Do Nurse Practitioners or Certified Nurse Midwifes earn more?

Certified Nurse Midwifes earn more, with a national median of about $134,040 a year vs $132,300 for Nurse Practitioners — a gap of roughly $1,740 per year.

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

The difference is about $1,740 a year, or roughly 1% 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 Nurse Practitioners?

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 Practitioner vs Nurse Midwife Salary

Certified Nurse Midwifes earn more — a national median of $134,040 vs $132,300, a gap of about $1,740 per year.

Nurse Practitioner

Verified public wage data

$132,300 / yr median

Median $132,300

$101,340Middle 50%: $117,990–$156,700$174,420

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

Nurse PractitionerVerified public wage data$132,300$63.61/hr
Certified Nurse MidwifeVerified public wage data$134,040$64.44/hr

What the difference comes down to

Nurse practitioner and certified nurse midwife pay is very close, with NPs edging slightly ahead on average. Both are advanced-practice registered nurses with graduate degrees and prescriptive authority; midwifery is a focused specialty in pregnancy, birth, and women's health, while NPs span a wider range of settings. 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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Nurse Practitioner vs Nurse Midwife Salary by state

Estimated pay gap for this comparison in each state.

Source & confidence— A verified figure from official U.S. public wage data.

BLS OEWS (May 2025, national)

National wage figures are from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics OEWS program, May 2025 national data.

Source year 2025. Last reviewed July 17, 2026. Full methodology

Last reviewed July 17, 2026.

Nurse Practitioner vs Nurse Midwife Salary FAQ

Do Nurse Practitioners or Certified Nurse Midwifes earn more?: Certified Nurse Midwifes earn more, with a national median of about $134,040 a year vs $132,300 for Nurse Practitioners — a gap of roughly $1,740 per year.
How big is the pay gap between Nurse Practitioners and Certified Nurse Midwifes?: The difference is about $1,740 a year, or roughly 1% 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 Nurse Practitioners?: 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.