Location

• Location is one factor that can affect the salary of a licensed midwife. For example, a nurse midwife practicing in New York can earn an average salary of $121,000 while those working in Louisiana earn an average of $78,000, as of January 2011, according to Indeed. The cost of living is 43 percent lower in New Orleans than it is in New York City, according to Sperling's.
  
  

Type of Employer

• Nurse midwives may work in a hospital or private practice. The salary of a midwife working in a private practice is between $70,645 and $85,766 and those practicing in a hospital earn a median salary range of $71,005 to $84,337, as of January 2011.
  
  

Experience

• Experienced midwives earn the highest salary in the field. According to PayScale, a nurse midwife with 20 years of experience can earn over $95,668 and those with less than a year in practice can earn a salary of $80,707.
  
  

Benefits

• A nurse midwife working for an employer generally receives benefits in addition to her annual salary. Employers offer benefits to midwives such as malpractice insurance, paid vacations, paid sick time, 401k plans and education assistance. The benefits the midwife receives add value to the salary she earns. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, a private employer offering a benefits package that includes insurance, retirement plan and paid time off adds 30 percent in value to the total compensation.
  
  

Career Outlook

• According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, job opportunities for registered nurses will grow by 22 percent between 2008 and 2018. As an advanced practice nurse, the nurse midwife can expect strong job growth as well, according to All Nursing Schools.