CNM Salaries

queenanneslace, ADN, MSN, APRN, CNM · May 18, 2015

OK, I know this is a touchy subject but I'm desperate for some concrete, real- life numbers. I'm for sure going to be flamed for this, but I hope we can all be mature about this.
When looking online, the number that shows up again and again is 99K. One CNM in my area told me that it's more like 75K. She works about 2 days in the office and is on call 4 days a week. That's not a way to live, never being able to plan anything for most of the week. An OB told me that it's a even lower than that.
If anybody has any good info I would love to hear. Please include hours/ experience if applicable.

$99-100K/year is national average - that sounds about right.

There are states where the average CNM salary is higher, and states where it is lower.

There are many experienced L&D nurses who would not gain any monetary benefit from becoming a CNM. So they stay working as L&D nurses.

Some CNM starting salaries (full time, 2 days clinic per week, 4-6 24 hr call shifts per month) is what I would be making full-time as an RN - if I worked full time. $66,000/year

If I lived in a state where CNM salaries hovered around $75,000, I would think long and hard about becoming a CNM. It's hard to think about taking on additional student loan debt, additional responsibility and liability and call shifts without a significant pay increase.

I know, I know. I'm not supposed to want to be a midwife for the money - but I think additional responsibilities and assuming the role of a provider should entail significantly more pay.

DreamerCNM2b · May 19, 2015

I know, I know. I'm not supposed to want to be a midwife for the money - but I think additional responsibilities and assuming the role of a provider should entail significantly more pay.

Exactly my thoughts! I really dislike when people make you feel bad for thinking, let alone caring about the money aspect of midwifery. I agree that there is lots of emotion and "calling" feelings involved, but I have to make sure that I can live well and provide for my family if I'm going to start this lengthy, costly process of grad school.

Simplyroses · May 19, 2015

Washington is $80,000-110,000. Full-time schedule can be 2-4 clinic days and 48-72 hours a week of call.

klone, MSN, RN · May 19, 2015

In Denver, starting salary is around $80-90K or thereabouts, depending on if you work for a hospital or a FSBC.

I've entertained the idea of going back and doing a post-Master's CNM, but honestly, salary is important to me at this stage in my career (hope to retire in about 10 years), and I will be able to make more in nursing leadership.

DreamerCNM2b · May 19, 2015

Thank everyone! Anybody have any info on NY/NJ area?

**LibraSunCNM, BSN, MSN, CNM** · May 19, 2015

Thank everyone! Anybody have any info on NY/NJ area?

I'm in the NYC area and I make 90k with almost 2 years experience. I would be making the same amount if I were still working as a floor nurse. This is low for the area, because I work for a public hospital. However the benefits (excellent health insurance for myself and my husband that is completely free), the experience of working in a busy inner city high-risk environment, my fabulous colleagues, and my humane schedule make it worth it for me personally. Other midwives in private practice in this area who work much longer hours can make upwards of 150k. Homebirth midwives in the area that I know make upwards of 200-300k, but they are on call 24/7 and accept the risk of liability.

DreamerCNM2b · May 19, 2015

I'm in the NYC area and I make 90k with almost 2 years experience. I would be making the same amount if I were still working as a floor nurse. This is low for the area, because I work for a public hospital. However the benefits (excellent health insurance for myself and my husband that is completely free), the experience of working in a busy inner city high-risk environment, my fabulous colleagues, and my humane schedule make it worth it for me personally. Other midwives in private practice in this area who work much longer hours can make upwards of 150k. Homebirth midwives in the area that I know make upwards of 200-300k, but they are on call 24/7 and accept the risk of liability.

Thanks for replying! This is exactly what I was looking for. If you don't mind me asking, what are your hours like? And those midwives in private practice, what's their schedule like?

**LibraSunCNM, BSN, MSN, CNM** · May 19, 2015

Thanks for replying! This is exactly what I was looking for. If you don't mind me asking, what are your hours like? And those midwives in private practice, what's their schedule like?

I work two 8-hour days in the clinic, and two 12-hour shifts in L&D (usually one night and one day shift), per week. There is no on-call, just shift work. We try to have the patients see the same midwife in the clinic during their pregnancy, and sometimes I'm lucky enough to deliver my patients I've gotten to know during their whole prenatal course. Other times I don't get to, but I usually manage to at least visit them all on postpartum, unless I'm away for awhile on vacation.

It's not perfect, but it's pretty good. 4 weeks of vacation per year, 12 paid holidays, $2000/year for CME. There are also always 2 midwives on L&D at all times, so I enjoy the camaraderie of always working with another midwife, instead of solo call shifts, which I know are common. I can always bounce ideas off of my colleague, which is helpful for me as a still-fairly-new midwife, and we're good about switching off to give each other a 3 or 4-hour break if we're on a night shift.

I can't speak to schedules of midwives in private practice because they vary so widely, but for example a midwife I was in school with briefly worked for a practice which expected her to do 2 or 3 days per week in the office, and 2 or 3 24-hour call shifts, per week. That to me would be unmanageable, but I'm a baby when it comes to my sleep. Others can handle it. The midwives at the private practice where I get my GYN care work one day per week in the office, and then 2 (or more if people are on vacation) 24-hour call shifts per week. As mentioned before, the midwives at both practices make almost twice as much money as me.

DreamerCNM2b · May 19, 2015

I work two 8-hour days in the clinic, and two 12-hour shifts in L&D (usually one night and one day shift), per week. There is no on-call, just shift work. We try to have the patients see the same midwife in the clinic during their pregnancy, and sometimes I'm lucky enough to deliver my patients I've gotten to know during their whole prenatal course. Other times I don't get to, but I usually manage to at least visit them all on postpartum, unless I'm away for awhile on vacation.
It's not perfect, but it's pretty good. 4 weeks of vacation per year, 12 paid holidays, $2000/year for CME. There are also always 2 midwives on L&D at all times, so I enjoy the camaraderie of always working with another midwife, instead of solo call shifts, which I know are common. I can always bounce ideas off of my colleague, which is helpful for me as a still-fairly-new midwife, and we're good about switching off to give each other a 3 or 4-hour break if we're on a night shift.
I can't speak to schedules of midwives in private practice because they vary so widely, but for example a midwife I was in school with briefly worked for a practice which expected her to do 2 or 3 days per week in the office, and 2 or 3 24-hour call shifts, per week. That to me would be unmanageable, but I'm a baby when it comes to my sleep. Others can handle it. The midwives at the private practice where I get my GYN care work one day per week in the office, and then 2 (or more if people are on vacation) 24-hour call shifts per week. As mentioned before, the midwives at both practices make almost twice as much money as me.

Got it. Thanks! So helpful.

Jordan1927, ASN, BSN · Jun 8, 2015

Hi, i don't mean to intrude, but i'm also hoping to become a CNM. I was wondering if anyone knew the salaries for Georgia and Florida?

queenanneslace, ADN, MSN, APRN, CNM · Jun 8, 2015

Median salaries for CNMs are listed by state in this document.

http://www.midwife.org/acnm/files/ccLibraryFiles/Filename/000000005198/StateEnvironments5-11-15v3.pdf