Nurse Midwives often earn a very competitive salary due to the skills and high level of education that midwives receive. In fact, some nurse midwives with years of experience can sometimes earn more than an entry level primary care doctor. Midwives earn a very high salary in the nursing field, and along with Nurse Practitioners and CRNAs, tend to earn the highest salaries among nurses.
The income level you will receive as a nurse midwife will depend on the following factors: Experience, job demand, cost of living, and employment setting. Those with years of experience will earn more than an entry level midwife. Also, those areas experiencing high demand for midwife skills will often offer higher wages than those areas with low demand.
The cost of living is also a very important figure, as nurses in highly populated areas will typically earn more than nurses in areas with a lower population.
Finally, the employment setting can make a large difference. Nurse income can vary depending on whether or not they work in a hospital, private practice, not-for-profit, or other healthcare agency.
Nurse Midwife Salary Information
Becoming a Certified Nurse Midwife comes with a great level of responsibility and experience as well as a substantial salary. The nursing profession has some of the highest paying positions of all employment opportunities. The median annual salaries for Certified Nurse Midwives working in the United States are $90,119. Again, we stress that this is only a median income, meaning right about the middle. Some may earn much less, and some may earn much more.
The lowest 10% to 20% of CNMs earned annual wages or salaries of $76,765 – $83,069. The middle 50% of Certified Nurse Midwives earned annual wages of $83,070 – $98,225 while the top 75% to 90% earned wages of $98,226 – $105,604 annually. The highest salaries for Certified Nurse Midwives are in the following states: Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Alaska, Delaware, Ohio, Maryland, New Jersey, Colorado, and Illinois.
Many other factors affect the salary in which Certified Nurse Midwives earn other than location. The employment setting is one of the greatest factors that influence the salaries of CNMs. Although CNMs can work in environments ranging from private clinics and hospitals, those working in non-profit organizations earn higher wages than those in local government agencies.
It is important to note that most midwives will earn a salary based income. This means that since they are not typically paid an hourly wage, they will earn the same amount each year regardless of any extra hours worked. In contrast, those workers paid an hourly wage will earn an income commensurate with their hours worked.
While nurse midwife income is not typically given in hourly wage format (due to the fact that most earn a salary), you can still get an approximation of the wage by taking the annual salary and dividing by the approximate hours worked in a year. So, for example, if a midwife earned a salary of $90,119 (the median salary), this would translate to an hourly wage of approximately $40.96 per hour ($90,119/2200 hours per year assuming 40 hour work week=40.96 per hour).
The nurse’s previous work experience can also affect the salary tremendously. Certified Nurse Midwives have the potential to make well over $80,000 per year with at least 5 years of work related experience in nursing. CNMs can only expect their incomes to increase as their education and experience continue to increase.
Nurse midwifery is truly one of the best areas of nursing to enter for nursing professionals who want to make high wages. The median annual salaries for Certified Nurse Midwives only come second to Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists (CRNAs) so those entering this area of nursing can be proud of their exceptional salaries. See more about a CRNA salary here.
Certified Nurse Midwife (CNM) Job Outlook
Certified Nurse Midwives have a very promising future ahead of them. The nursing profession has some of the best opportunities for those who want to become nurses or advance their current nursing careers. Over the next decade, positions for Certified Nurse Midwives are expected to grow faster than the average of all other professions. Over a 20% increase is expected in Certified Nurse Midwife positions so those who choose to become this type of Advanced Practice Nurse should not have any difficulty when it comes to seeking employment.
Advanced Practice Nurses such as Certified Nurse Midwives are in high demand because they can perform many of the tasks that a doctor performs. These individuals are highly trained and skilled, and they provide the medical facilities with a cost-effective solution to their medical needs. These individuals are in high demand by many nursing professionals who choose to advance their careers in the nursing field.
One of the factors that have lead to the increase in the need for Nurse Midwives is the advancements in medicine. Many women are faced with the option to utilize fertility treatments option in order to conceive. Since many of these treatment methods often cause medical complications during delivery, midwives are needed to provide their medical care to the mother and her baby. Many mothers are also having multiple babies as a result of methods to conceive so Certified Nurse Midwives are needed.
The best opportunities for Certified Nurse Midwives are in rural areas of the United States where patients may not have access to proper medical treatment. Additionally, doctors’ offices and outpatient clinics provide a great number of opportunities for Certified Nurse Midwives.
Certified Nurse Midwives provide specialized care to mothers and their babies. This position is one of the top two nursing positions in the nursing profession. Becoming a CNM has never been easier. Nurses can increase their knowledge on nursing and earn higher wages with more responsibilities and opportunities.