Lactation Counselor Salary in the United States

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

As of July 01, 2026, the average salary for a Lactation Counselor in the United States is $109,402 per year, which breaks down to an hourly rate of $53.

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

  • Top Earners (90th percentile): $124,796
  • Majority Range (25th-75th percentile): $96,723 to $117,460
  • Entry-Level (10th percentile): $85,179
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View as table View as graph 25% $96,723 10% $85,179 90% $124,796 75% $117,460 $109,402 50%(Median) Didn’t find job title? Click

Lactation Counselor Salaries by Percentile

Annual
Salary
Monthly
Pay
Weekly
Pay
Hourly
Wage
75th Percentile $117,460 $9,788 $2,259 $56
Average $109,402 $9,117 $2,104 $53
25th Percentile $96,723 $8,060 $1,860 $47
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Key Factors That Influence Lactation Counselor Salaries

A Lactation Counselor'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 Counselor Salaries?

Experience is a primary driver of a Lactation Counselor'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): $108,170
  • Early Career (1-2 years): $108,522
  • Mid-Level (2-4 years): $112,597
  • Senior-Level (5-8 years): $115,691
  • Expert (over 8 years): $115,912
Levels Salary
Entry Level Lactation Counselor$108,170
Intermediate Level Lactation Counselor$108,522
Senior Level Lactation Counselor$112,597
Specialist Level Lactation Counselor$115,691
Expert Level Lactation Counselor$115,912
$108,170 0 yr
$108,522 < 2 yrs
$112,597 2-4 yrs
$115,691 5-8 yrs
$115,912 > 8 yrs
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What Am I Worth?

Top Paying Cities for Lactation Counselors

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: $137,989
  • San Francisco: $136,478
  • Oakland: $133,602

What Skills Can Increase a Lactation Counselor'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.
See More Skills
Skills Demand Percentage
Collaboration 6.09%
Acute Care 3.24%
Nursing Process 2%
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 Counselor'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
$115,966
6%
Accountability
$112,684
3%
Effective Communication
$112,684
3%
Nursing Practice
$111,590
2%
Communicates Effectively
$111,590
2%
Written Communication
$111,590
2%
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Lactation Counselor Salary by Industry: Top Paying Sectors

For Lactation Counselor 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 Counselor positions in MFG Durable or Edu., Gov't. & Nonprofit typically offer lower base pay, as these industries often view Lactation Counselor as a support function rather than a direct revenue driver.

The top paying industries for a Lactation Counselor

Industry Sector Average Annual Salary Average Hourly Rate Pay vs.Avg
Healthcare$164,103$79.050%
Energy & Utilities$120,342$58.010%

How Education impacts a Lactation Counselor's Salary?

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

According to our 100% employer-reported salary data, the median salary for a Lactation Counselor with a Associate's Degree is between $92,865 and $98,750).

Lactation Counselor Salaries by Degree Level

Typical Education for Lactation Counselor
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%
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Lactation Counselor Salary: Hourly Rate, Weekly Pay, and Monthly Pay

Understanding how a Lactation Counselor'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 July 01, 2026

Salary Trends for Lactation Counselor

Salaries for a Lactation Counselor can change over time, reflecting shifts in market demand and the overall economy. The median salary decreased from $210,278 in 2023 to around $204,523 in 2025, reflecting changes in demand, location, experience, and the wider economy. For a detailed analysis of Lactation Counselor salary trends, .

Average Annual Salary of Lactation Counselor Over Time

2022
$???
2023
$210,278
2024
$212,536
2025
$204,523
2026
$???
2027
$???
Year Average Annual Salary
2022
View More
2023 $210,278
2024 $212,536
2025 $204,523
2026
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2027
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Most common benefits for Lactation Counselor

Social Security
401(k)
Disability
Healthcare
Pension
Time Off (days)
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Common company salaries for Lactation Counselor

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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.)

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