Nurse midwives provide comprehensive care to pregnant people, deliver babies, and support families through childbirth and postpartum recovery. The work is clinical, hands-on, and deeply personal. You'll need a master's degree and clinical training to get started.
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Nurse midwives assess pregnant patients, manage labor and delivery, and provide postpartum care. You'll document medical records, gather patient information, and identify any complications that need attention. Your days involve critical decision-making about patient safety, monitoring vital signs and fetal health, and staying current with evidence-based practices. You'll also counsel patients on nutrition, exercise, and emotional wellness, drawing on knowledge of medicine, psychology, and biology to support families through one of life's most important transitions.
Core work activities
Career video courtesy of CareerOneStop.
Nurse Midwives earn a median of $134,040 a year, based on 2025 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Pay rises with experience, specialty, and location.
The outlook is strong. Employment is projected to grow 11 percent from 2024 to 2034, much faster than average for all occupations, with about 500 openings a year.
Top skills
Knowledge areas
You'll need a master's degree in nursing or midwifery, which typically builds on a foundation of nursing education and clinical experience. The path requires extensive preparation across anatomy, physiology, pharmacology, and clinical skills. Graduate programs combine classroom learning with supervised clinical practice in labor and delivery settings. You'll develop expertise in patient assessment, decision-making under pressure, and evidence-based care. Most programs require you to be a registered nurse before enrollment, so plan for both undergraduate and graduate education.
The route to becoming a nurse midwife involves earning a nursing credential first, then pursuing graduate education in midwifery. Since the timeline and program options vary, Pathly can map the nurse midwive path that fits you to map out a path that fits your situation, and work through it with your counselor.
You do not need a license to work as a nurse midwive, but professional certifications can strengthen your resume.
Common certifications
You're drawn to work that centers on helping others through major life moments. You listen carefully, think critically about complex situations, and stay engaged in ongoing learning to provide the best care.
Reading about a career is the easy part. Turning it into a plan is where most students get stuck. Pathly takes you from curious to a clear next step, and gives your counselor the insight to champion you along the way.
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Last updated July 1, 2026.
Data sources. Career details from the O*NET 30.3 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under CC BY 4.0. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. Salary and outlook figures from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025 wages; 2024–2034 projections), delivered via the CareerOneStop API. Certification, licensing, wage, and outlook data from CareerOneStop, sponsored by USDOL/ETA and the Minnesota Department of Employment and Economic Development (DEED).