A certified nurse midwife salary calculator converts pay between annual, monthly, biweekly, weekly and hourly amounts, then places it in official wage data. Nurse midwives in the United States had a median wage of $134,040 a year, or $64.44 an hour, in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Annual gross pay
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How to Use the Certified Nurse Midwife Salary Calculator
- Choose annual salary or hourly rate, the way your employer states base pay.
- Enter your base pay, your hours per week and your weeks per year. Add other annual pay or a second offer if you have them.
- Read your annual gross pay, the pay-period amounts and where your hourly pay sits in the BLS wage table.
What each result tells you:
| Result | What it means |
|---|---|
| Annual gross pay | Base pay for the year plus any other annual pay you entered, before tax. |
| Monthly, biweekly, weekly | Annual gross pay divided by 12, 26 and 52. |
| Hourly | Base pay per paid hour. This is the number compared with BLS. |
| BLS percentile band | The two published BLS percentiles your hourly pay falls between. |
| Approximate hourly percentile | A straight-line estimate between those two percentiles. BLS does not publish it. The verdict uses this number. |
| Annual base pay percentile | The same estimate for your yearly base pay against BLS annual wages, which assume 2,080 hours. |
| Gap to BLS median | Your hourly pay minus the BLS median hourly wage, in dollars and percent. |
| Full-time equivalent | Your hourly pay times 2,080 hours, the work year BLS uses for annual wages. |
| Second offer rows | The second offer as annual and hourly pay, its percentile and the yearly difference. |
The first preset is an example, not a typical wage. It shows a nurse midwife on a $135,000 salary at 40 hours a week. That is $64.90 an hour, about the 51st percentile.
What Is a Certified Nurse Midwife Salary?
A certified nurse midwife salary is the gross pay a CNM earns in a year, before tax and deductions. BLS counts CNMs under occupation code 29-1161, Nurse Midwives.
BLS describes the work this way: nurse midwives provide care to women, including gynecological exams, family planning services and prenatal care. They deliver babies, manage emergencies during labor and may assist physicians during cesarean births.
| Fact | Value (BLS) |
|---|---|
| Wage survey jobs, May 2025 | 7,920 |
| Jobs in 2025 (projections count) | 8,200 |
| Projected jobs in 2035 | 9,100, a rise of 11% |
| Typical entry education | At least a master degree in the nurse midwife role |
| Licences | A registered nurse licence, a national certification exam and a state advanced practice licence |
| Schedule | Most work full time. Those who deliver babies may need to be on call. |
These facts come from the BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook and the OEWS wage survey, read on 2026-10-02.
Nurse midwifery is a small occupation. The 7,920 jobs in the wage survey compare with 323,040 for nurse practitioners. Small numbers make the state and industry figures less steady from year to year.
This tool is for CNMs and midwifery students who are checking an offer, a raise or a call schedule. It is not a pay quote from any employer.
How Does the Certified Nurse Midwife Salary Calculator Work?
The calculator converts your pay between time periods, then places your hourly pay in the BLS wage distribution for nurse midwives.
Annual pay = hourly rate x hours per week x weeks per yearApproximate percentile = P1 + (your hourly - W1) / (W2 - W1) x (P2 - P1)- Convert. An hourly rate is multiplied by hours and weeks. A salary is divided by them to get pay per hour.
- Add other pay. Overtime, differentials and bonuses you typed are added to the annual total only.
- Find the band. Your base hourly pay is checked against the 10th, 25th, 50th, 75th and 90th percentile wages. Your annual base pay gets the same check against annual wages.
- Interpolate. W1 and W2 are the two BLS wages around your pay. P1 and P2 are their percentiles.
- Measure the gap. Your hourly pay minus the median, then divided by the median.
The table below is the full BLS wage table for nurse midwives that the tool uses.
| Nurse Midwives (SOC 29-1161) | Hourly wage | Annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $45.01 | $93,620 |
| 25th percentile | $56.01 | $116,510 |
| 50th percentile (median) | $64.44 | $134,040 |
| 75th percentile | $75.67 | $157,400 |
| 90th percentile | $90.54 | $188,320 |
| Mean (average) | $65.86 | $136,980 |
| Employment | 7,920 jobs | |
Source: BLS OEWS, national estimates, May 2025. Read on 2026-10-02.
BLS annual wages equal the hourly wage times 2,080 hours. That is 40 hours for 52 weeks. The comparison uses hourly pay so that part-time and long-shift schedules are judged fairly.
Certified Nurse Midwife Salary Example: Counting Call Hours
A nurse midwife in a hospital practice earns a $138,000 salary. With 24-hour call shifts, her paid time averages 46 hours a week over 49 weeks. Extra call pay adds $9,000 a year. A birth center offers $150,000 for the same hours.
| Step | Calculation | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Paid hours a year | 46 x 49 | 2,254 hours |
| Hourly pay | 138,000 / 2,254 | $61.22 |
| Annual gross pay | 138,000 + 9,000 | $147,000.00 |
| Monthly | 147,000 / 12 | $12,250.00 |
| Biweekly | 147,000 / 26 | $5,653.85 |
| BLS hourly band | 61.22 is between 56.01 and 64.44 | 25th to 50th percentile |
| Approximate hourly percentile | 25 + (61.22 - 56.01) / (64.44 - 56.01) x 25 | About the 40th |
| Annual base pay percentile | 138,000 against BLS annual wages | About the 54th |
| Gap to median | 61.22 - 64.44 | -$3.22 an hour (-5.0%) |
| Second offer | 150,000 / 2,254 | $66.55 an hour, about the 55th, +$12,000.00 a year |
On paper her salary beats the $134,040 median, at about the 54th percentile of annual wages. Per hour it does not. At 2,254 hours a year her rate is $61.22, about the 40th percentile and $3.22 below the median. The same salary at 2,080 hours would be $66.35 an hour, about the 54th.
Factors That Change Certified Nurse Midwife Pay
Call Schedule
Call changes the hours behind a salary. A $138,000 salary is $66.35 an hour at 2,080 hours and $61.22 at 2,254 hours. Count the hours you are paid to be on site.
Industry
Offices of physicians employ 41.3% of nurse midwives in the survey. Outpatient care centers employ 19.7%. BLS notes that birthing centers are a type of outpatient care center.
| Industry | Jobs | Share of 7,920 jobs |
|---|---|---|
| Offices of Physicians | 3,270 | 41.3% |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | 1,820 | 23.0% |
| Outpatient Care Centers | 1,560 | 19.7% |
| Offices of Other Health Practitioners | 760 | 9.6% |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | 110 | 1.4% |
The industries with the highest employment of nurse midwives that BLS lists. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Read on 2026-10-02.
Outpatient care centers also pay the highest mean wage.
| Industry | Annual mean wage | Versus national mean |
|---|---|---|
| Outpatient Care Centers | $161,090 | +$24,110 |
| General Medical and Surgical Hospitals | $146,680 | +$9,700 |
| Colleges, Universities, and Professional Schools | $134,720 | -$2,260 |
| Offices of Physicians | $133,950 | -$3,030 |
| Individual and Family Services | $123,250 | -$13,730 |
The five industries with the highest annual mean wage for nurse midwives. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Read on 2026-10-02.
The outpatient mean is $27,140 above the mean in offices of physicians. The individual and family services figure has a 20.8% relative standard error.
State
California has the highest annual mean wage for nurse midwives at $194,730. It also has the most jobs, 870.
| State | Annual mean wage |
|---|---|
| California | $194,730 |
| Hawaii | $165,360 |
| Massachusetts | $162,420 |
| Arizona | $159,910 |
| New Jersey | $159,170 |
The states with the highest annual mean wage for nurse midwives. Source: BLS OEWS, May 2025. Read on 2026-10-02.
The Hawaii and Arizona means carry relative standard errors of 11.0% and 13.6%. Treat them as rough guides.
Call Pay, Overtime and Differentials
BLS wages exclude overtime pay and shift differentials. Add them in the other annual pay field. Hourly midwives can price extra shifts with the overtime pay calculator.
Nurse Midwife Pay vs Nurse Practitioner and CRNA Pay
Nurse midwives and nurse practitioners earn almost the same at the median. The nurse midwife median is $134,040 and the nurse practitioner median is $132,300, a gap of $1,740 a year.
| Occupation | 10th | 25th | Median | 75th | 90th | Mean | Jobs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nurse midwife (29-1161) | $93,620 | $116,510 | $134,040 | $157,400 | $188,320 | $136,980 | 7,920 |
| Nurse practitioner (29-1171) | $101,340 | $117,990 | $132,300 | $156,700 | $174,420 | $137,300 | 323,040 |
| Nurse anesthetist (29-1151) | $155,250 | $206,730 | $236,590 | $294,350 | $339,500 | $248,320 | 51,840 |
Annual wages. Source: BLS OEWS, national estimates, May 2025. Read on 2026-10-02.
The two roles differ at the ends. At the 10th percentile, nurse practitioners earn $7,720 more. At the 90th percentile, nurse midwives earn $13,900 more.
Nurse anesthetists stand apart, with a median of $236,590. All three roles need at least a master degree, so the pay gap reflects the role and not the degree level.
Physicians in the same field earn more. The BLS median for obstetricians and gynecologists was $292,910 in May 2025.
When to Use the Certified Nurse Midwife Salary Calculator
Weighing a Call-Heavy Contract
Enter the salary with the weekly hours that include call shifts. The hourly figure shows what the contract pays for your time.
Comparing a Hospital and a Birth Center Offer
Enter one as base pay and one as the second offer. The tool shows both percentiles and the yearly difference.
Converting an Hourly Rate
Choose hourly and set your shifts. At $62 an hour for 36 hours and 52 weeks, the year pays $116,064.00. The salary to hourly calculator does the conversion without the BLS comparison.
Budgeting After Tax
The result is gross pay. Read the gross vs net income guide before you plan loan payments from it.
Common Mistakes with Nurse Midwife Pay Comparisons
1. Ignoring Call Hours
A $138,000 salary is about the 54th percentile per hour at 2,080 hours and about the 40th at 2,254 hours.
2. Counting Call Pay as Base Pay
Extra call pay is premium pay. Keep it in the other annual pay field, or your rate is judged against a table that leaves it out.
3. Reading Small-Sample Figures as Exact
The survey has 7,920 nurse midwife jobs. Some state and industry means carry errors above 10%.
4. Using the Group Median
BLS reports a combined median of $134,920 for nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives and nurse practitioners. The nurse midwife median on its own is $134,040.
5. Comparing Self-Employed Income with Wages
The survey covers employees. A midwife who owns a practice can estimate tax on the profit with the self-employment tax calculator, but that profit is not a wage.
Accuracy and Limitations
The conversion is exact arithmetic. The percentile is an estimate, because BLS publishes only five points of the wage distribution.
What it calculates accurately
- Annual, monthly, biweekly, weekly and hourly gross pay from your own figures.
- The BLS percentile band your hourly pay falls in.
- The dollar and percent gap to the BLS national median.
- The yearly difference between two offers on the same schedule.
- The approximate percentile of your annual base pay against BLS annual wages.
What it does not account for
- Federal, state and local tax, or any payroll deduction.
- Your state, metro area, employer, experience or subspecialty.
- Benefits such as health insurance, retirement match and paid leave.
- Wages after May 2025. BLS updates the survey once a year.
- Income of self-employed nurse midwives. BLS does not survey them.
- Sampling error. The employment estimate has a 5.5% relative standard error.
BLS wages are straight-time gross pay. They exclude overtime pay, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses. Keep those in the other annual pay field so the comparison stays like for like.
How We Calculate Nurse Midwife Pay and Percentiles
Frequently Asked Questions About Certified Nurse Midwife Salaries
How much do certified nurse midwives make a year?
Nurse midwives had a median annual wage of $134,040 in May 2025, according to BLS. The mean was $136,980. The middle half earned between $116,510 and $157,400.
How much do nurse midwives make an hour?
The median hourly wage for nurse midwives was $64.44 in May 2025. The lowest 10 percent earned less than $45.01 and the highest 10 percent earned more than $90.54.
What do the top 10 percent of nurse midwives earn?
The highest 10 percent of nurse midwives earned more than $188,320 a year in May 2025. That is $54,280 above the median.
Which state pays nurse midwives the most?
California had the highest annual mean wage, $194,730, in May 2025. Hawaii, Massachusetts, Arizona and New Jersey were the next four.
Which industry pays nurse midwives the most?
Outpatient care centers pay the highest annual mean wage, $161,090. General medical and surgical hospitals follow at $146,680.
How many nurse midwives work in the United States?
BLS counted 7,920 nurse midwife jobs in its May 2025 wage survey. Its projections count 8,200 jobs in 2025 and 9,100 in 2035.
Do nurse midwives earn more than nurse practitioners?
Slightly, at the median. The nurse midwife median was $134,040 and the nurse practitioner median was $132,300 in May 2025, a difference of $1,740.
Is nurse midwifery a growing field?
Yes. BLS projects 11 percent growth for nurse midwives from 2025 to 2035. The average for all occupations is 3 percent. The gain is about 900 jobs.
What degree does a certified nurse midwife need?
BLS says nurse midwives need at least a master degree in the role. They also need a registered nurse licence, a national certification and a state advanced practice licence.
Does the BLS wage include call pay?
BLS wages are straight-time gross pay. Overtime pay, shift differentials and nonproduction bonuses are excluded, so premium pay for extra call belongs in the other annual pay field.
Is my pay information saved?
No. The calculation runs in your browser. Nothing is sent to a server. The Save button stores a result only on your own device.
Sources
- BLS OEWS Profiles, May 2025 national estimates (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Select 29-1161 Nurse Midwives, 29-1171 Nurse Practitioners or 29-1151 Nurse Anesthetists. Read 2026-10-02.)
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Duties, education, employers and 2025 to 2035 outlook. Read 2026-10-02.)
- BLS technical notes for the May 2025 OEWS estimates (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Defines the wage: straight-time gross pay, 2,080-hour year. Read 2026-10-02.)
- BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook: Physicians and Surgeons (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Source of the obstetrician and gynecologist median wage. Read 2026-10-02.)
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Explore all career calculatorsThis certified nurse midwife salary calculator gives an estimate for planning. It uses BLS survey data, not a pay offer, and it is not financial, tax or career advice. BLS figures are national estimates for May 2025, read on 2026-10-02. All amounts are gross pay before tax. Confirm pay with the employer before you decide. Spotted an error? Let us know.
Author
Shakeel Muzaffar is the Founder and Editor-in-Chief of MultiCalculators.com, bringing over 15 years of experience in digital publishing, product strategy, and online tool development. He leads the platform's editorial vision, ensuring every calculator meets strict standards for accuracy, usability, and real-world value. Shakeel personally oversees content quality, formula verification workflows, and the platform's commitment to publishing tools that are genuinely useful for students, professionals, and everyday users worldwide.
