Nurse Midwives Salary
In California, nurse midwives earn $203,840 at the median, or about $98 an hour. The range runs from $141K at the entry level to $228K for experienced workers. Prices run high here (RPP 106.14), so that salary is closer to $192,048 in real purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $2,471/month, or 21.2% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across California. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $204K actually covers in California, month by month
About nurse midwives
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What this looks like in California
California sits well above the national pay line for nurse midwives, local pay runs about 52% higher than the U.S. median of $134K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $2,471/month, 21.7% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost-of-living overall is 6% above the national average (BEA RPP 106.14), so groceries and services cost more too. Combined with manageable housing costs, California offers a genuinely strong financial position for nurse midwives at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, California
Entry-level nurse midwives (10th percentile) start around $141K. Mid-career wages sit at $204K. Top earners bring in $228K or more, a $87K spread from bottom to top.
Nurse Midwives salary by metro in California
5 metro areas with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario | $219K | +7% | 40 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont | $213K | +4% | 190 |
| Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim | $203K | -0% | 220 |
| Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom | $191K | -6% | 80 |
| San Diego-Chula Vista-Carlsbad | $181K | -11% | 60 |
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BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when California numbers change.
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Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a nurse midwife afford a 2BR apartment alone in California?
Yes — at the median salary of $204K, rent takes 21.7% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $2,471/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for nurse midwives in California?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new nurse midwives typically earn — is $141K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $8,155/month. At HUD’s $2,471/month FMR, rent would take 30% of that take-home — manageable on an entry-level income.
Is nurse midwife a high-paying job in California?
Local pay is 52% above the national median — $204K here vs. $134K nationally. Keep in mind cost of living here is 6% above the national average, which offsets some of that premium.
How does California compare to the national average for nurse midwives?
California pays $204K median vs. the U.S. average of $134K — that’s +52%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 106.14), the purchasing-power equivalent is $192K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do nurse midwives make in California?
The median is $203,840 a year, that works out to about $98 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $140,970, and experienced nurse midwives can clear $227,590. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $204K enough to live in California?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $11,389/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $2,471/month, which eats 21.7% of your paycheck. That's under the 30% guideline most financial planners use, so the numbers work.
How far does a nurse midwives salary go in California?
California has a Regional Price Parity of 106.14 (100 is the national average). Prices are above average here, so your dollar buys less than the same salary would in a cheaper metro. After cost-of-living adjustment, the median nurse midwives salary is worth about $192,048 in national-average purchasing power.
Where do nurse midwives get paid the most?
The table above ranks every state by median pay for this role. Keep in mind that the highest-paying states tend to have the highest costs of living, so the top salary doesn't always mean the most money in your pocket.
