How much do nurse midwives make?
Certified nurse midwives make $134,040 a year at the national median, and the middle half earn between $116,510 and $157,400.[onet_cnm][oews] BLS counts nurse midwives as their own occupation (SOC 29-1161), separate from nurse practitioners, and estimated only 7,920 jobs in May 2025, one of the smallest nursing occupations it surveys.[oews_api] BLS projects 11% employment growth from 2025 to 2035.[ooh_aprn]
| Percentile | Annual | Hourly | Take-home* |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $93,620 | $45.01 | $74,692 |
| 25th | $116,510 | $56.01 | $90,795 |
| Median (50th) | $134,040 | $64.44 | $102,882 |
| 75th | $157,400 | $75.67 | $118,849 |
| 90th | $188,320 | $90.54 | $140,220 |
*Single filer, 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare; before state tax.
Midwifery pay often depends on the call schedule and births attended, and BLS wages are straight-time pay that leave out on-call and overtime premiums.[oews_faq] Compare an hourly or salaried offer in the calculator above with your real weekly hours.
Nurse midwife hourly pay
Nurse midwife hourly pay is $64.44 at the median, $45.01 at the 10th percentile and $90.54 at the 90th.[onet_cnm]
| Percentile | Hourly | Per 12-h shift | Yearly | Take-home* |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 10th | $45.01 | $540 | $93,620 | $74,692 |
| 25th | $56.01 | $672 | $116,510 | $90,795 |
| Median | $64.44 | $773 | $134,040 | $102,882 |
| 75th | $75.67 | $908 | $157,400 | $118,849 |
| 90th | $90.54 | $1,086 | $188,320 | $140,220 |
*Single filer, 2026 federal income tax, Social Security and Medicare; before state tax.
Nurse midwife salary by state
California pays nurse midwives the most at a median of $203,840, followed by Hawaii ($170,110) and Massachusetts ($159,800); North Dakota has the lowest published median at $72,630.[onet_cnm][oews_api] BLS published no May 2025 nurse midwife wage for 12 states (Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wyoming), because too few employers reported; small state samples also make the ranking less stable than for RNs.
| State | Median | Hourly | 10th pct. | 90th pct. | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. California | $203,840 | $98.00 | $140,970 | $227,590 | 870 |
| 2. Hawaii | $170,110 | $81.78 | $125,720 | $193,780 | — |
| 3. Massachusetts | $159,800 | $76.83 | $120,230 | $204,000 | 280 |
| 4. Washington | $158,970 | $76.43 | $73,320 | $175,100 | 170 |
| 5. New Jersey | $153,970 | $74.02 | $134,400 | $193,760 | 120 |
| 6. Vermont | $151,030 | $72.61 | $126,090 | $169,170 | 60 |
| 7. Oregon | $146,900 | $70.63 | $129,910 | $161,180 | 240 |
| 8. New York | $144,510 | $69.48 | $104,860 | $177,240 | 360 |
| 9. New Hampshire | $142,960 | $68.73 | $78,680 | $164,930 | 60 |
| 10. Arizona | $140,960 | $67.77 | $101,160 | $258,680 | 80 |
| 11. Maryland | $140,120 | $67.37 | $127,340 | $166,910 | 240 |
| 12. Nebraska | $138,880 | $66.77 | $130,370 | $138,880 | — |
| 13. Colorado | $137,610 | $66.16 | $124,970 | $161,460 | 180 |
| 14. Virginia | $135,710 | $65.25 | $108,110 | $164,450 | — |
| 15. Rhode Island | $135,180 | $64.99 | $117,100 | $168,300 | 80 |
| 16. Minnesota | $134,810 | $64.81 | $110,050 | $158,440 | 410 |
| 17. Alaska | $133,430 | $64.15 | $111,400 | $175,290 | 60 |
| 18. Maine | $133,270 | $64.07 | $110,900 | $144,730 | 50 |
| 19. Wisconsin | $133,070 | $63.98 | $87,990 | $156,490 | 200 |
| 20. Iowa | $131,360 | $63.15 | $81,620 | $158,930 | 80 |
| 21. Utah | $130,930 | $62.95 | $59,340 | $169,440 | 140 |
| 22. Connecticut | $130,790 | $62.88 | $122,870 | $147,440 | 150 |
| 23. Missouri | $130,220 | $62.61 | $89,860 | $154,560 | 80 |
| 24. Ohio | $127,730 | $61.41 | $105,110 | $143,250 | 180 |
| 25. Delaware | $127,510 | $61.30 | $102,680 | $153,610 | — |
| 26. Florida | $127,460 | $61.28 | $49,780 | $146,590 | 460 |
| 27. North Carolina | $126,040 | $60.60 | $97,830 | $155,340 | 240 |
| 28. Michigan | $125,140 | $60.16 | $104,370 | $142,430 | 430 |
| 29. Texas | $123,380 | $59.32 | $90,260 | $153,100 | 290 |
| 30. New Mexico | $123,350 | $59.30 | $61,430 | $150,340 | 50 |
| 31. South Carolina | $122,390 | $58.84 | $90,880 | $151,590 | 100 |
| 32. Illinois | $120,840 | $58.10 | $58,200 | $156,920 | 280 |
| 33. Pennsylvania | $119,990 | $57.69 | $77,620 | $158,520 | 320 |
| 34. Louisiana | $119,280 | $57.35 | $96,680 | $134,640 | 60 |
| 35. Tennessee | $116,980 | $56.24 | $93,620 | $135,410 | 330 |
| 36. Georgia | $105,510 | $50.73 | $86,290 | $164,300 | 300 |
| 37. Indiana | $101,630 | $48.86 | $101,630 | $145,100 | 170 |
| 38. District of Columbia | $101,450 | $48.77 | $92,250 | $150,640 | 70 |
| 39. North Dakota | $72,630 | $34.92 | $71,200 | $163,860 | — |
Jobs: BLS OEWS employment estimate, May 2025. No May 2025 wage estimate published for Alabama, Arkansas, Idaho, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Montana, Nevada, Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wyoming.
Highest-paying metro areas for nurse midwives
The best-paying metro area for nurse midwives is Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA at a median of $218,760, and California holds most of the top spots.[onet_cnm]
| Metro area | Median | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | $218,760 | $105.17 |
| 2. San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | $212,630 | $102.23 |
| 3. Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | $202,850 | $97.52 |
| 4. Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA | $191,220 | $91.93 |
| 5. Urban Honolulu, HI | $184,620 | $88.76 |
| 6. San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | $181,450 | $87.24 |
| 7. Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | $174,870 | $84.07 |
| 8. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA | $162,970 | $78.35 |
Certified nurse midwife salary vs NP and RN pay
Certified nurse midwives earn about the same as nurse practitioners at the median ($134,040 vs $132,300) and $36,490 more than registered nurses.[onet_cnm][onet_np][onet_rn] Both are advanced practice registered nurse roles that need a graduate degree; nurse anesthetists earn far more. Compare them on nurse practitioner salary and CRNA salary.
How to become a certified nurse midwife
Becoming a certified nurse midwife takes an RN license, a graduate degree from an accredited midwifery program and a national certification exam; BLS states that advanced practice registered nurses need at least a master's degree in their role.[ooh_aprn] The American Midwifery Certification Board requires a graduate degree to sit for its national certification exam, which costs $425, and certified nurse-midwife candidates must also hold an active RN license; programs are accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education (ACME).[amcb_faq][amcb_fee] The graduate step is similar in length and cost to nurse practitioner school, and federal loans for it are capped at the graduate limits explained there. Start with how long is nursing school for the RN step.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a certified nurse midwife make?
$134,040 a year at the national median (BLS, May 2025); the middle half earn $116,510 to $157,400.
How much do nurse midwives make an hour?
$64.44 at the median; $45.01 at the 10th percentile and $90.54 at the 90th.
What state pays nurse midwives the most?
California, with a median of $203,840, then Hawaii and Massachusetts.
Do nurse midwives make more than nurse practitioners?
About the same: $134,040 for nurse midwives vs $132,300 for nurse practitioners at the national medians.
Sources
- Local Wages: 29-1161.00 Nurse Midwives (state and metro percentiles)
- Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS), May 2025 estimates
- OEWS May 2025 employment and median wage series (OEUN/OEUS), Public Data API v2
- Occupational Outlook Handbook: Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners
- OEWS Frequently Asked Questions (wage definition; 2,080-hour year)
- Local Wages: 29-1171.00 Nurse Practitioners (state and metro percentiles)
- Local Wages: 29-1141.00 Registered Nurses (state and metro percentiles)
- Certification FAQs (graduate degree required; CNM candidates need an active RN license)
- Certification fee schedule (national examination $425)