The Best Online Nurse-Midwifery Programs

Nurse-midwives are advanced practice registered nurses (APRNs) licensed to oversee pregnancy and childbirth, and many also provide postnatal care. Like all APRNs, they diagnose conditions, order tests, and prescribe medication. Here are several accredited online MSN programs in nurse-midwifery, along with what to look for as you choose one.

Programs

George Washington University (Washington, D.C.) offers an online nurse-midwifery program in which students earn the MSN through GW and the midwifery concentration through Shenandoah University. The curriculum covers women's health management, primary care across the lifespan, and neonatal development, along with perinatal, postpartum, and antepartum care. Beyond 47 credits of coursework, students complete 720 face-to-face clinical hours, which may be done with pre-approved faculty mentors in their local community.

• Program: MSN, nurse midwifery
• Type: Private
• Accreditations: Middle States Commission on Higher Education; Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education
• Tuition: $1,395 per credit
• Admission: Two recommendation letters; official transcripts; 250-500 word essay; resume; BSN from a regionally accredited institution
• Minimum time: 27 months
• Onsite requirement: Clinical hours in person
• Median earnings two years after graduation: $101,254 for master's graduates (College Scorecard)

Frontier Nursing University (Versailles, Kentucky) prepares students to sit for the CNM exam. The online curriculum covers family planning, gynecology services, the stages of pregnancy and childbirth, postpartum care, and newborn care. Students complete 675 clinical hours for the MSN component in their local communities, plus two short onsite stays.

• Program: Certified nurse midwife
• Type: Private
• Accreditations: Southern Association of Colleges; Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education; Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing
• Tuition: $636 per credit
• Admission: RN license with one year of experience; bachelor's or higher in nursing from an ACEN- or CCNE-accredited program; 3.0 cumulative GPA
• Minimum time: 24 months
• Onsite requirement: Yes

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (Lubbock, Texas) offers a 51-semester-hour nurse-midwifery track within its MSN, preparing students for the AMCB exam. The hybrid format mixes online and in-person classes, and distance learners occasionally travel to the Lubbock campus. TTUHSC does not currently accept applicants from Washington, Arizona, Oregon, New York, Louisiana, or California.

• Program: MSN, nurse midwifery
• Type: Public
• Accreditations: Southern Association of Colleges; Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education; Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education
• Tuition: $265 per credit (Texas residents); $673 per credit (out of state)
• Admission: 90 semester hours at a regionally accredited institution; 3.0 GPA for transfer credits; three recommendation letters; personal essay; resume
• Minimum time: 24 months
• Onsite requirement: Yes
• First-time NCLEX-RN pass rate: 91.1%
• Median earnings two years after graduation: $98,936 for master's graduates (College Scorecard)

University of Cincinnati (Cincinnati, Ohio) focuses its online midwifery program on labor, delivery, and women's health, and qualifies graduates for the AMCB exam. The curriculum includes 57 credits, 784 clinical hours, and 42 lab hours, plus two face-to-face visits to the main campus.

• Program: MSN, nurse midwifery
• Type: Public
• Accreditations: Higher Learning Commission; Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education
• Tuition: $746 per credit (Ohio residents); $1,333 per credit (out of state)
• Admission: Unencumbered RN license; BSN with 3.0 GPA from an accredited institution; undergraduate statistics course with a 2.0 or higher; one year of RN clinical experience
• Minimum time: 24 months
• Onsite requirement: Yes
• Median earnings two years after graduation: $94,013 for master's graduates (College Scorecard)

Bethel University (St. Paul, Minnesota) runs its online midwifery program around the school's Christian principles, with a curriculum focused on lifespan health and women's reproductive health. Students complete all classes online and attend a yearly one-week onsite intensive, finishing in two to three years depending on enrollment status.

• Program: MS, nurse midwifery
• Type: Private
• Accreditations: Higher Learning Commission; Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education; Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education
• Tuition: $47,652 total
• Admission: Bachelor's degree with 3.0 GPA from a regionally accredited institution; college-level statistics course
• Minimum time: 24 months
• Onsite requirement: Yes
• First-time NCLEX-RN pass rate: 93.9%

Jefferson (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) offers an online midwifery program that qualifies graduates for the AMCB exam. Most fulltime students finish in three years; an accelerated format takes two. The program requires several clinical rotations: the first two involve 12 to 16 hours at an ambulatory care center, and the final semester places students in labor and delivery, postpartum, and the neonatal unit at 40 hours per week, sometimes on weekend and night shifts.

• Program: MS, midwifery
• Type: Private
• Accreditations: Middle States Commission on Higher Education; Accreditation Commission for Midwifery Education
• Tuition: $990 per credit
• Admission: Current U.S. RN license or completion of the accelerated BSN program before admission
• Minimum time: 24 months
• Onsite requirement: Yes

What You Can Do as a CNM

CNMs primarily provide prenatal, labor-and-delivery, and postnatal care. Most work in hospitals or birthing centers, and they can also attend home births. Nurse-midwifery is one of the higher-paid non-physician roles in healthcare, with a median annual salary of $128,790 (BLS, May 2024). The BLS projects CNM jobs to grow 11% from 2024 to 2034, faster than average.

What to Look for in an Online Program

To become a nurse-midwife, you need an MSN from an accredited school and board certification. The right program depends on your background, goals, logistics, and finances. Weigh these factors:

• Admission requirements. They reveal what a program values and who tends to succeed there.
• Curriculum. Online courses follow a standardized core, but electives and emphasis vary and signal a program's priorities.
• Clinical experience. You'll need a clinical placement in your community or within commuting distance. Confirm the format fits your schedule.
• Accreditation. Only graduates of accredited programs qualify for certification and licensure.
• Program length. Check whether the timeline and pacing options work for you.
• NCLEX pass rate and graduation rate. Read them together. A high pass rate paired with a low graduation rate can mean students leave before finishing.
• Online format. Make sure the classroom, networking, and discussion tools fit how you learn.

Applying

Customize your application, especially the essay, for each school, and describe any prior online learning or professional success to show you can thrive in an online program. Most programs require an unencumbered RN license, an undergraduate transcript, a resume, at least two references, and a personal statement. Most expect a 3.0 GPA and roughly two years of RN experience, and many require an undergraduate statistics course. Without a BSN, you can enroll in an RN-to-MSN bridge program.

Why Accreditation Matters

Only graduates of an accredited program can take the AMCB certification exam needed to become a nurse-midwife. A nurse-midwifery degree is a major investment, and an unaccredited program can jeopardize it. Accredited programs meet a quality standard set by an independent body of academics and practicing nurse-midwives. Most accredited programs won't accept transfer credits from unaccredited ones, most federal financial aid requires an accredited program, and most employers hire only accredited graduates.

Paying for Your Program

Account for tuition (and whether you qualify for in-state rates), books and fees, travel to any onsite components, and whether you can work while studying. Online students qualify for the same grants and scholarships as on-campus students, plus aid from government programs, foundations, nonprofits, associations, and corporations. Some government programs cover full tuition or offer loan forgiveness in exchange for working in underserved areas, and your employer may help if you commit to staying after graduation.

Common Questions

You need an MSN from an accredited nurse-midwifery program and a passing score on the AMCB exam. Without a BSN, many programs offer a bridge option for ADN holders.

A nurse-midwife is a board-certified APRN licensed to oversee a birth. A labor-and-delivery nurse typically holds a BSN or ADN and may carry additional certification but isn't licensed to oversee a birth.

With a BSN, an MSN typically takes two years of fulltime study; without one, about three. Either way, you'll need to pass the AMCB exam, which every state board requires for licensure.