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Lactation Consultant Salary in the United States

How much does a Lactation Consultant make in the United States?

As of September 01, 2026, the average salary for a Lactation Consultant in the United States is $111,544 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $54.

However, a Lactation Consultant's salary can vary significantly. Here’s a look at the typical salary range:

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $125,630
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $99,801 to $118,917
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $89,110
Salary Factors Salary-Boosting Skills Salary by Experience Related Job Salaries Top Paying Cities Explore Related Jobs

Key Factors That Influence Lactation Consultant Salaries

A Lactation Consultant's salary isn't a fixed number. It's shaped by several important factors. Below, we'll explore how your years of experience, geographic location, education and company size can directly affect your earning potential.

How Experience Level Affects Lactation Consultant Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Lactation Consultant's salary. As you build your skills and take on more complex tasks, your compensation generally increases. Here's how the average salary grows at different career stages:

  • Entry-Level (less than 1 year): $107,688
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $108,039
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $112,094
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $115,175
  • Expert (over 8 years): $115,396
Levels Salary
Entry Level Lactation Consultant$107,688
Intermediate Level Lactation Consultant$108,039
Senior Level Lactation Consultant$112,094
Specialist Level Lactation Consultant$115,175
Expert Level Lactation Consultant$115,396
View as Graph

How Do Lactation Consultant Salaries Vary from State to State?

Your salary can change significantly depending on where you work. States with a higher cost of living and strong industrial sectors often pay more to attract Lactation Consultants. For example, consider the average annual salaries in these key locations:
  • District of Columbia: $123,502.
  • California: $123,033.
  • Massachusetts: $121,393.

Top Paying Cities for Lactation Consultants

Salaries can also vary between different cities. Major metropolitan areas or cities with a high demand for technicians often offer more competitive pay. Here are a few examples of average annual salaries in different U.S. cities:

  • San Jose: $140,690
  • San Francisco: $139,150
  • Oakland: $136,218

What Skills Can Increase a Lactation Consultant's Salary?

Demanded Skills for the Role:

  • Collaboration (Mentioned in 6.09% Job Postings): Works cooperatively and shares ideas with coworkers and managers to achieve common goals and objectives.
  • Acute Care (Mentioned in 3.24% Job Postings): Acute care is a branch of secondary health care where a patient receives active but short-term treatment for a severe injury or episode of illness, an urgent medical condition, or during recovery from surgery. In medical terms, care for acute health conditions is the opposite from chronic care, or longer term care. Acute care services are generally delivered by teams of health care professionals from a range of medical and surgical specialties. Acute care may require a stay in a hospital emergency department, ambulatory surgery center, urgent care centre or other short-term stay facility, along with the assistance of diagnostic services, surgery, or follow-up outpatient care in the community. Hospital-based acute inpatient care typically has the goal of discharging patients as soon as they are deemed healthy and stable. Acute care settings include emergency department, intensive care, coronary care, cardiology, neonatal intensive care, and many general areas where the patient could become acutely unwell and require stabilization and transfer to another higher dependency unit for further treatment.
  • Nursing Process (Mentioned in 2% Job Postings): The nursing process is a modified scientific method. Nursing practise was first described as a four-stage nursing process by Ida Jean Orlando in 1958.
Skills Demand Percentage
Collaboration 6.09%
Acute Care 3.24%
Nursing Process 2%
See More Skills

What skills can make your compensation higher?

Mastering certain specialized skills can lead to a significant increase in pay. Here are examples of skills and the potential impact they can have on a Lactation Consultant's salary.

  • Staff Development: Can increase your salary by up to 6%.
  • Accountability: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
  • Effective Communication: Can increase your salary by up to 3%.
Skill Salary Salary % Increase
Staff Development $118,237
6%
Accountability $114,890
3%
Effective Communication $114,890
3%
Get Latest Data

Lactation Consultant Salary by Company Size: Startups vs. Enterprise

Lactation Consultant salary potential scales significantly with company size. Data shows that Enterprise companies (5,000+ employees) pay the highest average salary at around $122,010. While startup companies pay approximate $103,632.

Lactation Consultant Salary by Company Size

Company Size Employees Average Salary
Startup 1~50 $103,632
Growth Stage 51~500 $109,480
Established 501~5000 $117,931
Enterprise 5000+ $122,010

Lactation Consultant Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Lactation Consultant roles, the industry you choose can affect earning potential by as much as 100% (the gap between the highest and lowest paying industries). Data shows that the Healthcare and Energy & Utilities sectors offer the strongest compensation, at 50% above the average. In contrast, Lactation Consultant positions in MFG Durable or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Lactation Consultant as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Lactation Consultant

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare$167,316$80.050%
Energy & Utilities$122,698$59.010%

How Education impacts a Lactation Consultant's Salary?

Your level of education can impact your salary potential. While many Lactation Consultant enter the field with a Bachelor's Degree, higher education can lead to more specialized and higher-paying roles.

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for an Lactation Consultant with a Bachelor's Degree is between $93,333 and $99,267.

Lactation Consultant Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Lactation Consultant
Degree Level % of user with this level of education
No Diploma 12.4%
High School 12.4%
Associates 33.6%
Bachelors 42.5%
Masters 10.6%
Doctorate 0.9%
View as Graph

Lactation Consultant Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Lactation Consultant's annual salary breaks down can help with budgeting. Below, you can see the average hourly rate, weekly pay, and monthly pay for this role. Use the buttons to switch between different pay periods.

Last Updated on September 01, 2026
$99,801
Average $111,544/year
$118,917
$8,317
Average $9,295/month
$9,910
$1,919
Average $2,145/week
$2,287
$48
Average $54/hour
$57
Annual Salary Monthly Pay Weekly Pay Hourly Wage
75th Percentile $118,917 $9,910 $2,287 $57
Average $111,544 $9,295 $2,145 $54
25th Percentile $99,801 $8,317 $1,919 $48

Lactation Consultant Salary Growth & Career Path

Lactation Consultant

Next Role

Promotions are the fastest way to increase your earnings. As a Lactation Consultant, you have the following paths for advancement. The table below compares the salary raises for common next-step roles. By comparing these figures, you can choose the career path that best meets your financial goals.

Next Step Role Estimate Salary Projected Raise
Childbirth Educator $69,764 -37%
Diabetes Educator $82,062 -26%

Most common benefits for Lactation Consultant

  • Social Security
  • 401 (k)
  • Disability
  • Healthcare
  • Pension
  • Time Off (days)

Common company salaries for Lactation Consultant

Here are companies hiring for Lactation Consultant and their salaries, click below for more details.

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FAQ about Lactation Consultant

1. Where can a Lactation Consultant earn the most?

A Lactation Consultant's earning potential can vary widely depending on several factors, including location, industry, experience, education, and the specific employer. According to the latest salary data by Salary.com, a Lactation Consultant earns the most in San Jose, CA, where the annual salary of a Lactation Consultant is $140,690.

2. What is the highest pay for Lactation Consultant?

The highest pay for Lactation Consultant is $125,630.

3. What is the lowest pay for Lactation Consultant?

The lowest pay for Lactation Consultant is $89,110.

4. What are the responsibilities of Lactation Consultant?

Provides lactation support and education to patients and families. May plan and lead breastfeeding classes for expecting mothers. Responsible for identifying and correcting lactation problems, and advising physicians and healthcare providers on lactation problems experienced by patients. Requires an associate degree in nursing or equivalent. Requires Registered Nurse (RN) License. Typically reports to a supervisor or manager. Years of experience may be unspecified. Certification and/or licensing in the position's specialty is the main requirement.

5. What industry pays the highest salary for Lactation Consultant?

The Healthcare industry offers the highest average compensation for Lactation Consultant roles, with salaries approximately 50% above the market median.

Where Does Our Salary Data Come From?

Salary.com provides salary estimates, histograms, trends, and comparisons using data from employer job postings and third-party sources.

We offer detailed salary information across multiple percentiles for your reference. (Click here to learn Why the Salary Midpoint Formula Is Crucial for Achieving Pay Equity.)

With the most extensive online, real-time compensation data available, Salary.com helps you pinpoint your exact pay target.

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