Nurse Midwives Salary
In Washington, nurse midwives earn $158,970 at the median, or about $76.43 an hour. The range runs from $73K at the entry level to $175K for experienced workers. Adjusted for local prices (RPP 102.01), that's roughly $155,838 in purchasing power. Rent on a 2-bedroom averages $1,830/month, or 17.9% of estimated take-home pay.
Statewide average. Salary and cost of living vary significantly across Washington. Jump to a metro for precise data:
Where the paycheck goes
What $159K actually covers in Washington, month by month
About nurse midwives
Sponsored links, AffordMap may earn a commission at no cost to you. Learn more
What this looks like in Washington
Washington sits well above the national pay line for nurse midwives, local pay runs about 19% higher than the U.S. median of $134K. Housing is manageable: a 2-bedroom at the HUD median costs $1,830/month, 18.4% of take-home, well inside the 30% guideline. Cost of living (RPP 102.01) is near the national average, so spending patterns here track the typical American budget fairly closely. Combined with manageable housing costs, Washington offers a genuinely strong financial position for nurse midwives at the median.
Compensation breakdown
Annual earnings by percentile, Washington
Entry-level nurse midwives (10th percentile) start around $73K. Mid-career wages sit at $159K. Top earners bring in $175K or more, a $102K spread from bottom to top.
Nurse Midwives salary by metro in Washington
1 metro area with BLS data, ranked by median pay
| Metro area | Median salary | vs. state | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue | $163K | +3% | 70 |
Compare to other states
Track nurse midwives salary changes
BLS updates this data annually. We'll email you when Washington numbers change.
Related careers in Healthcare
Quick answers
The stuff people actually ask about this job
Can a nurse midwife afford a 2BR apartment alone in Washington?
Yes — at the median salary of $159K, rent takes 18.4% of take-home pay. A 2-bedroom at the HUD Fair Market Rent runs $1,830/month. That stays under the 30% guideline most financial planners use.
What’s the entry-level salary for nurse midwives in Washington?
The 10th-percentile wage — what new nurse midwives typically earn — is $73K/year. Take-home on that works out to about $4,997/month. At HUD’s $1,830/month FMR, rent would take 37% of that take-home — above the 30% guideline, so a 1-bedroom or shared housing is likely necessary starting out.
Is nurse midwife a high-paying job in Washington?
Local pay is 19% above the national median — $159K here vs. $134K nationally.
How does Washington compare to the national average for nurse midwives?
Washington pays $159K median vs. the U.S. average of $134K — that’s +19%. After adjusting for local cost of living (RPP 102.01), the purchasing-power equivalent is $156K — still ahead of the national median.
How much do nurse midwives make in Washington?
The median is $158,970 a year, that works out to about $76 an hour. But the range is wide: entry-level workers start around $73,320, and experienced nurse midwives can clear $175,100. These are BLS numbers, based on employer-reported data, not self-reported surveys.
Is $159K enough to live in Washington?
On that salary, you'd take home roughly $9,951/month after taxes. A 2-bedroom here rents for about $1,830/month, which eats 18.4% 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 Washington?
Washington has a Regional Price Parity of 102.01 (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 $155,838 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.