How Much Money Does a Certified Lactation Consultant Make?

Certified lactation consultants assist women with breastfeeding concerns such as low milk production, painful nursing, or inadequate weight gain by the infant. They work in hospitals, public and private health clinics, physician's offices, and home health agencies. It is possible to become a lactation professional without certification, but can be much more difficult to find employment.

Certification

Certification is obtained from the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners after completing a specific number of clinical practice hours, ranging from 900 to 6000 hours depending on education level. Most certified lactation consultants are registered nurses, and although it is possible to become one with a different educational background, the salary is not as high. Registered nurses who become lactation consultants without obtaining the certification also are not paid as well as people with both qualifications.

Non-Certified Pay

For all non-certified lactation consultants, according to data provided by Payscale, a small sample with only 29 respondents, median starting hourly pay as of 2009 is about $22.50. The median for all lactation consultants in this category is about $28, or about $58,000 annually. Non-certified lactation consultants who are registered nurses with a minimum of a bachelor's degree make about $30 hourly.

Certified Pay

For certified lactation consultants, median starting hourly pay is about $24, with an increase to $29 with five years experience. About 75 percent of all certified lactation consultants in 2009 are making between about $61,000 and $75,000, with the median salary at around $68,000. A report from the Los Angeles Times notes that independent lactation consultants can make between $30 to $90 per class.

Graduate Education

Nurses who have a master's degree (MSN) or those who have become nurse practitioners earn significantly more as certified lactation consultants than those with less education. Payscale respondents with a MSN reported earning about $38.50 median hourly pay in 2009, and pediatric nurse practitioners $42. The Los Angeles Times report states that a 2-hour private consultation with an independent lactation consultant can cost up to $150.

Employing Organizations

The size of the employing organization does not make a significant difference in pay for certified lactation consultants, and neither does working for governmental agencies. Certified consultants providing educational services in the Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants, and Children (WIC), for instance, were making between $22.50 and $27.50 an hour in 2009.