Post job

Certified lactation educator education requirements

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

There are several educational requirements to become a certified lactation educator. Certified lactation educators usually study nursing, education, or business. 60% of certified lactation educators hold a bachelor's degree, and 17% hold an master's degree. We analyzed 338 real certified lactation educator resumes to see exactly what certified lactation educator education sections show.

The most common colleges for certified lactation educators are the University of South Florida and the University of South Florida.

There are also many online certified lactation educator courses to help get the education required to be a certified lactation educator.

There are certain certified lactation educator certifications that you should consider. These certified lactation educator certifications include Certified Lactation Educator (CLE) and International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC).

What education do you need to become a certified lactation educator?

What degree do you need to be a certified lactation educator?

The most common degree for certified lactation educators is bachelor's degree, with 60% of certified lactation educators earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are master's degree degree at 17% and master's degree degree at 13%.
  • Bachelor's, 60%
  • Master's, 17%
  • Associate, 13%
  • High School Diploma, 4%
  • Other Degrees, 6%

What should I major in to become a certified lactation educator?

You should major in nursing to become a certified lactation educator. 27% of certified lactation educators major in nursing. Other common majors for a certified lactation educator include education and business.

Most common colleges for certified lactation educators

Certified lactation educators often get their degrees at University of South Florida, New York University, and San Francisco State University. Here are the most common colleges for certified lactation educators in the US based on their resumes.
Certified lactation educator common collegePercentages
University of South Florida6.38%
New York University6.38%
San Francisco State University6.38%
University of Phoenix6.38%
Florida State University6.38%

Best majors for certified lactation educators

Best colleges for certified lactation educators

The best colleges for certified lactation educators are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and University of Pennsylvania.

A certified lactation educator with advanced education typically earns a higher salary and has access to better jobs. That's why Zippia looked into the best colleges for certified lactation educators. We based this list on several metrics: admissions rate, retention rate, mean earnings of graduates, the ratio of working vs. non-working students ten years after admission, the average cost of attendance, and median debt for graduates who become certified lactation educators.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Enrollment

34,564

2. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$56,225

Enrollment

19,548

3. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

In-state tuition

$54,568

Enrollment

8,451

4. University of Minnesota - Twin Cities

Minneapolis, MN • Private

In-state tuition

$14,760

Enrollment

31,451

5. Texas A&M University

College Station, TX • Private

In-state tuition

$11,870

Enrollment

53,194

6. San Diego State University

San Diego, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$7,488

Enrollment

30,018

7. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

In-state tuition

$55,584

Enrollment

10,764

8. Saint Louis University

Saint Louis, MO • Private

In-state tuition

$43,884

Enrollment

6,917

9. University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Chapel Hill, NC • Private

In-state tuition

$8,987

Enrollment

18,946

10. SUNY Stony Brook

Stony Brook, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$9,625

Enrollment

17,407

20 best online courses for certified lactation educators

Advertising disclosure

1. Lactation Biology

coursera

Lactation and especially milk, which is the product of that unique mammalian process, are routinely encountered within our daily lives. Nevertheless, they often are poorly understood by many, even including many who are engaged in the business of producing milk. The overall course goal is to introduce fundamental concepts that form the basis for understanding the biology of lactation, the biology of the mammary gland, and the products of that important physiological process. As a learner in...

2. Music Education for Teachers

coursera

In the Music Education for Teachers specialization, you will explore ways of integrating popular music into your teaching. You'll begin by learning from two highly experienced teachers, Krystal Banfield, the Vice President of Educational Outreach for Berklee College of Music, and David Alexis a Berklee Professor and long-time instructor for the Berklee City Music Program. They will take you through their process of incorporating popular music, improvisation, arranging, and music technology into...

3. Educational Psychology & Special Education (Certificate)

udemy
4.4
(876)

Informational content for educators and parents to learn about teaching and understanding exceptional children...

4. Complete Google Certified Educator Level 1 and 2 Masterclass

udemy
4.2
(590)

Google Certified Educator Level 1 and 2 Training - Mastering Google Classroom - G Suite - Teaching Online - Google Drive...

5. Online Learning Design for Educators

coursera

This specialization is for educators seeking to improve and expand their repertoire of online teaching skills related to the design, development and delivery of effective and engaging online courses and lessons for school age and adult learners.\n\nLearning in the 21st century no longer takes place exclusively between the four walls of a physical classroom. With advances in technology, learners now expect to be offered flexible study modes outside of the traditional face-to-face model. This...

6. Diversity and Inclusion in Education

coursera

Student diversity is becoming the rule rather than the exception in education systems across the world. Students bring to classroom different characteristics such as ability and disability, socio-economic background, race, ethnicity, and cultural background, beliefs and religion, and gender characteristics. The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 4 aims to ensure inclusive and equitable quality education and promote lifelong learning opportunities for all (United Nations, 2015)...

7. Google Certified Educator Level 1 Technical Training

udemy
4.5
(294)

Google Apps for Education...

8. Complete Google Classroom Course: Teaching Google Classroom

udemy
4.3
(442)

Mastering the Art of Teaching with Google Classroom - Teaching Online with Google Classroom - Google Certified Educator...

9. Health, Housing, and Educational Services

coursera

Course 5 discusses policies in four areas: housing, education, healthcare, and immigration, with an optional fifth module in child protection. This course addresses issues of power, oppression, and white supremacy. -First we’ll look at housing policy, with its contrasting supports for homeowners and renters. -Then we’ll interpret the structure that provides education and examine debates about its future. -The third module will differentiate the issues in the U.S. healthcare system and develop...

10. What future for education?

coursera

Through this course you will start to critically examine your own ideas about education, teaching and learning. The critique will be developed through engagement with theories and ideas developed through educational research. You will be encouraged to use these ideas to challenge or support your own ideas about education. Each week we will focus on one key question, using video lectures, key readings and challenges to explore some commonplace notions about education. With the guidance of the...

11. Seth Godin on learning and education

udemy
4.6
(679)

Build the future of community, culture and possibility...

12. Introduction to Early Childhood Montessori Education

udemy
4.7
(626)

Learning Montessori Philosophy and Materials by visiting classrooms across the U.S...

13. Critical Issues in Urban Education

coursera

Urban school reform in the United States is characterized by contentious, politicized debate. This course explores a set of critical issues in the education and educational reform space, with a focus on aspects of the field that have sparked controversy and polarized views. We will dig into these debates, situating them within the larger history of public education and school reform, and considering the viewpoints, the evidence, and translation of issues into educational policy. We will...

14. Aboriginal Worldviews and Education

coursera

Intended for both Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal learners, this course will explore indigenous ways of knowing and how they can benefit all students. Topics include historical, social, and political issues in Aboriginal education; terminology; cultural, spiritual and philosophical themes in Aboriginal worldviews; and how Aboriginal worldviews can inform professional programs and practices, including but not limited to the field of education...

15. Train the Trainer Foundation: Adult Education Mastery Course

udemy
4.6
(1,679)

Deploy a repeatable system for employee learning to ensure you reach every learner…every time...

16. Financial Education from 0: Learn Quick and Easy

udemy
4.2
(256)

Learn the Basics of Personal Finance. Build Healthy Financial Habits! Financial Education from Beginner to Advanced!...

17. Activity Design with PhET Simulations for STEM Education

coursera

PhET Interactive Simulations ( https://phet.colorado.edu/ ), a project of the University of Colorado Boulder, provides fun, free, interactive, research-based science and mathematics simulations for use across, primary, secondary, and higher education levels. We extensively test and evaluate each simulation to ensure educational effectiveness. All simulations are open source and free to all students and teachers. In this course, we will review strategies for how to use PhET to create sim-based...

18. Educating Deaf Children: Becoming an Empowered Teacher

coursera

Many Deaf children around the world still leave school functionally illiterate. In some cases, there is no allowance made for the education of Deaf children at all. This 4-week course provides you with invaluable knowledge and skills about teaching Deaf children. You will learn about the importance of Deaf culture and community, the need for a language-rich environment for the Deaf child from as young as possible, and that having access to sign language can help Deaf children academically,...

19. INSPIRED BY REGGIO EMILIA: A New Beginning

udemy
4.6
(523)

Teaching Strategies for Early Childhood Education...

20. Instructional Methods in Health Professions Education

coursera

This course provides those involved in educating members of the health professions an asynchronous, interdisciplinary, and interactive way to obtain, expand, and improve their teaching skills. These skills can then be applied within their own professional context, with a variety of learners, extending across many stages. After completing this course, learners will: 1. Understand educational theory as it relates to health professions education 2. Match instructional methods with desired...

Top 10 most affordable universities for certified lactation educators

The most affordable schools for certified lactation educators are University of Florida, hunter college of the city university of new york, and california state university - long beach.

If the best universities for certified lactation educators are out of your price range, check out these affordable schools. After factoring in in-state tuition and fees, the average cost of attendance, admissions rate, average net price, and mean earnings after six years, we found that these are the most affordable schools for certified lactation educators.

1. University of Florida

Gainesville, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$6,381

Cost of attendance

21,034

2. Hunter College of the City University of New York

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,182

Cost of attendance

13,998

3. California State University - Long Beach

Long Beach, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,798

Cost of attendance

18,306

4. Brigham Young University

Provo, UT • Private

In-state tuition

$5,620

Cost of attendance

18,136

5. California State University - Dominguez Hills

Carson, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,942

Cost of attendance

14,469

6. California State University - Fullerton

Fullerton, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,886

Cost of attendance

17,645

7. Florida State University

Tallahassee, FL • Private

In-state tuition

$5,656

Cost of attendance

21,623

8. City College of New York of the City University of New York, The

New York, NY • Private

In-state tuition

$7,140

Cost of attendance

14,430

9. California State University - Los Angeles

Los Angeles, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,749

Cost of attendance

14,823

10. California State University - Fresno

Fresno, CA • Private

In-state tuition

$6,587

Cost of attendance

16,915

Top 10 hardest universities to get into for certified lactation educators

The hardest universities for certified lactation educators to get into are Northwestern University, University of Southern California, and University of Pennsylvania.

Some great schools for certified lactation educators are hard to get into, but they also set your career up for greater success. The list below shows the most challenging universities to get into for certified lactation educators based on an institution's admissions rates, average SAT scores accepted, median ACT scores accepted, and mean earnings of students six years after admission.

1. Northwestern University

Evanston, IL • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,508

2. University of Southern California

Los Angeles, CA • Private

Admissions rate

13%

SAT average

1,445

3. University of Pennsylvania

Philadelphia, PA • Private

Admissions rate

8%

SAT average

1,492

4. Boston University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

22%

SAT average

1,420

5. Northeastern University

Boston, MA • Private

Admissions rate

19%

SAT average

1,466

6. Case Western Reserve University

Cleveland, OH • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,443

7. University of Rochester

Rochester, NY • Private

Admissions rate

29%

SAT average

1,422

8. University of Miami

Coral Gables, FL • Private

Admissions rate

32%

SAT average

1,365

9. New York University

New York, NY • Private

Admissions rate

20%

SAT average

1,419

10. George Washington University, The

Washington, DC • Private

Admissions rate

42%

SAT average

1,380

Top 10 easy-to-apply-to universities for certified lactation educators

The easiest schools for certified lactation educators to get into are Barry University, adventhealth university, and marymount university.

Some schools are much easier to get into. If you want to start your career as a certified lactation educator without much hassle, check out the list of schools where you will be accepted in no time. We compiled admissions rates, average SAT scores, average ACT scores, and average salary of students six years after graduation to uncover which were the easiest schools to get into for certified lactation educators.

1. Barry University

Miami, FL • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,006

2. AdventHealth University

Orlando, FL • Private

Admissions rate

87%

SAT average

1,016

3. Marymount University

Arlington, VA • Private

Admissions rate

91%

SAT average

1,065

4. D'Youville College

Buffalo, NY • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,072

5. William Paterson University of New Jersey

Wayne, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

93%

SAT average

994

6. Saint Joseph's College of Maine

Standish, ME • Private

Admissions rate

84%

SAT average

1,069

7. University of the Incarnate Word

San Antonio, TX • Private

Admissions rate

88%

SAT average

1,044

8. Kean University

Union, NJ • Private

Admissions rate

86%

SAT average

991

9. The University of Texas at El Paso

El Paso, TX • Private

Admissions rate

100%

SAT average

1,035

10. Cardinal Stritch University

Milwaukee, WI • Private

Admissions rate

71%

SAT average

1,035

Average certified lactation educator salary by education level

Certified lactation educators with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $85,175 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, certified lactation educators earn a median annual income of $73,744 compared to $64,797 for certified lactation educators with an Associate degree.
Certified lactation educator education levelCertified lactation educator salary
Master's Degree$85,175
High School Diploma or Less$63,166
Bachelor's Degree$73,744
Some College/ Associate Degree$64,797

Certified lactation educator education FAQs

Search for certified lactation educator jobs

Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

Browse community and social services jobs