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The differences between lactation consultants and consultants can be seen in a few details. Each job has different responsibilities and duties. While it typically takes 1-2 years to become a lactation consultant, becoming a consultant takes usually requires 2-4 years. Additionally, a consultant has an average salary of $78,912, which is higher than the $73,158 average annual salary of a lactation consultant.
The top three skills for a lactation consultant include patients, IBCLC and patient care. The most important skills for a consultant are customer service, strong analytical, and project management.
| Lactation Consultant | Consultant | |
| Yearly salary | $73,158 | $78,912 |
| Hourly rate | $35.17 | $37.94 |
| Growth rate | 6% | 11% |
| Number of jobs | 5,809 | 171,733 |
| Job satisfaction | - | 4 |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Years of experience | 2 | 4 |
Lactation consultants are responsible for assisting new mothers in caring for their newborn babies. Their job includes helping mothers in their breastfeeding sessions and giving pre- and post-natal education to help them recover from giving birth. Before the actual process of giving birth, lactation consultants also provide seminars for couples who want to have a baby to prepare for pregnancy. They provide education to prepare clients physically, socially, and emotionally for the lactation period or the process of breastfeeding.
Consultants are individuals who were tapped by a company or an organization to work on a specific activity, depending on their field of expertise. They act as guides for the organization in undertaking projects that are related to their field. Consultants would usually assist organizations in planning, often giving advice when the need arises. They would, at times, take the lead in activities that involve data gathering and interpretation of data gathering results so that they can provide solid recommendations on actions that the organization may undertake. They may also guide the organization in implementing any changes brought about by their consultancy and in evaluating the effectiveness of the changes.
Lactation consultants and consultants have different pay scales, as shown below.
| Lactation Consultant | Consultant | |
| Average salary | $73,158 | $78,912 |
| Salary range | Between $53,000 And $99,000 | Between $58,000 And $107,000 |
| Highest paying City | Palo Alto, CA | Washington, DC |
| Highest paying state | California | New Jersey |
| Best paying company | Children's Hospital of Michigan | L.E.K. Consulting |
| Best paying industry | Health Care | Technology |
There are a few differences between a lactation consultant and a consultant in terms of educational background:
| Lactation Consultant | Consultant | |
| Most common degree | Bachelor's Degree, 59% | Bachelor's Degree, 64% |
| Most common major | Nursing | Business |
| Most common college | Duke University | Northwestern University |
Here are the differences between lactation consultants' and consultants' demographics:
| Lactation Consultant | Consultant | |
| Average age | 44 | 44 |
| Gender ratio | Male, 3.7% Female, 96.3% | Male, 58.4% Female, 41.6% |
| Race ratio | Black or African American, 10.2% Unknown, 4.3% Hispanic or Latino, 9.7% Asian, 9.1% White, 66.3% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.4% | Black or African American, 7.8% Unknown, 4.5% Hispanic or Latino, 8.7% Asian, 13.8% White, 65.0% American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.2% |
| LGBT Percentage | 9% | 12% |