Helps parents establish and maintain breastfeeding and solves clinical feeding problems for newborns and infants. BLS does not publish separate figures for health education specialists; it counts them within health education specialist (SOC 21-1091), whose median pay is $64,070 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Typical entry-level education: Bachelor's degree.
- SOC 21-1091
- Community and Social Service
- Last updated October 9, 2026
At a glance
Lactation Consultant in four numbers
- Median pay
- $64,070a year, or $30.80/hrBLS OEWS, May 2025Lowest 10% $43KTop 10% $118K
US median, all jobs: $50,980
- Projected growth
- +5.6%Faster than averageBLS EP, 2025–2035This career+5.6%All jobs+3.5%
Projected employment change, 2025–2035 Item Value This career +5.6% All jobs +3.5% - Openings a year
- 6,90070,400 jobs todayBLS EP, 2025–2035
- Jobs in 202570.4K
- Projected 203574.4K
Employment, 2025–2035 Item Value Jobs in 2025 70.4K Projected 2035 74.4K - Typical education
- Bachelor'sneeded to enterBLS EP, 2025–2035; mix: O*NET
- High school2.6%
- Associate's62.2%
- Bachelor's30.9%
- Master's3.4%
- Doctorate0.9%
Highest education held by health education specialists Segment Value High school 2.6% Associate's 62.2% Bachelor's 30.9% Master's 3.4% Doctorate 0.9%
Also advertised as: International Board Certified Lactation Consultant, IBCLC, Breastfeeding Specialist, Lactation Specialist, Hospital Lactation Consultant.
Pay
How much do Health Education Specialists make?
Every lactation consultant in the US, by percentile of annual wage
Median
$64,070
Middle half earn $50,620 to $87,130
- 10th
- $42,990
- 25th
- $50,620
- 75th
- $87,130
- 90th
- $118,200
All US occupations: $50,980
| Percentile | Value |
|---|---|
| 10th | $42,990 |
| 25th | $50,620 |
| Median | $64,070 |
| 75th | $87,130 |
| 90th | $118,200 |
| All US occupations | $50,980 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
- Median annual wage
- $64,070
- Median hourly wage
- $30.80/hr
- Mean annual wage
- $73,280
- People employed
- 65,690
Versus all US occupations
At $64,070, Health Education Specialists earn 26% above the $50,980 median across all US occupations, a difference of $13,090 a year.
Versus community and social service occupations
Inside the Community and Social Service group, where the middle occupation pays $60,300, this is 6% above the group median.
Pay range
The top 10% earn $118,200 or more while the bottom 10% earn $42,990, a gap of 2.7×. That is a typical spread for a US occupation.
Rank in the bank
This median pays more than 39% of the 1,741 occupations in the NueCareer career bank.
Cost of living
Maryland posts the highest raw median ($104,470), but once local prices are taken into account Georgia leads at $103,227 in national-average dollars.
Pay by state
Which states pay Health Education Specialists the most?
State medians come from the same OEWS release as the national figures. The cost-of-living column divides each state median by that state's BEA Regional Price Parity, restating pay in national-average dollars so a high-cost state and a low-cost one can be compared directly.
| State | Median | COL-adjusted | Employed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1Maryland | $104,470 | $99,534 | 2,220 |
| 2District of Columbia | $103,330 | $94,021 | 680 |
| 3Georgia | $99,400 | $103,227 | 3,210 |
| 4Pennsylvania | $80,670 | $82,677 | 2,690 |
| 5Minnesota | $78,400 | $79,496 | 1,250 |
| 6Washington | $77,420 | $72,346 | 1,750 |
| 7Iowa | $75,750 | $86,313 | 540 |
| 8Oregon | $75,500 | $73,045 | 840 |
| 9Rhode Island | $75,360 | $73,680 | 150 |
| 10Colorado | $74,150 | $71,954 | 750 |
Job outlook
Is Lactation Consultant a growing career?
Employment change over 2025–2035, against every US occupation
Faster than average. +5.6% projected growth vs 3.5% for all occupations.
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Health Education Specialists | +5.6% |
| All US occupations | +3.5% |
Source: BLS EP, 2025–2035
Faster than average
BLS projects employment of Health Education Specialists to change 5.6% over 2025–2035, against 3.5% projected for all occupations. That is 3,900 more jobs.
Annual openings
About 6,900 openings are projected each year, 9.8% of the 70,400 jobs that existed in 2025. Most come from workers leaving the occupation, not from growth alone.
Getting in
How to become a Lactation Consultant
The main professional credential is the International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), awarded by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE). Candidates complete health science coursework, lactation-specific education, and supervised clinical hours through one of several pathways, then pass the IBLCE exam.
Many IBCLCs are registered nurses, dietitians, or physicians, which allows them to work in hospital staff roles, but the credential is also open to people outside those professions through accredited lactation programs. Entry-level credentials such as Certified Lactation Counselor are a common first step, and peer counselors in WIC programs often move into IBCLC roles.
- 1
Typical entry-level education
Bachelor's degree
- 2
Work experience in a related occupation
None
- 3
Typical on-the-job training
None
- 4
Preparation needed (O*NET job zone)
Medium preparation
BLS Employment Projections, 2025–2035; job zone from O*NET 31.0 Database.
What education people in the job have
O*NET incumbent survey: the highest level of education reported by people already working as health education specialists.
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree62.2%
- Bachelor's Degree30.9%
- Master's Degree3.4%
- High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED)2.6%
- Doctoral Degree0.9%
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree | 62.2% |
| Bachelor's Degree | 30.9% |
| Master's Degree | 3.4% |
| High School Diploma or the equivalent (such as a GED) | 2.6% |
| Doctoral Degree | 0.9% |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
The work
What does a Lactation Consultant do?
Lactation consultants are clinical specialists in breastfeeding and human milk feeding. In hospitals they visit new parents soon after birth to assess latch and positioning, check for problems such as tongue tie or poor weight gain, and create feeding plans. They help parents of premature or sick babies in the NICU pump and provide milk.
In outpatient clinics and private practice they handle issues like low milk supply, painful nursing, mastitis risk, and returning to work, often weighing infants before and after feeds. They teach prenatal classes, recommend pumps and devices, and communicate with pediatricians and obstetric providers when a baby or parent needs medical follow-up.
Day-to-day tasks
- Assess infant latch, suck, and feeding patterns
- Develop individualized feeding and pumping plans
- Weigh infants before and after feeding to measure milk transfer
- Help parents of premature and hospitalized infants establish milk supply
- Identify feeding problems that need referral to a physician
- Teach prenatal and postpartum breastfeeding classes
- Recommend and fit breast pumps and feeding devices
- Document consultations and communicate with infant and parent care providers
Typical tasks, researched by NueCareer from the sources below.
Working conditions and hours
Lactation consultants work in hospital maternity and NICU units, pediatric and obstetric clinics, WIC offices, and private practice with home visits. Hospital roles follow day or rotating shifts, while private practitioners set their own schedules and travel to clients. Telehealth consultations are increasingly common.
Where the work happens
Indoors, climate-controlled
NeverEvery dayOutdoors in all weather
NeverEvery day
Physical demands
Sitting
NeverAlmost all the timeStanding
NeverAlmost all the timeBending or twisting
NeverAlmost all the time
Working with people
Contact with other people
NoneConstantConstant contact with other people.
Face-to-face discussions
NeverEvery dayFace-to-face discussions every day.
Dealing with the public
Not importantExtremely important
Pressure and stakes
Strict deadlines
NeverEvery dayConflict situations
NeverEvery dayHandling conflict situations at least monthly.
Cost of a mistake
Not seriousExtremely serious
Autonomy
Freedom to decide
NoneA lotA lot of freedom to make decisions without checking first.
Conditions: O*NET Work Context survey. Each item has its own scale, so each dot is read against the two answers that end its own line.
Core skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Active Listening4.1
- Writing4.1
- Speaking4.1
- Learning Strategies4.0
- Active Learning3.9
- Reading Comprehension3.8
- Critical Thinking3.8
- Monitoring3.3
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Active Listening | 4.1 |
| Writing | 4.1 |
| Speaking | 4.1 |
| Learning Strategies | 4.0 |
| Active Learning | 3.9 |
| Reading Comprehension | 3.8 |
| Critical Thinking | 3.8 |
| Monitoring | 3.3 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Transferable skills
O*NET importance, 1 to 5
- Social Perceptiveness3.9
- Coordination3.6
- Instructing3.4
- Time Management3.4
- Service Orientation3.3
- Judgment and Decision Making3.3
- Persuasion3.1
- Complex Problem Solving3.1
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Social Perceptiveness | 3.9 |
| Coordination | 3.6 |
| Instructing | 3.4 |
| Time Management | 3.4 |
| Service Orientation | 3.3 |
| Judgment and Decision Making | 3.3 |
| Persuasion | 3.1 |
| Complex Problem Solving | 3.1 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
Tools and software
- Data base user interface and query software · in demand
- Electronic mail software · in demand
- Graphics or photo imaging software · in demand
- Medical software · in demand
- Office suite software · in demand
- Presentation software · in demand
- Process mapping and design software · in demand
- Spreadsheet software · in demand
- Web page creation and editing software · in demand
- Word processing software · in demand
- Analytical or scientific software
- Computer based training software
“In demand” marks an O*NET Employer-Based Hot Technology, software named in real job postings for this occupation.
Personality fit
What personality type suits a Lactation Consultant?
NueCareer estimate (Holland code SIE) built on O*NET's Health Education Specialist profile, scored 1 to 7
| Axis | Lactation Consultant |
|---|---|
| Realistic | 2 |
| Investigative | 5 |
| Artistic | 3 |
| Social | 6 |
| Enterprising | 4 |
| Conventional | 4 |
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database
What the work is built around
Day to day this is work built around teaching, helping and working directly with other people, combined with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data.
- Social6.2
- Investigative5.4
- Conventional4.0
- Enterprising3.7
- Artistic2.5
- Realistic1.7
Closest MBTI types
NueCareer fit scores: cosine similarity between each MBTI type's interest vector and this occupation's O*NET interest profile. Not a BLS or O*NET figure; the method is documented on our methodology page.
Explore further
Careers related to Lactation Consultant
O*NET related occupations
- Community and Social Service
- Community and Social Service
- Educational Instruction and Library
Nursing Instructor and Teacher, Postsecondary
$80,250median a year
Most earn $49K to $130K
+17.1%Doctorate - Community and Social Service
- Computer and Mathematical
- Community and Social Service
More community and social service careers
Median annual pay, with health education specialists highlighted
- Healthcare Social Worker$67,880
- Marriage and Family Therapist$66,940
- Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist$66,270
- Health Education Specialist$64,070
- Lactation Consultant$64,070
- Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker$60,280
- Community Health Worker$51,850
- Rehabilitation Counselor$46,850
- Social and Human Service Assistant$45,930
| Item | Value |
|---|---|
| Healthcare Social Worker | $67,880 |
| Marriage and Family Therapist | $66,940 |
| Probation Officer and Correctional Treatment Specialist | $66,270 |
| Health Education Specialist | $64,070 |
| Lactation Consultant | $64,070 |
| Mental Health and Substance Abuse Social Worker | $60,280 |
| Community Health Worker | $51,850 |
| Rehabilitation Counselor | $46,850 |
| Social and Human Service Assistant | $45,930 |
Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025
Lists Lactation Consultant appears on
Questions
Lactation Consultant: frequently asked questions
How much do Health Education Specialists make?
BLS does not publish a separate wage for health education specialists. It counts them within health education specialist, whose median pay is $64,070 a year (BLS OEWS, May 2025). The middle half of that occupation earn between $50,620 and $87,130, and the top 10% earn $118,200 or more.
Do you need a degree to become a Lactation Consultant?
Yes. BLS reports a bachelor's degree as the typical entry-level education for Health Education Specialists, and O*NET rates the preparation needed as medium preparation. In O*NET's survey of people already doing the job, 62.2% hold associate's degree or other 2-year degree.
Is Lactation Consultant a growing career?
Yes. Employment is projected to grow 5.6% over 2025–2035, faster than the 3.5% average for all occupations (BLS EP, 2025–2035). BLS still projects about 6,900 openings a year, mostly from workers retiring or moving to other work.
What does a Lactation Consultant do?
Lactation consultants are clinical specialists in breastfeeding and human milk feeding. A typical task: assess infant latch, suck, and feeding patterns. Employers most often ask for Data base user interface and query software, Electronic mail software, Graphics or photo imaging software.
Which states pay Health Education Specialists the most?
The highest state medians for Health Education Specialists are Maryland ($104,470), District of Columbia ($103,330), Georgia ($99,400) (BLS OEWS, May 2025). Adjusted for local prices using BEA Regional Price Parities, Georgia moves to the top at $103,227.
What personality type suits a Lactation Consultant?
O*NET scores Health Education Specialists highest on the Social, Investigative and Conventional interest areas, so the work mixes teaching, helping and working directly with other people with investigating, analysing and solving problems with ideas and data. On NueCareer's MBTI-to-interest mapping that lines up most closely with ENFJ personalities. Personality is a fit signal, not a gate. The free NueCareer quiz scores your own profile against all 1,731 careers in the bank.