Nurse Midwives: Job Description
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.
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What Tasks Do Nurse Midwives Do?
The core tasks performed by nurse midwives span:
- 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.
- Develop and implement individualized plans for health care management.
- Explain procedures to patients, family members, staff members or others.
- Order and interpret diagnostic or laboratory tests.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Successful nurse midwives combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Key Skills
The abilities most important for this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Top Knowledge Areas
Other Nurse Midwives Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)
- Direct-Entry Midwife
- Nurse Midwife
- Postpartum Nurse
- Postpartum RN (Postpartum Registered Nurse)
- Registered Nurse Midwife
- Staff Certified Nurse Midwife
- Staff Nurse Midwife
Employment and Demand
The U.S. employs around 2,788,427 nurse midwives working in the United States today. This occupation is expected to grow by +12.4% over the projection horizon.
How Much Do Nurse Midwives Make?
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $36,174 |
| Hourly median | $17.39 |
| 10th percentile | $21,168 |
| 25th percentile | $28,671 |
| 75th percentile | $43,677 |
| 90th percentile | $51,181 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $196,700 |
| Massachusetts | $155,710 |
| Washington | $145,000 |
| Vermont | $140,240 |
| Virginia | $139,770 |
| Utah | $138,020 |
| New York | $137,860 |
| Iowa | $136,450 |
| New Hampshire | $135,860 |
| New Jersey | $135,680 |
| Arizona | $135,590 |
| Wisconsin | $135,360 |
| Missouri | $134,970 |
| Nebraska | $133,890 |
| Maine | $132,920 |
| Colorado | $132,670 |
| Alaska | $130,030 |
| Maryland | $129,910 |
| Indiana | $129,010 |
| Rhode Island | $127,480 |
| Minnesota | $127,180 |
| Georgia | $125,830 |
| Connecticut | $124,530 |
| Oregon | $123,080 |
| Ohio | $121,720 |
| North Carolina | $121,490 |
| New Mexico | $118,650 |
| South Carolina | $118,100 |
| Michigan | $116,810 |
| Florida | $115,440 |
| Illinois | $114,420 |
| Texas | $111,190 |
| Pennsylvania | $107,740 |
| District of Columbia | $106,580 |
| Delaware | $99,060 |
| Tennessee | $97,380 |
| Louisiana | $95,420 |
| Idaho | $89,870 |
Pay by U.S. Region
Compensation for nurse midwives differ across the country. Top regions by median wage:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| Far Western US | $173,440 | 17.9% | 1.32 |
| New England | $139,537 | 6.9% | 1.59 |
| Plains States | $130,042 | 5.1% | 1.30 |
| Rocky Mountains | $129,307 | 4.6% | 1.21 |
| Middle Atlantic | $123,662 | 20.9% | 1.37 |
| Great Lakes | $119,945 | 12.1% | 0.86 |
| Southwest | $116,227 | 7.6% | 0.99 |
| Southeast | $116,211 | 24.8% | 1.50 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Nurse Midwives
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $204,980 | 200 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | CA | $201,870 | 60 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | CA | $190,230 | 190 |
| Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH | MA | $161,580 | 120 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | CA | $155,030 | 80 |
| Salem, OR | OR | $151,830 | 30 |
| Springfield, MA | MA | $150,250 | 50 |
| Buffalo-Cheektowaga, NY | NY | $146,190 | 30 |
Top Industries Employing Nurse Midwives
The bulk of nurse midwives are concentrated in the following sectors:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 8,030 | $129,130 |
| Educational Services | 100 | $116,190 |
Below are examples of industries where nurse midwives work:
Tools and Technology
- Medical software: eClinicalWorks EHR software (hot technology)
- Medical software: Epic Systems (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
What the Workplace Is Like
Daily working conditions for nurse midwives is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Physical Proximity
- Contact With Others
- Telephone Conversations
How to Become Nurse Midwives
Most nurse midwives positions require a doctoral or professional degree as the typical entry-level education. The role falls in Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), indicating the level of preparation typically expected.
Related Careers
Similar Occupations
- Physician Assistants (Supplemental)
- Registered Nurses (Primary-Short)
- Acute Care Nurses (Primary-Short)
- Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses (Primary-Long)
- Critical Care Nurses (Primary-Long)
- Clinical Nurse Specialists (Primary-Long)
- Nurse Anesthetists (Primary-Long)
- Nurse Practitioners (Primary-Short)
Degree Programs
Future nurse midwives typically earn programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
1 programs across 1 majors
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 29-1161.00 (Nurse Midwives).
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