
RD credential from the CDR. Credentials are issued state by state, so confirm what California requires for your role with the California licensing board and with your recruiter before you commit to a start date. Confirm with the board before you accept a role.
What is the per diem for a travel assignment in Watsonville?
The federal per diem benchmark in Watsonville is $148 a night for lodging and $86 a day for meals and incidentals, about $1,638 a week (GSA, fiscal year 2026). Your actual stipend depends on the assignment and your tax home.
Does Valorem Health place registered dietitians in Watsonville?
Yes. We place healthcare staff in Watsonville and across California. Tell us your profession and we email the roles open near Watsonville.
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What do employers near Watsonville pay registered dietitians? Get the report.
Tell us your role and city. Within 24 hours you get an email with three things, by employer name. It costs you nothing, because employers pay us.
- 1Pay for your role at other hospitals
The hourly pay at named employers near you, so you see who pays most.
- 2What they are offering now
The pay range and median across current postings, and how many were posted this month.
- 3Roles open for you right now
Every current opening near you with pay, shift and start date. Reply with one click.
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230+ Registered Dietitian roles in California, sent free by email
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Valorem Health Shift ReportFrom your recruiting team · [email protected]
Your Dietitian pay reportWatsonville, CA · pay published by employers and employer-reported wage offers in federal filings
1Pay for your role at other employers
- Montage HealthMonterey, CA · 2 postings$59.70/ hr$48–$73
- CommonSpirit HealthSTOCKTON, CA · 8 postings$49.30/ hr$39–$64
- Emanate HealthWest Covina, CA · 3 postings$42.76/ hr$34–$62
- Laguna Beach Community Clinic, Inc.Laguna Beach, CA · 2 wage offers$42.31/ hr$33–$47
Median pay per hour, with the range each employer published or reported in federal filings.
2What they are offering now
Low$35Median$47.65High$60
31 Dietitian postings with published pay in California, 25 of them posted in the last 30 days. Month-by-month history by employer comes with your full report.
3Open now: 31 Dietitian roles
- Clinical Dietitian IPer diem$39.18–$58.28/ hour
- Clinical Dietitian - OncologyPermanent$47.73–$63.84/ hour
+ 29 more in your report. Each one has pay, shift and start date.
I'm interestedOne click. A recruiter writes only after you reply.