Do Certified Nurse Midwifes or Labor & Delivery Nurses earn more?

Certified Nurse Midwifes earn more, with a national median of about $134,040 a year vs $103,400 for Labor & Delivery Nurses — a gap of roughly $30,640 per year.

How big is the pay gap between Certified Nurse Midwifes and Labor & Delivery Nurses?

The difference is about $30,640 a year, or roughly 30% more for Certified Nurse Midwifes. It varies by state, experience, setting, and shift — use the calculator to compare both for your own situation.

Why do Certified Nurse Midwifes earn more than Labor & Delivery Nurses?

Scope of practice, required education, and autonomy are the biggest drivers — Certified Nurse Midwifes complete more training and take on more clinical responsibility, which is reflected in pay.

Why are some figures verified and others estimates?

National pay for the main nursing roles — registered nurses, LPNs/LVNs, nurse practitioners, CRNAs, nurse midwives, and nursing assistants — comes from verified public wage data. State, city, and specialty figures that aren't reported on their own start from that national pay and are labeled "Estimated" or "Specialty estimate." We never show an estimate as a verified figure.

Nurse Midwife vs Labor & Delivery Nurse Salary

Certified Nurse Midwifes earn more — a national median of $134,040 vs $103,400, a gap of about $30,640 per year.

Certified Nurse Midwife

Verified public wage data

$134,040 / yr median

Median $134,040

$93,620Middle 50%: $116,510–$157,400$188,320

Labor & Delivery Nurse

Specialty estimate

$103,400 / yr median

Median $103,400

$73,080Middle 50%: $85,150–$119,090$145,720

Annual pay, side by side

Certified Nurse MidwifeVerified public wage data$134,040$64.44/hr
Labor & Delivery NurseSpecialty estimate$103,400$49.71/hr

What the difference comes down to

Certified nurse midwives earn well above labor & delivery staff nurses. The CNM is an advanced-practice provider with a graduate degree who manages pregnancies and catches babies; the L&D nurse supports childbirth as a bedside RN. Many midwives start as L&D nurses, making this a common advancement path. Scope of practice, required education, and autonomy are the biggest drivers of the gap. Use the calculator to personalize either path by your state, experience, and work setting.

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