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Job outlook for certified lactation educators in the United States
Are certified lactation educator jobs in demand?
Certified lactation educator job and salary trends over time
Certified lactation educator jobs over time
Certified lactation educator job growth rate over time
| Year | # of jobs | % of population |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 554 | 0.00% |
| 2020 | 574 | 0.00% |
| 2019 | 581 | 0.00% |
| 2018 | 583 | 0.00% |
| 2017 | 576 | 0.00% |
Average certified lactation educator salary over time
Certified lactation educator salary by year
| Year | Avg. salary | Hourly rate | % Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $72,608 | $34.91 | +2.3% |
| 2025 | $70,963 | $34.12 | +1.8% |
| 2024 | $69,678 | $33.50 | +0.5% |
| 2023 | $69,318 | $33.33 | +1.6% |
| 2022 | $68,200 | $32.79 | +2.1% |
Certified lactation educator jobs by state
Most common states for certified lactation educators
| Rank | State | Population | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Connecticut | 3,588,184 | 488 | 14% |
| 2 | Wyoming | 579,315 | 62 | 11% |
| 3 | Utah | 3,101,833 | 317 | 10% |
| 4 | Alaska | 739,795 | 75 | 10% |
| 5 | Arizona | 7,016,270 | 631 | 9% |
| 6 | Alabama | 4,874,747 | 410 | 8% |
| 7 | California | 39,536,653 | 2,750 | 7% |
| 8 | Arkansas | 3,004,279 | 222 | 7% |
| 9 | Hawaii | 1,427,538 | 75 | 5% |
| 10 | Colorado | 5,607,154 | 110 | 2% |
| 11 | South Dakota | 869,666 | 14 | 2% |
| 12 | Georgia | 10,429,379 | 136 | 1% |
| 13 | North Carolina | 10,273,419 | 107 | 1% |
| 14 | West Virginia | 1,815,857 | 16 | 1% |
| 15 | Indiana | 6,666,818 | 0 | 0% |
| 16 | Louisiana | 4,684,333 | 0 | 0% |
| 17 | New Hampshire | 1,342,795 | 0 | 0% |
| 18 | Maryland | 6,052,177 | 0 | 0% |
| 19 | Ohio | 11,658,609 | 0 | 0% |
| 20 | District of Columbia | 693,972 | 0 | 0% |
Most common cities for certified lactation educators
| Rank | City | # of jobs | Employment/ 1000ppl | Avg. salary |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lafayette | 1 | 4% | $61,047 |
| 2 | Los Angeles | 1 | 0% | $92,627 |
Certified Lactation Educator job outlook: Expert opinions
Our panel of certified lactation educator experts
University of Maine
Texas Tech University
University of California - San Diego
Georgia College and State University
Auburn University Main Campus
Saginaw Valley State University
The University of Vermont
King's College
Aultman College
Business Specialist
Arizona State University
Cedar Crest College
Cabrini University
Ashland University
The College of New Jersey
Rocky Mountain College
College of Education and Human Development
DePauw University
Gratz College
Marquette University
Dr. William Nichols Ph.D.
Professor, Literacy, Language and CultureUniversity of Maine
Education
What general advice would you give to a Certified Lactation Educator?
Dr. William Nichols Ph.D.: As these new graduates begin to feel included in the culture of the school, as they become more comfortable with the curriculum, as they gain a better understanding of their learners' strengths and weaknesses, as they develop a management plan that works for them, and as they get better at their pacing and time management, they will transition into a master teacher and an excellent professional in the field of education.
What Certified Lactation Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. William Nichols Ph.D.: Hi William. Just following up. Would you, or can you recommend a professor from University of Maine, to provide answers for our expert panel on starting a career with a degree in Education? We need someone who can give insights into what it's like entering the workforce this year.
What will help Certified Lactation Educators increase their earning potential?
Dr. William Nichols Ph.D.: Future graduating education majors can expect to immediately enter the 'survival phase of teaching.' Up to this point, they have had university faculty, university mentors, collaborating teacher mentors, and their peer candidates all supporting their development into excellent professionals in the field of education. However, upon the first minute of the first day of teaching, they will enter the survival phase and, in many cases, they will fight for personal and professional existence.
What general advice would you give to a Certified Lactation Educator?
Dr. Valerie Paton Ph.D.: Leaders who know how to lead others to higher levels of understanding and performance tend to enjoy the satisfaction of being generative and investing in the next generation of learners and leaders. But leadership has a cost in every sector and those who want to take on these roles invest deeply of themselves in others, so healthy life balance is always important.
What Certified Lactation Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Dr. Valerie Paton Ph.D.: Education is always a great profession to pursue because we have a 'learning society'. Individuals who know how to teach diverse learners are invaluable in all sectors of our society. As more corporations integrate learning goals as essential components to achieve their strategic goals, more opportunities are available for those who are expert educators, trainers, and facilitators. So education programs are transferrable across many types of leadership roles and are generating higher levels of compensation.
What will help Certified Lactation Educators increase their earning potential?
Dr. Valerie Paton Ph.D.: There are many different types of learning leadership roles across the business sectors in the U.S. and globally. Depending upon the nature of the role, different types of skill sets are needed. If the employee is leading the learning enterprise in a global corporation and the students are employees who need specific training and professional development to achieve their goals, then the 'educator' is using teaching, facilitation, and collaboration skills to support the delivery and application of specific skills, knowledge, and attitudes. While we most often think of 'Educators' as serving as K-12 teachers, the learning leadership needs of all economic sectors are creating increased numbers of employment opportunities for education of adult learners.
What general advice would you give to a Certified Lactation Educator?
Chris Halter: Like any field, education is changing and adapting to the needs of today. Anyone in education must have strong digital literacy and be able to fluidly integrate the use of technology into their work. Along with that we need data literacy. The ability to understand data and to make decisions based on the data will help guide our decisions. Cultural literacy and competency is also crucial in any social, community-based field. To truly serve others, we must understand the strengths that come from each community.
What Certified Lactation Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Chris Halter: My best advice for any new professional is to find yourself a mentor. Even better, have several mentors. Depending on the areas that you want to grow or excel, there may be a different mentor who could guide you towards those goals. We should also acknowledge that education is a social field. We are in service of others and should always strive to recognize the communities that we serve. Learn, be curious, and understand the values, goals, and strengths that can be found in our communities.
What will help Certified Lactation Educators increase their earning potential?
Chris Halter: Professional mobility and compensation in education is largely based on education, professional learning, and experience. This makes being a lifelong learner an advantage in education. If someone is curious, enjoys learning new skills, likes to explore new ideas then they will succeed in this field.
What general advice would you give to a Certified Lactation Educator?
Bailey McAlister PhD: Maximizing salary potential is a valuable point that I unfortunately don't have much positive experience in as a college teacher. I always ask for salary increase whenever I can. When I start a job, when I've been at a job a year, when I get another job offer, etc. It doesn't hurt to ask. I guess I'd advise new graduates to note quantities of money, sales, funding, etc. on their resumes. Showing in numbers how much you've grown is important.
What Certified Lactation Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Bailey McAlister PhD: I would advise anyone starting a new career in academia to stay humble. Gain comprehensive awareness of the systems and structures around you. Notice opportunities for professional development. Think of things as experiences rather than tasks. Ask questions. Learn people’s stories. Really listen. Practice rhetorical listening.
What will help Certified Lactation Educators increase their earning potential?
Bailey McAlister PhD: I think that any skills rooted in confident experimentation will be increasingly valuable in the near future. For example, you don’t need to be an AI expert, but you should be curious about AI innovations and open to experimenting with AI in your work. Technical knowledge can be learned. But there's real value in being confident to experiment, make mistakes, learn, practice, reflect.
Andrew Pendola Ph.D.
Associate Professor | Program CoordinatorAuburn University Main Campus
Education
What general advice would you give to a Certified Lactation Educator?
Andrew Pendola Ph.D.: Hi Andrew. Just following up. Would you, or can you recommend a professor from Auburn University Main Campus, to provide answers for our expert panel on starting a career with a degree in Education? We need someone who can give insights into what it's like entering the workforce this year.
What Certified Lactation Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Andrew Pendola Ph.D.: Hi Alex, I’d be happy to chat with you — my area is in labor markets for educators—so recruitment, hiring, retention, etc.
What will help Certified Lactation Educators increase their earning potential?
Andrew Pendola Ph.D.: Thanks! We've found we get better responses over email than the phone because it gives you some time to think about it. We were hoping you could answer the following questions:
Dr. Deborah Smith
Professor of Teacher EducationSaginaw Valley State University
Department of Teacher Education - Middle/Secondary Education
What skills stand out on Certified Lactation Educator resumes?
Dr. Deborah Smith: Actual classroom experience stands out, as do other interactions with students related to the position sought. So, for example, working with Special Olympics helps those seeking a SPED position. Coaching experience helps, especially if it's with students the same age as will be taught. Tutoring stands out, as do technological skills that can be highlighted with the portfolio submitted for the position.
Ellen Baker
Director of Educator Licensure ProgramsThe University of Vermont
Education Department
What skills stand out on Certified Lactation Educator resumes?
Ellen Baker: In general, employers are interested in the breadth and frequency of authentic field experiences where the candidates have the opportunity to align theory and practice. They also look for extra activities that the candidates have participated in after school, during the summers, and on weekends that enhance their skills and knowledge. These experiences are evidence of initiative and dedication to the profession.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Certified Lactation Educators?
Ellen Baker: Working with technology as an instructional tool as well as record keeping and gathering of data. Candidates need to be able to look at data regarding a student and utilize that data to inform their instruction.
Dara Soljaga Ph.D.
Associate Dean of EducationKing's College
Education Department
What skills stand out on Certified Lactation Educator resumes?
Dara Soljaga Ph.D.: I find compassion, communication, collaboration, and accountability stand out the most for me on educator resumes.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Certified Lactation Educators?
Dara Soljaga Ph.D.: Important hard or technical skills, complementing the aforementioned repertoire, include proficiencies in supporting learning through the creation of authentic and meaningful learning experiences and assessments, the ability to facilitate engaging discussions, and the wherewithal to employ these skills in both face-to-face and online learning environments.
What skills will help Certified Lactation Educators earn the most?
Dara Soljaga Ph.D.: In my opinion, demonstrating mastery of the aforementioned skills in flexible and relevant ways will help educators earn the most.
What skills stand out on Certified Lactation Educator resumes?
Jo Ann Donnenwirth: When reviewing resumes, it is always important to view clinical experiences, specialty areas, technical skills (including educational platforms), online teaching, and various course content delivery methods.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Certified Lactation Educators?
Jo Ann Donnenwirth: Basic management skills such as organization, time management, communication skills, as well as technical skills on various platforms, and the willingness to learn new technology are important. In the current educational environment, these skills are the most important.
Thomas Matula Ph.D.
Professor of Business AdministrationBusiness Specialist
Business Administration Department
What soft skills should all Certified Lactation Educators possess?
Thomas Matula Ph.D.: The ability to communicate in a digital setting and the discipline to work remotely. Also, remote work requires a very different mindset. Instead of focusing on inputs, like hours at a desk, the focus shifts to output, the number of completed tasks accomplished each week. This is going to be especially hard for managers who are used to counting inputs and not measuring outputs.
What soft skills should all Certified Lactation Educators possess?
Beverly Johnson: Communication, teamwork, enthusiasm & creativity. Be thoughtful about how to incorporate these into a resume. Again, listing them in a skills section is less impactful than demonstrating them in the experiences.
What hard/technical skills are most important for Certified Lactation Educators?
Beverly Johnson: Organization skills, lesson planning, and presentation skills.
Melissa Kamyab
Assistant Professor, Director of Graduate ProgramCedar Crest College
Education Department
What skills stand out on Certified Lactation Educator resumes?
Melissa Kamyab: Teachers have such a wide variety of skills that they bring to the classroom; it is important to capture these skills on a resume by thinking of the actions which convey our skills- facilitating, organizing, developing, creating, strategizing: this gives employers a strong picture of who a candidate is and what they have accomplished in their career. Pre-service teachers who were student teaching during the pandemic in the virtual classroom and then transitioned back to in-person learning will be highly valued for this experience!
What hard/technical skills are most important for Certified Lactation Educators?
Melissa Kamyab: Educators need to have a deep understanding of three elements of teaching and learning: how students learn, how to build a community of learners and content pedagogy. Skillsets which support this, such as proficiency in technology, planning, and organization, are important to convey to future employers, but the effective educator knows that these skills are the means to the end---designing instructional opportunities which support student understanding and academic growth.
Amber Gentile
Graduate Secondary Education Program Coordinator, Middle Level Program Coordinator, Assistant Professor of Teacher EducationCabrini University
Teacher Education Program
What experience really stands out on Certified Lactation Educator resumes?
Amber Gentile: Experience working with children stands out due to the experience itself and that it reflects an interest in working with youth. It also helps if teacher candidates have experience working in an urban setting or an underperforming school to appreciate the challenges that may exist in the field. It allows candidates to speak of personal experiences in an interview that highlights the challenges they have witnessed/experienced and how they worked to overcome them. Educators need to be in it for the kids.
The experience that shows leadership capabilities and active involvement in projects is a stand out as well. We need teacher leaders and educators who get involved and make active contributions to the betterment of the community.
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Certified Lactation Educators in the next 3-5 years?
Amber Gentile: Due to the current need to pivot instructional modalities and the subsequent awareness of inequities, teaching may be changing considerably. There is research being done on lessons learned from these recent experiences that can guide our next steps. There will need to be more of a balance between targeted academic instruction and explicit support for kids' social and emotional needs.
It will and should continue to be data-driven. However, schools will most likely be redeveloping instructional practices to maximize learning in various data-driven modalities in person, or through a virtual, online platform. For example, teachers may be frontloading lessons into pre-recorded videos, using online tools to further their students' learning, differentiating more effectively and continuing to explore ways to meet every child's individual, holistic needs. Increasing one's awareness of, and skill set in, the use of instructional technologies will be a must!
Someone starting a career in elementary education will need to be confident in creating engaging, productive lessons regardless of the modality (face to face, hybrid, online, etc). Given the recent need to pivot to virtual instruction, it has become a necessity that teachers are knowledgeable with online modalities, platforms, instructional techniques, and best practices for virtual learning including pedagogy and classroom management. Ultimately, having a skillset that utilizes technology in making meaningful and engaging lessons while addressing social and emotional needs is a must...regardless of instructional modality.
Dr. Peter G. Ghazarian
Assistant Professor of Leadership StudiesAshland University
Dwight Schar College of Education
What skills will help Certified Lactation Educators earn the most?
Dr. Peter G. Ghazarian: Educator earnings vary by district, sector, and role. Most educators' salaries are governed by union contracts, and these contracts differ in each district. For insight into what skills or qualifications are valued in a particular district, it is necessary to refer to that district's contract. Private education organizations vary even more dramatically than public institutions, with some paying significantly less or more than their public school counterparts. Finally, educators who move into an administrative role within their organization are likely to see a significant increase in their earnings. An educator must cultivate strong time management, organizational, and leadership skills to move into an administrative role.
Janet Gray Ph.D.
Professor and Department ChairThe College of New Jersey
Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies
What technology do you think will become more important and prevalent for Certified Lactation Educators in the next 3-5 years?
Janet Gray Ph.D.: WGSS graduates enter every employment sector, so technological trends for our graduates will follow various sectors' directions. Among the most common careers for WGSS graduates are law, social work, and education. The capacity to work remotely, and do so effectively--may depend more on having access to sound technology and good training, and devising more effective ways to use the tools available, than on any new technology becoming available.
Elizabeth McNamer
Assistant ProfessorRocky Mountain College
Philosophy and Religious Studies
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Certified Lactation Educators to find work opportunities?
Elizabeth McNamer: Every state.
Dr. Belinda Flores Ph.D.
Associate Dean of Professional Preparation & Partnerships, Professor, Department of Bicultural-Bilingual Studies, Principal Investigator & Founder, Academy for Teacher Excellence Research CenterCollege of Education and Human Development
Bicultural-Bilingual Studies
What experience really stands out on Certified Lactation Educator resumes?
Dr. Belinda Flores Ph.D.: In addition to completing degree and certification requirements, employers want to see robust communication skills, digital literacy, and community engagement.
What type of skills will young Certified Lactation Educators need?
Rachel Goldberg Ph.D.: We consistently hear from employers that they need employees who have strong communication skills, written and oral, problem-solving and collaboration, the ability to adapt and respond to changing circumstances, and the ability to work through difficulties collectively. Peace and Conflict Studies (PACS) majors are taught to excel in all these areas. The world will continue to change, so our ability to analyze, adapt, problem-solve, and collectively solve problems is what will help us all continue to survive and thrive. All the DePauw PACS majors graduate as trained mediators, and I consistently hear from them once they enter the work world that they were told they rose to the top of the pile of applicants because they had that skill set.
Are there any particularly good places in the United States for Certified Lactation Educators to find work opportunities?
Rachel Goldberg Ph.D.: As we say on our website (PeaceandConflict), PACS majors are excellent candidates for :
-Human Resources professional
-Non-profit work/sector
-International Peacemaking
-Environmental/Public Policy Dispute Resolution
-Public and participatory engagement processes
-Intelligence work
-Government agency work including in-house ADR specialist
-Mediator, Arbitrator, Facilitator, Professional Negotiator
-Labor Relations work
-Church/religious institutional and organizational change work
-Organizational change and development work
-K-12 and Higher Education work like running Restorative Justice and Peer -Mediation programs
-Ombuds or In-House Neutral
-Educator or Professor
-Policy analyst, think tank researcher, strategist.
-Project Management
-Marketing
-Business Executive or Manager; work in leadership development
-Paralegal or attorney, especially Collaborative Law
-Psychotherapist, counselor
-Social Worker
-Criminal Justice
-Government or agency work
Or bring productive team management, problem-solving, and constructive conflict engagement skills to any job.
Will there be an increase or decrease in demand for Certified Lactation Educators in the next 5 years?
Paul Finkelman Ph.D.: It is impossible to predict this. Anyone who tells you otherwise is blowing smoke. There may be a whole new industry in five years that no one today can even identify, and prosperous jobs in other fields may be gone. A decade ago, who would have imagined that places like Texas and Oklahoma would be producing as much energy from wind power as from oil and gas? My advice: get a good solid education that teaches you to think; read widely; learn to write clearly, and speak clearly.
Skills, not fields, will be what matters. Communication, written and verbal, is critical. So too is respect for the growing diversity of the nation and the internationalization of business and knowledge. Learn another language, not just so you can speak with someone from somewhere else, but so you can have tremendous respect for your business associates who had to learn English to talk to you. Be prepared to work with people who are not from the same background or culture as you.
Your work teams will be diverse in every way you can imagine (and ways you cannot imagine), from race and faith to gender and gender presentation. Be prepared to respect all people and to learn from them and value them. In the last two years, we have seen industry titans fall because of their racism, sexism, hostility to people of other religions, races, ethnicities, and generally nasty, obnoxious, and sometimes illegal behavior. Learn from their mistakes.
What Certified Lactation Educator skills would you recommend for someone trying to advance their career?
Laurie Marks: One crucial thing any upcoming grad (including those studying Conflict Resolution) can do is look for experiences through internships or other forms of experiential learning that will help them build both soft skills and technical skills. For example, this means seeking opportunities where they are learning both written and verbal communication skills and cross-cultural communication skills. Having a robust and soft skill set is critical, especially in the first few years of one's career, developing a professional identity. Getting experience with the technical skills employers seek when trying to hire someone with a background in conflict resolution is also critical. Going into a job interview and talking specifically about how you were a part of engaging groups in one or more forms of conflict resolution methods can set potential candidates apart from others. Learning the methods and theories is essential, but equally important is applying it and reflecting on how you want to articulate your experience in an interview.