Nurse Midwives: Salary, Job Outlook & How to Become One (2026 Parent Guide)

Nurse Midwives fall under the Healthcare Practitioners and Technical category in the U.S. occupational classification. Nurse Midwives earn a median salary of $128,790 per year, ranking in the top 5% of all U.S. occupations. The Bureau of Labor Statistics projects +11.1% job growth through 2034, projected to grow faster than the US average. Entry into this field typically requires a bachelor's degree followed by a master's or doctoral degree, with specific licensing or certification depending on the state and employer. For parents whose teenager is exploring this path, the most actionable step is mapping the education requirements to specific colleges and majors before junior year — not waiting until application season.

What do nurse midwives earn?

The median annual wage for nurse midwives is $128,790. That puts nurse midwives at #39 on the BLS ranked list of all U.S. occupations by median pay. Pay at this level is well above the U.S. median household income, signaling sustained demand and meaningful credential requirements. Actual pay varies meaningfully by state, employer type, and years of experience — entry-level salaries are typically 30–40% below the median, while top-decile earners often exceed it by 50% or more.

Is nurse midwives a growing career?

The 10-year outlook for nurse midwives is +11.1%, projected to grow faster than the US average. Employment is projected to move from approximately 8K positions in 2024 to 9K in 2034, a net change of 1K. Faster-than-average growth means hiring is consistently outpacing the labor market overall. New entrants generally find their first roles faster than peers in stable fields.

What do nurse midwives do every day?

According to O*NET task surveys of working nurse midwives, these are the core responsibilities most professionals perform. This is what your teen would actually be doing in this role.

1. 1.Provide prenatal, intrapartum, postpartum, or newborn care to patients.
2. 2.Read current literature, talk with colleagues, or participate in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in midwifery.
3. 3.Establish practice guidelines for specialty areas such as primary health care of women, care of the childbearing family, and newborn care.
4. 4.Monitor fetal development by listening to fetal heartbeat, taking external uterine measurements, identifying fetal position, or estimating fetal size and weight.
5. 5.Prescribe medications as permitted by state regulations.
6. 6.Develop and implement individualized plans for health care management.
7. 7.Initiate emergency interventions to stabilize patients.
8. 8.Document findings of physical examinations.

Top skills for nurse midwives

O*NET ranks these as the most important skills for this occupation, on a 1–5 importance scale derived from worker surveys.

What education does my child need to become nurse midwive?

Becoming a nurse midwive typically requires a bachelor's degree followed by a master's, doctoral, or professional degree, plus state licensure or board certification depending on specialty. For parents helping a teen prepare, the highest-leverage step before junior year is identifying colleges and programs that feed reliably into this occupation — Solyo's college search lets parents filter by major and admissions data side by side.

Related careers your child might also consider

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• Nurse Anesthetists
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• Pediatricians, General
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• Dentists, General
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Common questions parents ask about nurse midwives