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What is a registered nurse midwife and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
3 min read
Quoted experts
Lisa Rebeschi Ph.D.,
Kim Raines
There is more than meets the eye when it comes to being a registered nurse midwife. For example, did you know that they make an average of $36.84 an hour? That's $76,637 a year! Between 2018 and 2028, the career is expected to grow 6% and produce 195,400 job opportunities across the U.S.

What general advice would you give to a registered nurse midwife?

Lisa Rebeschi Ph.D.Lisa Rebeschi Ph.D. LinkedIn profile

Associate Dean of the School of Nursing Professor of Nursing, Quinnipiac University

One of the suggestions for new graduates is the importance of self-care. We have long known of the demanding nature of the nursing practice. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has magnified the nursing role's critical importance and the unique contributions made by nursing professionals. As the healthcare environment is extremely complex and challenging, nurses must remember to advocate for themselves and prioritize self-care.
ScoreRegistered Nurse MidwifeUS Average
Salary
6.0

Avg. Salary $76,637

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability level
10.0

Growth rate 6%

Growth rate 0.3%

Diversity
6.0
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.43%

Asian 13.14%

Black or African American 10.87%

Hispanic or Latino 8.31%

Unknown 4.21%

White 63.04%

Gender

female 95.52%

male 4.48%

Age - 43
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 43
Stress level
10.0

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity level
9.1

Complexity level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work life balance
7.8

Work life balance is good

6.4 - fair

Registered nurse midwife career paths

Key steps to become a registered nurse midwife

  1. Explore registered nurse midwife education requirements

    Most common registered nurse midwife degrees

    Bachelor's

    36.8 %

    Diploma

    28.0 %

    Associate

    24.0 %
  2. Start to develop specific registered nurse midwife skills

    SkillsPercentages
    Patients25.11%
    Vital Signs7.17%
    Blood Pressure6.01%
    Surgery5.94%
    GYN4.52%
  3. Complete relevant registered nurse midwife training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New registered nurse midwives learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a registered nurse midwife based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real registered nurse midwife resumes.
  4. Obtain the necessary licensing

    Becoming a licensed registered nurse midwife usually require a college degree. However, you need to pass an exam to become a licensed registered nurse midwife in most of states. 43 states require registered nurse midwives to have license for their work. You can see the list of states below.
    StateEducationExamLicense url
    AlabamaDegree requiredState exam requiredRegistered Nurse (RN)
    AlaskaDegree requiredThird-party exam requiredNurse, Registered
    ArkansasDegree requiredThird-party exam requiredRegistered Nurse (RN)
    CaliforniaDegree requiredThird-party exam requiredNurse, Registered
    ColoradoDegree requiredThird-party exam requiredRegistered Nurse
  5. Research registered nurse midwife duties and responsibilities

    • Manage patient pain relief and sedation by providing pharmacological and non-pharmacological intervention, monitor patient response and record care plans accordingly.
    • Serve as preceptor and mentor to nursing, midwifery, medical, and other allied-health students.
    • Provide training for UMMS family practice residents in deliveries and triage and nurse midwifery student training in office and deliveries.
    • Monitor patients in labor and assist in delivery, serve medications.
  6. Prepare your registered nurse midwife resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your registered nurse midwife resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a registered nurse midwife resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose from 10+ customizable registered nurse midwife resume templates

    Build a professional registered nurse midwife resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your registered nurse midwife resume.
    Registered Nurse Midwife Resume
    Registered Nurse Midwife Resume
    Registered Nurse Midwife Resume
    Registered Nurse Midwife Resume
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    Registered Nurse Midwife Resume
  7. Apply for registered nurse midwife jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a registered nurse midwife job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How did you land your first registered nurse midwife job

Zippi

Are you a registered nurse midwife?

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Average registered nurse midwife salary

The average registered nurse midwife salary in the United States is $76,637 per year or $37 per hour. Registered nurse midwife salaries range between $48,000 and $121,000 per year.

Average registered nurse midwife salary
$76,637 Yearly
$36.84 hourly

What am I worth?

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How do registered nurse midwives rate their job?

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Registered nurse midwife reviews

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A zippia user wrote a review on Dec 2021
Pros

Caring for patients

Cons

Staffing ratios, unfairness, constant expectations. Healthcare is a business but doesn’t treat nurses like business employees


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A zippia user wrote a review on Aug 2020
Pros

helping people and saving lives

Cons

the pay is not good not enough for the lifestyle I would like to live


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A zippia user wrote a review on Jan 2020
Pros

The feeling I get when helping people.

Cons

Nursing isn’t what it was 12yrs ago when I started. It is all about “family centered care” and not what is actually best for the patient. Not only am I a nurse and caring for the patient, but I’m the house keeper, waitress, and coffee go getter. There is no more respect for nurses and their patients.


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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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