Post Partum Nurse Salary Guide

Postpartum nurses, also called mother-baby or mom-baby, nurses, play a vital role in the lives of new mothers and their babies. Postpartum nursing makes an excellent career choice because it’s a continually growing area of nursing. With over 3.6 million births in 2020 alone, postpartum RNs are always in demand. Postpartum nursing is also one of the higher-paying nursing fields but work settings and other factors can influence salary.

Postpartum nurses are registered nurses who specialize in caring for new mothers and their newborn babies. They provide direct care to both patients while watching for any complications and educating mothers on self-care and care of their newborns. A postpartum RN’s primary concern is providing quality healthcare to new mothers and infants from the time they leave labor and delivery until they’re discharged from the hospital or other birthing location.

An aspiring postpartum nurse must complete the standard education requirements to become a registered nurse. Becoming an RN requires earning an associate degree or bachelor’s degree from a nursing program accredited by the Accreditation Commission for Education in Nursing (ACEN) or the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE). All graduates must pass the NCLEX-RN exam and complete any other state licensing requirements to practice as an RN. New RNs may receive further education and training in postpartum nursing at the facility that employs them.

Salaries of postpartum nurses widely vary and may be based on many factors, including education level, additional skills, certifications, and the years of experience you have in the nursing profession and the postpartum field specifically. Your overall performance and level of responsibility can also be factors, which are generally tied with your level of experience.

Certifications are earned after acquiring the additional skills needed to pass certification exams and other requirements. Therefore, the experience and additional skills required to earn certification combined with the actual certification all present ways to potentially increase your base salary. However, required certifications may not influence your base salary.

Postpartum nurses must obtain Basic Life Support certification. Because you’ll work with both adults and infants, you need Advanced Cardiovascular Life Support and Pediatric Advanced Life Support certifications. While Neonatal Resuscitation Program certification offered by the American Academy of Pediatrics may be required, it’s not always. Even if it’s not mandatory, you should obtain this credential to improve your skills and potentially increase your salary.

Location and work setting factor into any nurses’ base salary. Postpartum nurses primarily work in maternity or postpartum units of hospitals, typically some of the highest paying work settings. However, they can work anywhere women give birth, including birthing and maternity centers and community clinics. Base salaries at each of these facilities vary.

Geography also plays a role in salaries. California is usually the highest paying state for postpartum nurses. Other top-paying states include many of those in the New England area and on the West Coast and East Coast. Keep in mind that areas with higher starting salaries may also be areas with a higher cost of living.

After gaining as little as two years of experience, postpartum RNs can pursue professional certifications, which almost always increases your salary. Your employer may even reimburse you for the cost. Some hospitals require professional certification, but if yours doesn’t, pursue it anyway to boost your credibility and your paycheck.

The National Certification Corporation offers core certification in Maternal Newborn Nursing (RNC-MNN), which requires two years and at least 2,000 hours of specialty experience. You must complete both practice time and hours. The exam tests your specialty knowledge for providing care to the childbearing family from birth to six weeks.

NCC also offers Electronic Fetal Monitoring (C-EFM) certification, which is open to any RN with an active, unencumbered license. However, you need experience because the exam tests your knowledge of electronic fetal monitoring and interpretation of the data obtained to provide appropriate care to obstetrical patients.

Postpartum nurses wanting the most career opportunities and desire higher salaries should continue their education. Earning your Master of Science in Nursing or Doctor of Nursing Practice degree prepares you for advanced practice roles, such as a nurse practitioner or certified nurse specialist. An Advanced Practice Nursing Program in Perinatal Women’s Health or a Perinatal Advanced Practice Nursing program can prepare you for midwifery. Any APRN role should significantly increase your salary.

Take a look at Vivian's Post Partum Nurse Career Guide for more information, including required education, responsibilities, pros and cons and more.