Midwives
SOC code 29-9099 · O*NET-SOC 29-9099.01 · Extensive preparation needed · Healthcare
Midwives pay
U.S. national figures, May 2025 BLS survey · How we got this number
Median pay
$65,790
a year
Hourly
$31.63
per hour
The solid band is the middle 50% of workers; the bar spans the 10th to 90th percentile.
Average pay
$76,720
$36.89 per hour
Middle 50%
$47,750 – $97,000
25th to 75th percentile
Full spread
$38,660 – $129,830
10th to 90th percentile
People employed
35,010
nationwide
National U.S. figure, May 2025. Local pay can be higher or lower.
These pay and employment figures are for the broader BLS group “Healthcare Practitioners and Technical Workers, All Other”, not this job alone.
- 10th percentile
- $38,660
- $18.59/hr
- 25th percentile
- $47,750
- $22.96/hr
- Median percentile
- $65,790
- $31.63/hr
- 75th percentile
- $97,000
- $46.64/hr
- 90th percentile
- $129,830
- $62.42/hr
What does a midwive do?
Provide prenatal care and childbirth assistance.
The tasks that matter most day to day
- Monitor maternal condition during labor by checking vital signs, monitoring uterine contractions, or performing physical examinations.
- Identify tubal and ectopic pregnancies and refer patients for treatments.
- Provide necessary medical care for infants at birth, including emergency care such as resuscitation.
- Conduct ongoing prenatal health assessments, tracking changes in physical and emotional health.
- Monitor fetal growth and well-being through heartbeat detection, body measurement, and palpation.
- Establish and follow emergency or contingency plans for mothers and newborns.
- Identify, monitor, or treat pregnancy-related problems such as hypertension, gestational diabetes, pre-term labor, or retarded fetal growth.
- Obtain complete health and medical histories from patients including medical, surgical, reproductive, or mental health histories.
How to become a midwive
Most people in this role hold post-secondary certificate — 33% of workers surveyed reported it as their level of education.
Preparation level: zone 5 — Extensive preparation needed
- Education
- Most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
- Experience
- Extensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
- Training
- Employees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
Education reported by people doing this job
- Post-Secondary Certificate33%
- Master's Degree29%
- Post-Baccalaureate Certificate16%
- Bachelor's Degree12%
Common questions
How much does a midwive earn?
The national median is $65,790 a year. The full range runs from $38,660 at the 10th percentile to $129,830 at the 90th — entry pay sits closer to the lower figure, and experience, licensing and specialisation move you up the range.
Can you become a midwive without a degree?
Not usually — this occupation sits in preparation zone 5, where the typical entry route is most of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree). The education breakdown above shows what people in the role actually reported.
Skills and knowledge you need
Core skills
- Critical Thinking4.0/5
- Monitoring4.0/5
- Active Listening3.8/5
- Speaking3.8/5
- Reading Comprehension3.6/5
- Active Learning3.4/5
Knowledge areas
- Customer and Personal Service4.6/5
- Medicine and Dentistry4.5/5
- Psychology4.2/5
- Therapy and Counseling3.9/5
- English Language3.6/5
- Biology3.5/5
- Education and Training3.5/5
- Sociology and Anthropology3.3/5
Transferable strengths: Social Perceptiveness, Service Orientation, Judgment and Decision Making, Coordination.