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Lactation Consultant

A program that prepares individuals to provide lactation management services and breastfeeding support to women, and to work as a Lactation Consultant in a variety of clinical settings. Includes instruction in anatomy and physiology of lactation, nutrition, breastfeeding techniques and technologies, common concerns and solutions, management of special situations, breastfeeding instruction, professional and legal concerns, and advocacy. Examples: [Lactation Education], [Lactation Counselor], [Lactation Management]

Types of Degrees Lactation Consultant Majors Are Earning

Students pursuing Lactation Consultant may pursue degrees at several award levels.

Award Level	Graduates
Certificate	28
Master’s Degree	9

What Lactation Consultant Majors Need to Know

Programs in Lactation Consultant build a specific mix of knowledge, skills, and abilities — derived from O*NET surveys of workers in occupations that Lactation Consultant graduates commonly enter.

Knowledge Areas

This major prepares you for careers needing Lactation Consultant emphasizes the following knowledge areas:

• English Language — Importance 4.2 / 5; level 4.4 / 7.
• Education and Training — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 4.1 / 7.
• Customer and Personal Service — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Psychology — Importance 3.2 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Administrative — Importance 3.1 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.

^{Importance is rated 1–5; level is 1–7. Source: ONET Online — weighted across related occupations.*}

Skills

The skill set developed in a Lactation Consultant program reflects the day-to-day work of related occupations:

• Active Listening — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.7 / 7.
• Reading Comprehension — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 4 / 7.
• Speaking — Importance 3.5 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Social Perceptiveness — Importance 3.4 / 5; level 3.5 / 7.
• Monitoring — Importance 3.3 / 5; level 3.4 / 7.

Abilities

Abilities most relevant to Lactation Consultant careers — again drawn from O*NET surveys of related occupations:

• Oral Expression — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Oral Comprehension — Importance 3.9 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.
• Written Comprehension — Importance 3.8 / 5; level 3.8 / 7.
• Problem Sensitivity — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.6 / 7.
• Near Vision — Importance 3.7 / 5; level 3.9 / 7.

Common Job Activities

Day-to-day, Lactation Consultant graduates report doing:

Activity	Frequency / Importance
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates	4.5 / 7
Documenting/Recording Information	4.3 / 7
Assisting and Caring for Others	4.2 / 7
Getting Information	4.2 / 7
Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings	4.2 / 7
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge	4.1 / 7
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events	4.0 / 7
Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships	3.9 / 7
Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work	3.9 / 7
Making Decisions and Solving Problems	3.9 / 7

Technology Skills Used on the Job

Most frequently-cited tools used by Lactation Consultant professionals:

Tool / Software	Category	In-Demand
Email software	Electronic mail software	—
Microsoft Word	Word processing software	—
Microsoft Office software	Office suite software	—
Microsoft Excel	Spreadsheet software	—
Speech analysis software	Analytical or scientific software	—
Propeller Multimedia React2	Medical software	—
Biofeedback software	Medical software	—
Bungalow Software Aphasia Tutor	Medical software	—
Micro Video Video Voice Speech Training System	Medical software	—
Microsoft Windows	Operating system software	—
Word processing software	Word processing software	—
Text to speech software	Text to speech conversion software	—

^{Source: ONET Online technology skills, weighted across related occupations.*}

Sample Job Titles

Real job postings for Lactation Consultant graduates include:

• Speech Correction Assistant
• Speech Therapy Assistant
• School SLPA (School Speech Language Pathologist Assistant)
• Speech-Language Assistant
• SLPA (Speech and Language Pathology Assistant)
• Speech-Language Pathologists Assistant (SLPA)
• Speech-Language Pathologist Assistant (SLPA)
• Speech and Language Assistant
• SLPA (Speech Language Pathologist Assistant)
• Speech-Language Pathology Assistant (SLPA)
• Speech Language Assistant
• Pathology Assistant
• Language Assistant
• Communication Assistant
• Speech Pathology Assistant

Education Typically Required

Across the occupations open to Lactation Consultant graduates, the typical level of education actually held by current workers is distributed as:

Education Level	Share of Workers
Associate’s degree (or other 2-year)	36.2%
High school diploma or equivalent	25.1%
Postsecondary certificate	14.3%
Bachelor’s degree	12.5%
Post-baccalaureate certificate	7.5%
Master’s degree	2.6%
Some college courses	1.8%

^{Source: ONET Online education / training / experience requirements.*}

Who Is Earning a Degree in Lactation Consultant?

Gender Distribution

This field skews predominantly female, with women earning 100% of Lactation Consultant degrees.

Racial-Ethnic Diversity

At the national level, the racial-ethnic distribution of Lactation Consultant graduates is as follows:

Race / Ethnicity	Graduates	Share
White	22	59.5%
Asian	1	2.7%
Hispanic or Latino	2	5.4%
Black or African American	9	24.3%
Two or More Races	3	8.1%

^{See minority definition below.}

How Much Do Lactation Consultant Graduates Earn?

Federal data tracks median earnings of Lactation Consultant graduates 1, 4, and 5 years after completion. Wages typically rise steadily as graduates gain experience and move into mid-career roles.

Years Out	Median Earnings
1 year	$27,434
4 years	$29,082
5 years	$32,352

By year 5 out, median earnings rise to $32,352 — roughly 18% above the 1-year mark.

^{Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard, field-of-study earnings tracker.}

Is a Degree in Lactation Consultant Worth It?

On the earnings side, the federal earnings tracker, Lactation Consultant graduates earn a median of $29,082 four years after completion — about 23% below the national median for workers with only a high school diploma (~$38,000). On earnings alone, this program does not show an income premium over the baseline; non-financial outcomes (career interests, certification requirements, advancement potential) are typically the stronger argument for fields in this range.

^{ROI estimate compares the program’s 4-yr median earnings against the 2023 BLS CPS median earnings for high-school-only workers. Source: U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard + BLS Current Population Survey.}

Related Programs

You may also be interested in these closely related fields of study:

Program	Annual Degrees Awarded
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services	80,693
Medical/Clinical Assistant	52,819
Medical Insurance Specialist/Medical Biller	11,963
Pharmacy Technician/Assistant	7,541
Physical Therapy Assistant	5,633
Allied Health and Medical Assisting Services, Other	4,065
Occupational Therapist Assistant	3,178
Health and Medical Administrative Services, Other	3,168
Radiologist Assistant	1,513
Medical/Health Management and Clinical Assistant/Specialist	1,195
Medication Aide	724
Clinical/Medical Laboratory Assistant	614

References

The racial-ethnic minorities count is calculated by taking the total number of students and subtracting white students and international students. This number is then divided by the total number of students to obtain the racial-ethnic minorities percentage.

• College Factual
• National Center for Education Statistics (IPEDS)
• O*NET Online
• U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
• U.S. Department of Education College Scorecard

More about our data sources and methodologies.