Do Registered Nurses or Certified Nurse Midwifes earn more?

Certified Nurse Midwifes earn more, with a national median of about $134,040 a year vs $97,550 for Registered Nurses — a gap of roughly $36,490 per year.

How big is the pay gap between Registered Nurses and Certified Nurse Midwifes?

The difference is about $36,490 a year, or roughly 37% 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 Registered 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.

RN vs Nurse Midwife Salary

Certified Nurse Midwifes earn more — a national median of $134,040 vs $97,550, a gap of about $36,490 per year.

Registered Nurse

Verified public wage data

$97,550 / yr median

Median $97,550

$68,940Middle 50%: $80,330–$112,350$137,470

Certified Nurse Midwife

Verified public wage data

$134,040 / yr median

Median $134,040

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

Annual pay, side by side

Registered NurseVerified public wage data$97,550$46.90/hr
Certified Nurse MidwifeVerified public wage data$134,040$64.44/hr

What the difference comes down to

Certified Nurse Midwives earn well above staff registered nurses, reflecting a graduate degree, prescriptive authority, and a specialized scope in pregnancy, birth, and women's health. Both build on the RN license, but the midwife is an advanced-practice provider. 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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