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What is a lactation specialist and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a lactation specialist. For example, did you know that they make an average of $20.99 an hour? That's $43,665 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 12% and produce 52,400 job opportunities across the U.S.
ScoreLactation SpecialistUS Average
Salary
3.4

Avg. Salary $43,665

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
8.9

Growth rate 12%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
10.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 1.86%

Asian 5.71%

Black or African American 16.22%

Hispanic or Latino 12.67%

Unknown 4.92%

White 58.61%

Gender

female 94.74%

male 5.26%

Age - 43
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43
Stress level
8.9

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
8.1

Complexity level is challenging

7 - challenging

Work life balance
6.2

Work life balance is fair

6.4 - fair

Key steps to become a lactation specialist

  1. Explore lactation specialist education requirements

    Most common lactation specialist degrees

    Bachelor's

    43.9 %

    Associate

    39.0 %

    Master's

    9.8 %
  2. Start to develop specific lactation specialist skills

    SkillsPercentages
    WIC74.87%
    Group Classes25.13%
  3. Complete relevant lactation specialist training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 1-3 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New lactation specialists learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a lactation specialist based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real lactation specialist resumes.
  4. Research lactation specialist duties and responsibilities

    • Manage assignments of paying medical bills limit in depth that include organizing and researching regulations as pertain to veterans eligibility.
    • Promote breastfeeding to WIC participants through counseling.
    • Train WIC staff and clientele in breastfeeding and breast pump management.
    • Verify all insurance information including Medicare, NC Medicaid, secondary, tertiary insurances either via online or via telephone correspondence.
  5. Prepare your lactation specialist resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your lactation specialist resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a lactation specialist resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable lactation specialist resume templates

    Build a professional lactation specialist resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your lactation specialist resume.
    Lactation Specialist Resume
    Lactation Specialist Resume
    Lactation Specialist Resume
    Lactation Specialist Resume
    Lactation Specialist Resume
    Lactation Specialist Resume
    Lactation Specialist Resume
    Lactation Specialist Resume
    Lactation Specialist Resume
  6. Apply for lactation specialist jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a lactation specialist job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first lactation specialist job

Zippi

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Average lactation specialist salary

The average lactation specialist salary in the United States is $43,665 per year or $21 per hour. Lactation specialist salaries range between $28,000 and $66,000 per year.

Average lactation specialist salary
$43,665 Yearly
$20.99 hourly

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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.

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