Nurse-Midwife Programs
(found programs from 42 schools)

There aren’t as many programs for Nurse-Midwives as there are for the broader specialties (CNS, etc.), but there’s still a good variety to choose from. In case you want to do an even more specific search (nursing schools by state, online RN to MSN programs, etc.), just use the search box in the upper right corner of this page. There are also Certified Midwifery programs that do not require an RN license.

What Does A Certified Nurse-Midwife / CNM Actually Do?

The Nurse-Midwife profession has, in some ways, a longer history than perhaps any other role in the entire medical field. Midwives have been helping women to prepare for and go through labor and childbirth since the early days of human history. Of course, these have typically been what the ACNM would call "traditional birth attendants," without formal medical training.

Below is a complete list of nationally accredited Certified Nurse-Midwife (CNM) programs.

Nurse-Midwife programs in (only states that have them are listed):

A (Very) Little Bit of Midwife History

Most women gave birth at home until the early to mid 1900s, when OB/GYNs and hospitals started to play a greater role. This began the development of midwifery as a true profession. Since that time, midwives have expanded their role, moving first into the hospitals themselves, as formal training programs arose, and then moving beyond the hospitals, to open and run dedicated "birthing centers" for women who wanted an alternative to the hospital setting.

Where Nurse-Midwives Work

Today, Nurse-Midwives can be found in all sorts of settings, from hospitals (where, according to the ACNM, over 23% of CNMs currently work), to public health clinics, to private practice (whether in an independent birthing center, an OB/GYN practice, or some other setting), and academic settings.

If you measure each setting by the percentage of total midwife-attended births it is responsible for, the hospitals dominate, with close to 95%. This is not surprising, given the volume of births handled by hospitals versus other care settings. However, midwives in all settings spend a good deal of their time providing care to women outside of the event of childbirth itself.

Other Aspects of The Nurse-Midwife Profession

A substantial portion of the women who go to Nurse Midwives for care fall into what are termed "at-risk" categories, due to their income, geographic location, ethnicity, and so on (about 70%, according to the ACNM). Because of the nature of the work, midwives, more than other advanced practice nurses, have an ability to get deeply involved in the lives of their patients. They are looked to for guidance and help that go far beyond the immediate medical issues, and reach into childrearing and other long term, social issues.

This kind of contribution is badly needed today, in a care environment that typically tries to move patients through as quickly as possible, and with the minimum personal attention required. All nurses have important roles to play, but you could make the case that there is a bit more of a "social mission" to being a Nurse Midwife. Nurse Midwives are in a position to have a larger and more lasting impact on their patients’ lives and behavior, and they are able to give guidance to a part of the population that often needs it the most.

As a side note to that, there are many opportunities for Nurse Midwives to provide healthcare in other countries, through organizations such as Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF, also known as Doctors Without Borders).

Further Info On Nurse-Midwives

You can find more information about this role on the American College of Nurse-Midwives (ACNM) website. According to the Salary.com, the average salary of a Certified Nurse-Midwife is relatively high, in the $85,000 to $90,000 range.

How Do I Become A Midwife?

It is possible for non-nurses to become what’s called a Certified Midwife (the Certified Midwife (CM) designation was created by the ACNM in 1997) or a Certified Professional Midwife (CPM).

The Certified Midwife (CM) credential is essentially equivalent to the Certified Nurse Midwife credential, and the degree programs that lead to this credential are accredited by the ACNM the same way they are for CNM programs. National Board Certification for CMs is through the American Midwifery Certification Board. There are two midwifery programs in the country that will prepare students as either a CNM or a CM - they are offered by the State University of New York Downstate Medical Center and by Philadelphia University.

For more information on Certified Professional Midwife programs, you can visit the Midwifery Education Accreditation Council (MEAC) website. There are 28 states in which this type of "direct entry" midwife can be licensed to practice. The North American Registry of Midwives (NARM) was the driving force behind this credential, and you can find further information on the Association of Midwifery Educators website.

For RNs, the best first step towards becoming a Certified Nurse-Midwife is to attend a nationally accredited Masters program that offers a CNM track. Make sure that the program is accredited by the ACNM. And, as always, make sure to check with the Board of Nursing in the state where you intend to practice, for any state specific requirements.