What are entrepreneurial dietitians charging? The Consulting Dietitians Network National Fee Survey

To respond to a need to develop a national fee guideline, the Consulting Dietitians Network conducted a membership fee survey. A questionnaire requesting fee information for various nutrition consulting services was distributed to members as an insert with the Consulting Dietitians Network quarterly newsletter and by electronic mail. The response rate was 38.4% (98 respondents) and most respondents (74.5%) had urban practices. The most frequently charged fees (mode) for individual counselling ($75/hour), industry and commercial firm consultations ($150/hour), group facilitation ($150/hour), and media consultations ($150/article) were highest in the region of Ontario, Quebec, and the Atlantic provinces. The most frequently charged fees (mode) for home visits ($100/hour), writing for newspapers ($250/hour), and menu reviews ($60/hour) were highest in the region of Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The minimum and maximum fees were significantly different for the three regions (Ontario, Quebec, and the Atlantic provinces; Manitoba and Saskatchewan; and Alberta, British Columbia, and Yukon Territory) studied for initial client consultations, industry and commercial firm consultations, and menu reviews (p<0.05). For home visits, teaching in an institution, seminar presentations, group facilitation, media consultations, and writing media articles, the differences in the minimum and maximum fees charged were highly significant (p<0.001). Entrepreneurial dietitians may use these data as a reference to establish and negotiate consultation fees.