Nurse Practitioner
Median wage · national
$132,300
Range: $118K – $157K
Employed
323K
Openings/yr
29K
Typically: master's degree
HEALTH
Nurse Midwives
With a national median of $134,040 and +11.5% projected job growth through 2035, Nurse Midwives offers both strong financial return and stable long-term demand.
About Nurse Midwives
This page sets out what the federal data says about working as a nurse midwives: what the job pays, how fast it is growing, and what it takes to get in. Most people arrive through a degree in Nursing and what it leads to, though it is not the only route.
Diagnose and coordinate all aspects of the birthing process, either independently or as part of a healthcare team. May provide well-woman gynecological care. Must have specialized, graduate nursing education.
- Median Wage
- $134,040
- Employed Nationally
- 8K
- Openings / Year
- 400
- Entry Education
- Master's degree
- Job Zone
- Zone 5: Extensive Preparation
Also known as:
Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM)
Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)
Direct-Entry Midwife
Nurse Midwife
Postpartum Nurse
How Much Do Nurse Midwives Make?
Most nurse midwives take home around $134,040 a year, well above what most college graduates make. Half earn somewhere between $116,510 and $157,400, so where you land depends a lot on employer, specialty and city. Worth weighing against how long the training takes. Source: BLS.
A wage on its own says nothing about whether the degree behind it pays for itself, which is a question of lifetime earnings set against the total cost of getting there.
$134,040
National Median (Annual)
Well above average for college graduates.
$117K–$157K
Middle 50% Range
25th to 75th percentile. Most workers earn within this band.
Earnings Range
$116,510
Entry-level
$134,040
Median
$157,400
Experienced
What Do Nurse Midwives Do?
This is what the job actually looks like on a Tuesday: 5 core activities and 5 skills the work depends on. Read it before the salary, because pay matters less than whether you would want to spend your days doing this. Source: O*NET.
What You'll Do
- Provide prenatal, intrapartum, postpartum, or newborn care to patients.
- Monitor fetal development by listening to fetal heartbeat, taking external uterine measurements, identifying fetal position, or estimating fetal size and weight.
- Document patients' health histories, symptoms, physical conditions, or other diagnostic information.
- Provide patients with direct family planning services, such as inserting intrauterine devices, dispensing oral contraceptives, and fitting cervical barriers, including cervical caps or diaphragms.
- Prescribe medications as permitted by state regulations.
Core Skills Employers Look For
Critical Thinking
Speaking
Active Listening
Social Perceptiveness
Reading Comprehension
Who Thrives Here
S
Social
Working closely with people, teaching, advising, or helping others navigate challenges is a defining feature of this career's daily work.
I
Investigative
This career demands analytical thinking: researching problems, interpreting data, and applying logical reasoning to find practical solutions.
R
Realistic
Hands-on tasks, physical activity, or working with tools and real materials are central parts of the daily work here.
Where Do Nurse Midwives Work?
What the physical and mental conditions of this job actually look like day to day, based on O*NET Work Context data collected from people working in this occupation.
Work Setting
Mixed
Split between indoor and outdoor or field settings.
Physical Demands
Light
Mix of sitting and movement throughout the day.
Stress Level
High
High time pressure and significant consequences for errors. Deadline-driven or high-stakes decisions are common.
What Is the Job Outlook for Nurse Midwives?
Through 2035 the BLS expects this field to change by +11.5%, meaning it is growing faster than most occupations, so jobs should be easier to find over time. Around 400 roles open up each year, which is the number that matters most if you are starting out. Source: BLS.
Growth rates are only meaningful next to other occupations, and the full list of careers with their projected growth puts this one in context.
↗ +11.5%
10-Year Growth (2025–2035)
Faster than average.
400
Annual Openings
New positions plus replacements for retirees and career-changers.
8K
Currently Employed
Total US employment as of BLS May 2025.
Source: BLS Employment Projections 2025–2035 and Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics May 2025.
Where the Jobs Are
The five states below employ the most Nurse Midwives professionals nationwide. State-level wages can differ significantly from the $134,040 national median. Research your specific market before committing to a program.
| # | State | Jobs | Median Wage | vs. National |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 870 | $203,840 | +52.1% |
| 2 | Florida | 460 | $127,460 | -4.9% |
| 3 | Michigan | 430 | $125,140 | -6.6% |
| 4 | Minnesota | 410 | $134,810 | +0.6% |
| 5 | New York | 360 | $144,510 | +7.8% |
Source: BLS Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025. Employment figures rounded. Read our methodology →
How to Get Here
To get hired here you will usually need a master's degree. The program below is the most common route in, ordered by how many people actually graduate from each one.
Typical Entry Education
Master's degree
Job Zone
Zone 5: Extensive Preparation
Extensive education (usually a master's or doctoral degree) plus years of field experience is required to qualify for most positions.
Degree Programs That Lead Here
| # | Program | Graduates/yr | 4yr Median | Colleges |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Nursing | 308,114 | $88,910 | 2,190 |
Top Colleges for Aspiring Nurse Midwives
Colleges offering the degree programs that lead to this career, ranked by UCD Score. A strong program plus solid outcomes is a good place to begin your search.
| # | College | UCD Score | Net Price | Salary 10yr |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of California-Los Angeles Los Angeles, CA | 93 | $12,548 | $82,511 |
| 2 | University of Florida Gainesville, FL | 93 | $6,541 | $71,588 |
| 3 | University of California-Irvine Irvine, CA | 92 | $14,251 | $80,735 |
| 4 | North Florida College Madison, FL | 91 | $804 | $33,929 |
| 5 | University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Ann Arbor, MI | 91 | $13,138 | $83,648 |
| 6 | University of Florida-Online Gainesville, FL | 90 | $4,815 | $71,588 |
Plan Your Path
Once you've sized up Nurse Midwives, these tools turn the numbers into a plan. Estimate the real cost of a degree that leads here, weigh the long-term payoff, compare specific colleges side-by-side, and find programs that match your profile.
College ROI Calculator
See if the degree that leads to Nurse Midwives pays off. Weighs each college's cost against the earnings graduates see.
College Cost Calculator
Enter a budget and see the colleges whose net price fits, with the out-of-pocket cost and likely loan load for each.
Compare Colleges
Put any 2–4 colleges side-by-side. Admissions, cost, outcomes, and earnings, all on one screen, no tab-hopping.
College Match Quiz
Answer six quick questions and see your best-fit colleges ranked by budget, field of study, and what matters most to you.
Nurse Midwives Pros & Cons
Strong earnings and growing demand make Nurse Midwives a compelling path. The 3 strengths and 1 trade-offs below are drawn from BLS wage data and employment projections.
PROS
- Very high median salary The national median of $134,040 places this career well above average for college graduates, with significant upside at the 75th percentile.
- Fast-growing field At +11.5% projected growth through 2035, this career grows faster than the national average of about +5%. A strong signal for long-term demand.
- High earning ceiling Top earners (75th percentile) reach $157,400 annually. Strong performers, specialists, and those in high-cost markets have significant upside beyond the median.
CONS
- High education requirement Most employers require a master's degree, typically 6 to 10+ years of higher education before earning full wages. Factor tuition costs into your ROI calculation.
Nurse Midwives Frequently Asked Questions
How much do Nurse Midwives professionals earn?
Around $134,040 a year for the typical worker, well into the top quartile of US wages. The middle 50% of earners fall between $116,510 and $157,400. Treat the national figure as a starting point rather than a promise: employer size, industry and city all move it.
Is Nurse Midwives a good career?
Yes, for the right person, but the commitment is significant. The $134,040 median wage reflects years of training most workers invest, and the path to a first career-level role typically spans 8 to 12 or more years. Job growth of +11.5% through 2035 means demand is real. The harder question is whether the education investment at your specific program will pay off. School selection matters enormously at this preparation level.
How long does it take to work as Nurse Midwives?
Plan on 8 to 12 or more years of combined education and supervised training before qualifying for career-level roles. A master's degree is the typical minimum credential. Degree programs like Nursing are typical entry paths. Early-career pay during this ramp-up period will be meaningfully below the $134,040 national median. Factor that gap into any program ROI calculation.
Is a master's degree worth it to become a Nurse Midwives?
Yes, for most programs. At $134,040 median, graduates at in-state public programs typically recoup their investment within 10 to 15 years of practice. School choice (specifically tuition cost and your expected local job market) matters as much as the credential itself.
What is the job outlook for Nurse Midwives?
Employment is projected to change by +11.5% through 2035, faster than average compared with other occupations. Around 400 roles open each year once you count people retiring and moving on, which matters more to someone starting out than the growth rate does. 8K people do this job nationwide today, so it is an established field rather than a niche one. Source: BLS May 2025.
What skills do Nurse Midwives professionals need?
Mainly Critical Thinking, Speaking, Active Listening, Social Perceptiveness, and Reading Comprehension. Notice how many of those are habits rather than facts: they come from doing the work, not from a lecture. That is why programs with an internship or co-op requirement put you ahead of people who only studied the theory. Source: O*NET.
Related Findings
-
10 Six-Figure Careers That Do Not Need a Bachelor's Degree
Air traffic controllers earn more than the typical bachelor's-degree career, with an associate degree. The occupations that pay six figures without four years of college.
- No bachelor degree
- High paying careers
- Associate degree
- Trades
- Median wage
-
Does a Master's Degree Pay Off? Barely, on Average
Group every career by the degree it requires and master's-level jobs pay a median of about $91,000, statistically tied with bachelor's-level work. The premium hides in a few fields.
- Master's degree
- Bachelor's degree
- Median wage
- Graduate school
- Career outcomes
-
Growing and Paying $80K Plus: The Careers That Do Both
Only 106 of 393 federal careers both pay a median above $80,000 and grow faster than the typical job. Here is the rare set that clears both bars.
- Career growth
- Median wage
- High-paying careers
- Job outlook
- Career change
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