Nurse Midwives in California
Thinking about a career as a Nurse Midwives in California? Here’s what you need to know. Diagnose and coordinate all aspects of the birthing process, either independently or as part of a healthcare team. May provide well-woman gynecological care. Must have specialized, graduate nursing education.
What do Nurse Midwives Make in California?
For nurse midwives working in California, the median annual wage is $196,700 per year (or roughly $94.57/hour).Pay can range from $111,800 at the 10th percentile to $226,840 at the 90th percentile.
| Wage Statistic | Annual | Hourly |
|---|---|---|
| 10th percentile | $111,800 | $53.75 |
| 25th percentile | $152,470 | $73.30 |
| Median (50th) | $196,700 | $94.57 |
| 75th percentile | $207,780 | $99.90 |
| 90th percentile | $226,840 | $109.06 |
The job concentration index in California relative to the national average — is 0.91.
National Wage Comparison
Nationally, nurse midwives earn a median of $36,174 per year ($17.39/hour), exceeding the California median.
Employment Outlook
National employment for 2,788,427 nurse midwives across the United States. In California alone, about 880 people work in this role. That puts the state above the typical state, which employs around 150 nurse midwives.
Top California Metros for Nurse Midwives
The largest metro-area employers of nurse midwives in California.
| Metro Area | Number Employed | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|---|
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | 200 | $204,980 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim, CA | 190 | $190,230 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad, CA | 80 | $155,030 |
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA | 60 | $201,870 |
Top States for Nurse Midwives Employment
View the states that employ the most nurse midwives work.
| State | Number Employed |
|---|---|
| California | 880 |
| Florida | 860 |
| Pennsylvania | 530 |
| New York | 490 |
| Georgia | 380 |
| Texas | 370 |
| North Carolina | 350 |
| Illinois | 310 |
| Oregon | 270 |
| Michigan | 270 |
| Maryland | 260 |
| Tennessee | 260 |
| Minnesota | 260 |
| Colorado | 210 |
| New Jersey | 190 |
| Massachusetts | 190 |
| Washington | 150 |
| Ohio | 150 |
| New Mexico | 130 |
| Indiana | 100 |
Highest-Paying States for Nurse Midwives
Where nurse midwives earn the most: nurse midwives.
| State | Annual Median Salary |
|---|---|
| California | $196,700 |
| Massachusetts | $155,710 |
| Washington | $145,000 |
| Vermont | $140,240 |
| Virginia | $139,770 |
| Utah | $138,020 |
| New York | $137,860 |
| Iowa | $136,450 |
| New Hampshire | $135,860 |
| New Jersey | $135,680 |
Skills
Top nurse midwives skills, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Key knowledge areas for this occupation, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Abilities
Key abilities for nurse midwives, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Daily Tasks
Nurse Midwives typically:
- Provide prenatal, intrapartum, postpartum, or newborn care to patients.
- Monitor fetal development by listening to fetal heartbeat, taking external uterine measurements, identifying fetal position, or estimating fetal size and weight.
- Document patients' health histories, symptoms, physical conditions, or other diagnostic information.
- Provide patients with direct family planning services, such as inserting intrauterine devices, dispensing oral contraceptives, and fitting cervical barriers, including cervical caps or diaphragms.
- Prescribe medications as permitted by state regulations.
- Develop and implement individualized plans for health care management.
- Explain procedures to patients, family members, staff members or others.
- Order and interpret diagnostic or laboratory tests.
- Initiate emergency interventions to stabilize patients.
- Document findings of physical examinations.
- Educate patients and family members regarding prenatal, intrapartum, postpartum, newborn, or interconception care.
- Perform physical examinations by taking vital signs, checking neurological reflexes, examining breasts, or performing pelvic examinations.
Work Activities
- Assisting and Caring for Others
- Documenting/Recording Information
- Getting Information
- Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events
- Making Decisions and Solving Problems
- Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
- Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships
- Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
- Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings
- Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work
- Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards
- Performing for or Working Directly with the Public
Tools & Technology
Software and systems commonly involved: Hot technologies: eClinicalWorks EHR software
What Major Will Prepare You For This Career?
Several college majors map to this occupation:
Related Careers
Other careers like nurse midwives include:
- Physician Assistants
- Registered Nurses
- Acute Care Nurses
- Advanced Practice Psychiatric Nurses
- Critical Care Nurses
- Clinical Nurse Specialists
Also Known As
Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM), Direct-Entry Midwife, Nurse Midwife, Postpartum Nurse, Postpartum RN (Postpartum Registered Nurse), Registered Nurse Midwife, Staff Certified Nurse Midwife, Staff Nurse Midwife.
References
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics — https://www.bls.gov/oes/
- O*NET Online — https://www.onetonline.org/
- BLS Employment Projections — https://www.bls.gov/emp/
- O*NET-SOC code: 29-1161.00