Lactation specialist demographics and statistics in the US
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Lactation specialist demographics by:
Lactation specialist gender statistics
94.7% of lactation specialists are women and 5.3% of lactation specialists are men.
- Female, 94.7%
- Male, 5.3%
Lactation specialist gender ratio
| Gender | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Female | 94.7% |
| Male | 5.3% |
Lactation specialist gender pay gap
Women earn 94¢ for every $1 earned by men
Male income
$48,405
Female income
$45,660
Lactation specialist gender ratio over time
This data breaks down the percentage of men and women in lactation specialist positions over time. Currently, 94.7% of lactation specialists are female.
Lactation specialist gender ratio by year
| Year | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 5.86% | 94.14% |
| 2011 | 4.78% | 95.22% |
| 2012 | 5.29% | 94.71% |
| 2013 | 5.94% | 94.06% |
| 2014 | 4.82% | 95.18% |
| 2015 | 4.51% | 95.49% |
| 2016 | 5.40% | 94.60% |
| 2017 | 5.45% | 94.55% |
| 2018 | 4.90% | 95.10% |
| 2019 | 5.28% | 94.72% |
| 2020 | 5.20% | 94.80% |
| 2021 | 5.26% | 94.74% |
Lactation specialist related jobs gender ratio
We compared lactation specialists with similar job titles to see how gender ratios vary. As you can see, public health worker and rehabilitation engineer have the biggest gender ratio gaps.
| Job title | Male | Female |
|---|---|---|
| Breastfeeding Educator | 2% | 98% |
| Certified Lactation Counselor | 3% | 97% |
| Lactation Specialist | 5% | 95% |
| Donation Worker | 70% | 30% |
| Rehabilitation Engineer | 70% | 30% |
| Public Health Worker | 81% | 19% |
Male
Female
100%
75%
50%
25%
0%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Lactation specialist demographics by race
The most common ethnicity among lactation specialists is White, which makes up 58.6% of all lactation specialists. Comparatively, 16.2% of lactation specialists are Black or African American and 12.7% of lactation specialists are Hispanic or Latino.
- White, 58.6%
- Black or African American, 16.2%
- Hispanic or Latino, 12.7%
- Asian, 5.7%
- Unknown, 4.9%
- American Indian and Alaska Native, 1.9%
Lactation specialist race
| Lactation specialist race | Percentages |
|---|---|
| White | 58.6% |
| Black or African American | 16.2% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 12.7% |
| Asian | 5.7% |
| Unknown | 4.9% |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 1.9% |
Lactation specialist race and ethnicity over time
See how lactation specialist racial and ethnic diversity trended since 2010 according to the United States Census Bureau data.
Lactation specialist race and ethnicity by year
| Year | White | Black or African American | Asian | Hispanic or Latino |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2010 | 63.29% | 20.32% | 4.65% | 8.66% |
| 2011 | 64.82% | 19.59% | 4.45% | 7.96% |
| 2012 | 62.89% | 17.79% | 4.12% | 9.54% |
| 2013 | 61.19% | 19.15% | 4.94% | 9.46% |
| 2014 | 64.57% | 16.25% | 5.29% | 10.01% |
| 2015 | 63.25% | 18.28% | 4.26% | 9.47% |
| 2016 | 62.96% | 18.05% | 4.97% | 9.82% |
| 2017 | 61.24% | 17.90% | 4.52% | 11.41% |
| 2018 | 61.47% | 16.01% | 5.32% | 12.76% |
| 2019 | 61.50% | 17.13% | 5.07% | 12.11% |
| 2020 | 58.47% | 16.61% | 4.80% | 13.17% |
| 2021 | 58.61% | 16.22% | 5.71% | 12.67% |
Lactation specialist wage gap by race
According to our data, asian lactation specialists have the highest average salary compared to other ethnicities. Black or african american lactation specialists have the lowest average salary at $46,486.
| Ethnicity | Salary |
|---|---|
| Unknown | $48,351 |
| White | $47,440 |
| Black or African American | $46,486 |
| Asian | $51,352 |
| Hispanic or Latino | $48,531 |
Average lactation specialist age
See how the average age of lactation specialists varies based on ethnicity and gender.
Male
Female
Lactation specialist age by race and gender
| Race | Male age | Female age |
|---|---|---|
| Black or African American | 41.5 | 46 |
| Unknown | 40.5 | 40 |
| Asian | 40.5 | 38 |
| Hispanic or Latino | 38 | 37 |
| White | 46 | 44 |
| American Indian and Alaska Native | 48.5 |
Lactation specialist age breakdown
The average age of lactation specialists is 40+ years years old, representing 58% of the lactation specialist population.
Lactation specialist age breakdown
| Lactation Specialist Years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| 40+ years | 58% |
| 30-40 years | 25% |
| 20-30 years | 17% |
Lactation specialist educational attainment
The most common degree for lactation specialists is bachelor's degree, with 44% of lactation specialists earning that degree. The second and third most common degree levels are associate degree degree at 39% and associate degree degree at 10%.
- Bachelor's, 44%
- Associate, 39%
- Master's, 10%
- Diploma, 2%
- Other Degrees, 5%
Lactation specialists by degree level
| Lactation specialist degree | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Bachelor's | 44% |
| Associate | 39% |
| Master's | 10% |
| Diploma | 2% |
| Other Degrees | 5% |
Lactation specialist jobs you might like
Lactation specialist wage gap by degree level
According to the data, lactation specialists with a Master's degree earn more than those without, at $55,086 annually. With a Bachelor's degree, lactation specialists earn a median annual income of $48,887 compared to $41,958 for lactation specialists with an Associate degree.
| Education | Salary |
|---|---|
| Master's Degree | $55,086 |
| High School Diploma or Less | $41,590 |
| Bachelor's Degree | $48,887 |
| Some College/ Associate Degree | $41,958 |
Lactation specialist employment statistics
Company size where lactation specialists work
Below, you can see the size of companies where lactation specialists work.
Lactation specialist jobs by employer size
| Company size | Percentages |
|---|---|
| < 50 employees | 13% |
| 50 - 100 employees | 4% |
| 100 - 500 employees | 26% |
| 500 - 1,000 employees | 17% |
| 1,000 - 10,000 employees | 30% |
| > 10,000 employees | 9% |
Lactation specialist jobs by company type
Employees with the lactation specialist job title have their preferences when it comes to working for a company. For instance, most lactation specialists prefer to work at private companies over government companies.
Lactation specialist jobs by sector
| Company type | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Education | 13% |
| Private | 63% |
| Government | 25% |
Lactation specialist turnover and employment statistics
Lactation specialist unemployment rate over time
The unemployment rate for lactation specialists between 2008 and the most recent data has varied, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Lactation specialist unemployment rate by year
| Year | Lactation specialist unemployment rate |
|---|---|
| 2010 | 7.13% |
| 2011 | 7.37% |
| 2012 | 7.31% |
| 2013 | 6.59% |
| 2014 | 5.50% |
| 2015 | 3.99% |
| 2016 | 3.87% |
| 2017 | 3.26% |
| 2018 | 2.50% |
| 2019 | 2.81% |
| 2020 | 4.13% |
| 2021 | 3.99% |
Average lactation specialist tenure
The average lactation specialist stays at their job for 1-2 years, based on the 69 lactation specialists resumes in Zippia's database.
Lactation specialist tenure statistics
| Number of years | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Less than 1 year | 18% |
| 1-2 years | 21% |
| 3-4 years | 12% |
| 5-7 years | 18% |
| 8-10 years | 9% |
| 11+ years | 22% |
Lactation specialist LGBT ratio compared to similar jobs
Review the percent of lactation specialists that are members of the LGBT community. You can see how this compares to similar jobs in the chart below.
| Job title | LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| HIV Counselor | 8.96% | 34,058 |
| Family Preservation Officer | 9.50% | 68,575 |
| Admissions Representative | 10.75% | 16,883 |
| Sexual Assault Social Worker | 11.25% | 42,731 |
| Lactation Specialist | 11.48% | - |
| Certified Lactation Counselor | 15.06% | 61,633 |
| Mental Health Coordinator | 15.06% | 137,025 |
Similar lactation specialist jobs LGBT demographics
| Profession | Percentages of LGBT | Job openings |
|---|---|---|
| HIV Counselor | 8.96% | 34,058 |
| Family Preservation Officer | 9.50% | 68,575 |
| Admissions Representative | 10.75% | 16,883 |
| Sexual Assault Social Worker | 11.25% | 42,731 |
| Certified Lactation Counselor | 15.06% | 61,633 |
| Mental Health Coordinator | 15.06% | 137,025 |
Foreign languages spoken by lactation specialists
- Spanish, 100.0%
Lactation specialist languages spoken
| Foreign language | Percentages |
|---|---|
| Spanish | 100.0% |