Nurse Midwives
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.
Also called: Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM), Direct-Entry Midwife, Nurse Midwife, Postpartum Nurse, Postpartum RN (Postpartum Registered Nurse), Registered Nurse Midwife
Median pay
$134,040
per year, U.S.
Pay range (10th–90th)
$93,620 – $188,320
People employed
7,920
Holland code
SIC
Social · Investigative · Conventional
Updated October 2026 · Data: O*NET 31.0 and BLS OEWS May 2025 · How we match careers
Is this career right for you?
These are the things that stand out in this job compared with other U.S. jobs (O*NET 31.0 work context). Answer honestly.
- 1.Are you OK working more than 40 hours a week?
- 2.Are you happy talking and working with people most of the day?
- 3.Do you want a lot of freedom to make your own decisions?
- 4.Do you enjoy serving customers or the public?
- 5.Do you prefer working indoors?
- 6.Do you want to lead or coordinate other people’s work?
- 7.Are you OK with hours that change?
The hard parts
- Mistakes can have serious consequences
- Exposure to disease or infection
- Tight deadlines are common
Nurse Midwives pay by state
Highest-paying states
Annual median pay by state (38 states and DC with published data). Source: BLS OEWS May 2025.
What nurse midwives do
- 01Provide prenatal, intrapartum, postpartum, or newborn care to patients.
- 02Monitor fetal development by listening to fetal heartbeat, taking external uterine measurements, identifying fetal position, or estimating fetal size and weight.
- 03Document patients' health histories, symptoms, physical conditions, or other diagnostic information.
- 04Provide patients with direct family planning services, such as inserting intrauterine devices, dispensing oral contraceptives, and fitting cervical barriers, including cervical caps or diaphragms.
- 05Prescribe medications as permitted by state regulations.
- 06Develop and implement individualized plans for health care management.
Skills that matter most
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Active Learning
- Monitoring
- Reading Comprehension
Knowledge
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Psychology
- Customer and Personal Service
- English Language
- Biology
Work styles that stand out
- Integrity
- Cautiousness
- Cooperation
- Social Orientation
- Self-Control
Education and first steps
Share of workers by required education, as reported to O*NET.
How people get started
- Usually needs a graduate degree (O*NET Job Zone 5).
- Related work experience: none.
- On-the-job training: over 1 month, up to and including 3 months.
- A professional certification is often expected.
Most common answers from O*NET 31.0 Education, Training and Experience.
Interest fit (Holland code)
O*NET occupational interest scores, scale 1–7. Take the Free Career Test to compare with your own.
Career changes
Change from nurse midwives
- Health Specialties Teachers, Postsecondary72% · −20%
- Midwives72% · group pay
- Genetic Counselors72% · −25%
- Clinical Research Coordinators66% · group pay
- Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary66% · −40%
Majors that lead here
- Nurse Midwife/Nursing Midwifery
From the NCES CIP 2020 to SOC 2018 crosswalk.