Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)
Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs) are Advanced Practice Registered Nurses who provide comprehensive healthcare to women throughout their lives.
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Getting Started
How to Become a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)
At 8 years to get started, this takes longer than the 6.3 years average for Master's Degree-level careers.
Complete Education
Earn your Master's Degree (typically 8 years) at an estimated cost of $97k–$237k.
Get Licensed or Certified
Complete any state-required licensing or certification exams for certified nurse-midwife (cnm) practice.
Begin Working
Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) earn a median salary of $129k/yr, with entry-level positions starting somewhat lower.
Education costs from College Scorecard. Training timelines from BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook.
Pathway quick answers
- How do you become a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)?Complete required education, licensing, and supervised training for Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM).
- How long does it take?Typical path to first paid role: 8 years.
- How much does it cost?Estimated education and training cost range: $97k-$237k (living expenses excluded).
Estimates use College Scorecard tuition data plus cited pathway and licensing requirements.
Overview
What Does a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) Do?
Certified Nurse-Midwives (CNMs) are Advanced Practice Registered Nurses who provide comprehensive healthcare to women throughout their lives. You'll deliver primary care, gynecological services, family planning, and complete care during pregnancy, labor, delivery, and the postpartum period. What sets CNMs apart from other healthcare providers is your ability to independently manage labor and deliver babies while offering a holistic, patient-centered approach to care.
On the Job
Compensation
How Much Does a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) Make?
At $129k/yr, certified nurse-midwife (cnm) earn more than most Master's Degree-level careers, where the average is $94k/yr.
$129k/yr
median annual salary
How It Compares
| Career | Median Salary |
|---|---|
| Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) | $129k/yr |
| Physician Assistant | $130k/yr |
| Internal Medicine Physician | $239k/yr |
| Family Medicine Physician | $239k/yr |
| Nurse Practitioner | $129k/yr |
Source: Bureau of Labor Statistics, May 2024
After investing roughly $167k in education, certified nurse-midwife (cnm) typically begin earning within 8 years. Based on entry-level salaries of $97k/yr growing toward a $129k/yr median. The average education cost for Master's Degree-level careers is $175k.
Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) ROI
Net earnings over 20 years
$1.5M
Pre-tax 20-year estimate after required education and training costs; taxes and living expenses excluded.
How the 20-year estimate is calculated
Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) Career ROI (20-year net earnings)
Track how education costs and earnings typically accumulate from enrollment through year 20.
Cumulative net earnings (USD)
The full chart keeps 20-year context. The detail chart below zooms in on early pathway years.
Sources: BLS, Accreditor, BLSSee Sources and methods.
Early-years detail
Years 0-10
Years 0-10. Scaled to early-year values. Black markers show key checkpoints.
Quick answers
- Is becoming a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) financially worth it?Typical 20-year net estimate: $1.5M (pre-tax, living expenses excluded).
- How much does training cost for a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)?Estimated required education and licensing cost to become a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM): $167k (range used: $97k-$237k). Breakdown: Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN): $102k; NCLEX-RN Examination & RN Licensure: $300; Graduate Nurse-Midwifery Program (Master's/DNP): $64k; AMCB National Certification Examination: $513.
- How long does it take to become a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)?Typical time to first paycheck is about 4 years. Typical time to enter the target Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) role is about 8 years.
- How do you become a Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM)?See How to Become for pathway steps, timing, and credential requirements.
Detailed math
How 20-year net is built from each training and career phase.
| Phase | Time window | Gross earnings | Education/training cost | Net contribution | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) Education | Years 0-3 (m0-m47) | $0 | -$102,300 | -$102,300 | |
NCLEX-RN Examination & RN Licensure Training/Licensing | Year 4 (m48-m48) | $0 | -$300 | -$300 | |
RN Clinical Experience (Labor & Delivery) Career | Years 4-5 (m48-m65) | $129,114 | $0 | $129,114 | |
Graduate Nurse-Midwifery Program (Master's/DNP) Education | Years 5-7 (m66-m95) | $0 | -$63,938 | -$63,938 | |
AMCB National Certification Examination Training/Licensing | Year 8 (m96-m96) | $0 | -$513 | -$513 | |
Certified Nurse-Midwife Practice Career | Years 8-19 (m96-m233) | $1,481,154 | $0 | $1,481,154 | |
Model reconciliation Reconciliation | Years 0-20 (m0-m239) | $64,317 | $0 | $64,317 | None |
| 20-year totals | $1,674,585 | -$167,051 | $1,507,534 | Matches 20-year ROI formula | |
Sources and methods
Sources
- BLS: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook - Registered Nurses
- Accreditor: Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education
- BLS: BLS Occupational Outlook Handbook - Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners
- Accreditor: American Midwifery Certification Board
- College Scorecard: U.S. Department of Education - College Scorecard
Assumptions
- Pathway sequence and timing follow the cited training and licensing pathway for this role.BLSBLS
- Earnings benchmarks come from cited occupation wage references.BLSBLS
- Education and training cost uses College Scorecard tuition and cited pathway fees when needed.College Scorecard
- Cost allocation follows a model rule: short completed steps post in completion year; longer tuition steps are spread across phase years.Model ruleBLSBLS
- Taxes and living expenses are excluded from this estimate.Model rule
Future-Proofing
Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) Job Outlook (2024–2034)
Employment Growth
The BLS projects 11% growth over the next decade — slower than the 17.3% average for Master's Degree-level careers.
10-Year Growth
11%
Much faster than average
Current Employment
8,600
jobs nationwide
AI Impact
High AI Impact
Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) roles face significant AI impact — higher AI exposure than most Master's Degree-level careers. AI independently handles one or more major task components in this field. Core responsibilities like state licensing requirements require human presence and judgment that AI cannot replicate.
Why It's Safe
- +Assisting and caring for others
- +Establishing and maintaining interpersonal relationships
- +Resolving conflicts and negotiating with others
- +Developing and building teams
- +Coaching and developing others
What Could Be Automated
- −Documenting/recording information
- −Getting information
- −Making decisions and solving problems
- −Monitoring processes, materials, or surroundings
- −Evaluating information to determine compliance with standards
Based on evidence-based AI impact methodology and Bureau of Labor Statistics projections
Explore More
Similar Careers to Compare
Physician Assistant
Internal Medicine Physician
Family Medicine Physician
Nurse Practitioner
Emergency Medicine Physician
Learn More
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Sources
These references are used to build salary, training-path, and job-outlook estimates shown on this page.
- •Bureau of Labor Statistics (occupation wage data)
- •O*NET OnLine
- •College Scorecard, U.S. Department of Education
Advanced Methodology
Education cost source id: college_scorecard_2025
Source update dates: BLS OEWS: 2024-05 · BLS Projections: 2024-09 · O*NET: 2024-12