Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) Salary Guide
A Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) is a type of advanced practice registered nurse (APRN) that provides healthcare to women throughout the entire course of their lives. What nurse midwives do varies widely from day to day but often includes family planning, gynecological checkups, and prenatal care.
Read this comprehensive certified nurse-midwife salary guide to learn more about average salaries, CNM salary by state, and ways to increase your earning potential.
What is the Average Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) Salary?
The average certified nurse midwife salary in the US is $120,880 per year or $58.12 per hour, per the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). ZipRecruiter reports that CNMs earn between $94,500 and $115,000 annually, though the top 90% of earners can make up to $162,000.
Certified Nurse-Midwife Salary by City and State
Highest Paying Cities for Nurse Midwives
| City | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
| Berkeley, CA | $140,206 | $67.41 |
| Renton, WA | $138,724 | $66.69 |
| Santa Monica, CA | $137,786 | $66.24 |
| Merced, CA | $137,467 | $66.09 |
| Boston, MA | $135,689 | $65.24 |
| Daly City, CA | $135,560 | $65.17 |
| San Mateo, CA | $134,819 | $64.82 |
| Scottsbluff, NE | $133,304 | $64.09 |
| Irvine, CA | $131,269 | $63.11 |
| Tacoma, WA | $131,194 | $63.07 |
Via: ZipRecruiter
Certified Nurse-Midwife Salary By State
| State | Annual Salary | Hourly Wage |
| Massachusetts | $135,138 | $64.97 |
| Hawaii | $133,368 | $64.12 |
| Oregon | $132,022 | $63.47 |
| Alaska | $130,204 | $62.60 |
| South Dakota | $126,462 | $60.80 |
| Maryland | $121,495 | $58.41 |
| Washington | $121,194 | $58.27 |
| Rhode Island | $119,517 | $57.46 |
| New York | $118,405 | $56.93 |
| Virginia | $118,091 | $56.77 |
| Kentucky | $116,769 | $56.14 |
| Colorado | $116,328 | $55.93 |
| Nebraska | $113,997 | $54.81 |
| California | $113,847 | $54.73 |
| Nevada | $113,170 | $54.41 |
| Vermont | $112,303 | $53.99 |
| Tennessee | $111,467 | $53.59 |
| Connecticut | $109,841 | $52.81 |
| Missouri | $109,316 | $52.56 |
| Arizona | $109,026 | $52.42 |
| Illinois | $108,979 | $52.39 |
| New Jersey | $108,681 | $52.25 |
| Michigan | $108,386 | $52.11 |
| Wyoming | $108,185 | $52.01 |
| Idaho | $107,840 | $51.85 |
| Delaware | $105,707 | $50.82 |
| Oklahoma | $105,112 | $50.54 |
| Montana | $104,119 | $50.06 |
| Arkansas | $104,098 | $50.05 |
| West Virginia | $104,036 | $50.02 |
| Maine | $103,185 | $49.61 |
| Texas | $102,912 | $49.48 |
| North Carolina | $102,208 | $49.14 |
| Minnesota | $102,004 | $49.04 |
| Pennsylvania | $101,562 | $48.83 |
| Wisconsin | $101,165 | $48.64 |
| North Dakota | $101,157 | $48.63 |
| Ohio | $100,947 | $48.53 |
| Indiana | $98,433 | $47.32 |
| Iowa | $97,037 | $46.65 |
| New Hampshire | $96,830 | $46.55 |
| New Mexico | $96,031 | $46.17 |
| Alabama | $95,397 | $45.86 |
| Utah | $94,824 | $45.59 |
| South Carolina | $93,994 | $45.19 |
| Kansas | $93,715 | $45.06 |
| Mississippi | $91,744 | $44.11 |
| Florida | $89,452 | $43.01 |
| Georgia | $87,372 | $42.01 |
| Louisiana | $85,787 | $41.24 |
Via: ZipRecruiter
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Certified Nurse-Midwife Salary Factors
Nurse-Midwife Salary by Years of Experience
Certified nurse-midwives often earn higher salaries the longer they work in their positions. On average, CNM salary increases by years of experience are as follows:
- Less than 1 year of experience: $95,007 per year
- 1-4 years of experience: $100,870 per year
- 5-9 years of experience: $107,189 per year
- 10-19 years of experience: $110,176 per year
- 20 or more years of experience: $119,653 per year
Via: Payscale
>> Related: Certified Nurse Midwife Meaning
Certified Nurse-Midwife Salary by Work Setting
Generally, nurse-midwives work in hospitals and earn the highest wages. However, they can work in a variety of other locations, such as:
- Birthing centers
- Private practice
- Academia
- Home care
- Public health clinic
- Health department
- Military hospital
CNM salary also differs based on these locations. The BLS reports different CNM salaries based on work location as follows:
- Hospitals; state, local, and private: $128,190 per year
- Outpatient care centers: $128,190 per year
- Offices of physicians: $121,280 per year
- Offices of other health practitioners: $104,790 per year
- Educational services; state, local, and private: $102,680 per year
How to Increase Your CNM Salary
You can increase your certified nurse-midwife salary in a few different ways:
- Earn a midwifery certification from the American Midwifery Certification Board
- Working nights or weekends, where you are paid a higher per-hour wage.
- Work per diem or become a locum tenens
- Train to be a preceptor for new hires
- Pick up over time on your unit or throughout the hospital, if needed
>> Show Me Online Nurse Midwifery Programs
Is Becoming a Nurse-Midwife Worth it?
The cost of nursing school can be overwhelming; however, with scholarships, loans, and tuition reimbursement, it is feasible for anyone that is interested in the field.
Becoming a nurse-midwife costs more than becoming a registered nurse because it is an advanced practice degree. Nurses are required to attend graduate school and earn a master’s degree.
>> Related: Top Certified Nurse Midwife Programs
How Much Does it Cost to Become a Nurse-Midwife?
First, there is not one set cost for nursing school, but you can expect to spend anywhere from thousands for a shorter degree program to as high as over $80,000 and even sometimes $100,000 for private or Ivy League nursing programs. This is only for your BSN.
There is a multitude of factors that affect the cost of a nursing program, including, but not limited to:
- Full-time or part-time status
- Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN) or a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN)
- RN to BSN bridge program
- Community college vs. state college vs. private college
- Books
- Nursing Uniforms
- Lab Fees
- Transportation to classes and clinical sites
After obtaining your BSN, you will need to attend an accredited master’s level degree program. You can expect to spend more on a midwifery program than your BSN. Programs typically cost $75,000 to $150,000, depending on the institution.
Regardless of the cost, nurse midwifery is a rewarding career, and it is worth taking the risk. While the typical college student will leave school with debt, there are ways for it to be paid back by the government, hospital, or military. It’s important to speak to a counselor or hospital HR department regarding options.
>> Show Me Online Nurse Midwifery Programs
CNM Salary vs Other Specialties
The average certified nurse-midwife salary is $114,210 a year or $54.91 per hour. Here’s how that compares to some other advanced practice nursing specialties:
- Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist Salary: $225,555
- Nurse Practitioner Salary: $131,543
- Emergency Room Nurse Salary: $111,041
Salaries via ZipRecruiter
Nurse Midwife FAQs
