Certified lactation counselor vs mental health counselor

The differences between certified lactation counselors and mental health counselors can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. It typically takes 2-4 years to become both a certified lactation counselor and a mental health counselor. Additionally, a mental health counselor has an average salary of $49,471, which is higher than the $45,044 average annual salary of a certified lactation counselor.

The top three skills for a certified lactation counselor include infant care, WIC and nutrition education. The most important skills for a mental health counselor are social work, patients, and crisis intervention.

Certified lactation counselor vs mental health counselor overview

	Certified Lactation Counselor	Mental Health Counselor
Yearly salary	$45,044	$49,471
Hourly rate	$21.66	$23.78
Growth rate	12%	9%
Number of jobs	61,633	110,752
Job satisfaction	-	2
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 69%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Average age	41	41
Years of experience	4	4

Certified lactation counselor vs mental health counselor salary

Certified lactation counselors and mental health counselors have different pay scales, as shown below.

	Certified Lactation Counselor	Mental Health Counselor
Average salary	$45,044	$49,471
Salary range	Between $33,000 And $61,000	Between $34,000 And $70,000
Highest paying City	-	Longview, WA
Highest paying state	-	Washington
Best paying company	-	Family Life Counseling & Psychiatric Services
Best paying industry	-	Health Care

Differences between certified lactation counselor and mental health counselor education

There are a few differences between a certified lactation counselor and a mental health counselor in terms of educational background:

	Certified Lactation Counselor	Mental Health Counselor
Most common degree	Bachelor's Degree, 69%	Bachelor's Degree, 58%
Most common major	Nursing	Psychology
Most common college	University of Pennsylvania	California State University - Long Beach

Certified lactation counselor vs mental health counselor demographics

Here are the differences between certified lactation counselors' and mental health counselors' demographics:

	Certified Lactation Counselor	Mental Health Counselor
Average age	41	41
Gender ratio	Male, 3.4% Female, 96.6%	Male, 31.4% Female, 68.6%
Race ratio	Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 3.2% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%	Black or African American, 11.3% Unknown, 5.9% Hispanic or Latino, 12.2% Asian, 3.2% White, 67.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4%
LGBT Percentage	15%	15%

Differences between certified lactation counselor and mental health counselor duties and responsibilities

Certified lactation counselor example responsibilities.

Provide individual student planning to assist expulsion students in fulfilling their rehabilitation plan and re-entering the comprehensive school setting.
Help develop and maintain Aveda standards and educational requirements.

Mental health counselor example responsibilities.

Provide clinical consultation to consumers and clients regarding manage care services and other benefits available to them through their EAP programs.
Conduct group check-in and co-lead group psychotherapy sessions to help clients identify and manage problems associate with psychiatric conditions.
Certify in CPI (crisis intervention technique).
Assist with crisis intervention, (CPI) maintains treatment activities.
Provide mental health assessment and evaluation of detainees refer by facility staff or identify by pre-screening (booking or nursing).
Assess for special needs during booking process.

Certified lactation counselor vs mental health counselor skills

Common certified lactation counselor skills

Infant Care, 16%
WIC, 13%
Nutrition Education, 10%
Clinical Management, 10%
Emotional Support, 7%
Patient Care, 7%

Common mental health counselor skills

Social Work, 17%
Patients, 16%
Crisis Intervention, 9%
Patient Care, 6%
Mental Health Issues, 5%
Rehabilitation, 4%

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Certified Lactation Counselor
Certified Lactation Counselor vs Mental Health Counselor

Updated January 8, 2025

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