Labor & Delivery Nurse Salary Guide
Labor and Delivery Nurse Salary
The average labor and delivery nurse salary is $81,800 annually as of August 2024, according to Salary.com. ZipRecruiter, however, found that labor and delivery nurses in the U.S. earn much higher average annual salaries of $127,355 annually or $61 per hour.
Popular Online RN-to-BSN Programs
Gain the skills and credentials to advance into nurse management and leadership roles, while laying the groundwork to pursue future nurse practitioner or advanced practice roles. Complete your courses online, on your schedule, at Purdue Global’s School of Nursing.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, but certain programs have state restrictions. Check with Purdue for details.
GCU’s RN-BSN program is tailored to meet the needs of the RN adult learner and to maximize the strengths that the working RN already possesses. Transfer up to 90 credits and earn a BSN in as little as 12 months. GCU’s online classes allow you to study at the times that work for your schedule while still enjoying a close connection with your classmates and instructor via online discussions.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
The University of Texas at Arlington’s online programs are designed to help you achieve more in your nursing practice with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. They offer convenient, flexible options for completing your RN to BSN online, designed to fit into your busy schedule.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
WGU's award-winning online programs are created to help you succeed while graduating faster and with less debt. WGU is a CCNE accredited, nonprofit university offering nursing bachelor's and master's degrees.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
As a pioneer in distance learning since 1985, Liberty University’s online nursing programs are designed to prepare practicing nurses to serve with integrity by teaching advanced skills from an ethical perspective. Liberty's programs are based on industry best practices and up-to-date research – so you can get the tools you need to stay on the cutting edge of nursing care and innovation.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
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Labor and Delivery Nurse Salary Ranges
The majority of labor and delivery nurses earned between $$74,400 and $92,600. However, salaries can range from as low as $67,663 to as high as $102,433, according to Salary.com.
ZipRecruiter reports that labor and delivery nurse salaries have a much higher range in annual salaries from $55,500 to $189,500.
Labor and Delivery Nurse Salary vs Average RN Salary
Labor and delivery nurses appear to earn a higher income than the average registered nurse salary in the US. The BLS states that the average nurse salary in 2023 was $86,070.
Labor and Delivery Nurse Salary by State
| State | Annual Salary | Monthly Pay | Weekly Pay | Hourly Wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| New Jersey | $104,151 | $8,679 | $2,002 | $50.07 |
| Wisconsin | $101,908 | $8,492 | $1,959 | $48.99 |
| Washington | $100,594 | $8,382 | $1,934 | $48.36 |
| Massachusetts | $100,442 | $8,370 | $1,931 | $48.29 |
| Alaska | $100,396 | $8,366 | $1,930 | $48.27 |
| Oregon | $99,777 | $8,314 | $1,918 | $47.97 |
| North Dakota | $99,546 | $8,295 | $1,914 | $47.86 |
| New Mexico | $97,981 | $8,165 | $1,884 | $47.11 |
| Hawaii | $97,587 | $8,132 | $1,876 | $46.92 |
| Minnesota | $97,008 | $8,084 | $1,865 | $46.64 |
| Colorado | $95,763 | $7,980 | $1,841 | $46.04 |
| New York | $95,247 | $7,937 | $1,831 | $45.79 |
| Nevada | $94,927 | $7,910 | $1,825 | $45.64 |
| Ohio | $94,709 | $7,892 | $1,821 | $45.53 |
| South Dakota | $94,081 | $7,840 | $1,809 | $45.23 |
| Vermont | $92,783 | $7,731 | $1,784 | $44.61 |
| Rhode Island | $92,417 | $7,701 | $1,777 | $44.43 |
| Iowa | $91,808 | $7,650 | $1,765 | $44.14 |
| Connecticut | $91,250 | $7,604 | $1,754 | $43.87 |
| Delaware | $90,574 | $7,547 | $1,741 | $43.55 |
| Tennessee | $90,427 | $7,535 | $1,738 | $43.47 |
| Mississippi | $89,834 | $7,486 | $1,727 | $43.19 |
| Utah | $89,831 | $7,485 | $1,727 | $43.19 |
| Virginia | $89,489 | $7,457 | $1,720 | $43.02 |
| Illinois | $88,475 | $7,372 | $1,701 | $42.54 |
| Maryland | $87,774 | $7,314 | $1,687 | $42.20 |
| Pennsylvania | $87,262 | $7,271 | $1,678 | $41.95 |
| California | $87,167 | $7,263 | $1,676 | $41.91 |
| Nebraska | $86,062 | $7,171 | $1,655 | $41.38 |
| Maine | $85,326 | $7,110 | $1,640 | $41.02 |
| Missouri | $85,103 | $7,091 | $1,636 | $40.92 |
| New Hampshire | $84,757 | $7,063 | $1,629 | $40.75 |
| Louisiana | $84,695 | $7,057 | $1,628 | $40.72 |
| Kansas | $84,552 | $7,046 | $1,626 | $40.65 |
| South Carolina | $84,281 | $7,023 | $1,620 | $40.52 |
| Wyoming | $83,597 | $6,966 | $1,607 | $40.19 |
| Oklahoma | $83,344 | $6,945 | $1,602 | $40.07 |
| Idaho | $83,242 | $6,936 | $1,600 | $40.02 |
| Indiana | $82,628 | $6,885 | $1,589 | $39.73 |
| Texas | $82,552 | $6,879 | $1,587 | $39.69 |
| North Carolina | $82,541 | $6,878 | $1,587 | $39.68 |
| Arizona | $80,920 | $6,743 | $1,556 | $38.90 |
| Montana | $79,701 | $6,641 | $1,532 | $38.32 |
| Kentucky | $79,601 | $6,633 | $1,530 | $38.27 |
| Michigan | $79,325 | $6,610 | $1,525 | $38.14 |
| Alabama | $78,705 | $6,558 | $1,513 | $37.84 |
| Arkansas | $75,497 | $6,291 | $1,451 | $36.30 |
| Georgia | $73,321 | $6,110 | $1,410 | $35.25 |
| West Virginia | $67,393 | $5,616 | $1,296 | $32.40 |
| Florida | $64,890 | $5,407 | $1,247 | $31.20 |
Source ZipRecruiter
>> Show Me Online RN-to-BSN Programs
Labor and Delivery Nurse Salary by Years of Experience
Here’s the average labor and delivery nurse salary based on years of experience per Payscale:
- Less than one year experience: $28.70 per hour
- 1-4 years of experience: $31.84 per hour
- 5-9 years of experience: $35.44 per hour
- 10-19 years of experience: $39.22 per hour
- 20 years+ of experience: $43.16 per hour
Popular Online RN-to-BSN Programs
Gain the skills and credentials to advance into nurse management and leadership roles, while laying the groundwork to pursue future nurse practitioner or advanced practice roles. Complete your courses online, on your schedule, at Purdue Global’s School of Nursing.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, but certain programs have state restrictions. Check with Purdue for details.
GCU’s RN-BSN program is tailored to meet the needs of the RN adult learner and to maximize the strengths that the working RN already possesses. Transfer up to 90 credits and earn a BSN in as little as 12 months. GCU’s online classes allow you to study at the times that work for your schedule while still enjoying a close connection with your classmates and instructor via online discussions.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
The University of Texas at Arlington’s online programs are designed to help you achieve more in your nursing practice with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. They offer convenient, flexible options for completing your RN to BSN online, designed to fit into your busy schedule.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
WGU's award-winning online programs are created to help you succeed while graduating faster and with less debt. WGU is a CCNE accredited, nonprofit university offering nursing bachelor's and master's degrees.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
As a pioneer in distance learning since 1985, Liberty University’s online nursing programs are designed to prepare practicing nurses to serve with integrity by teaching advanced skills from an ethical perspective. Liberty's programs are based on industry best practices and up-to-date research – so you can get the tools you need to stay on the cutting edge of nursing care and innovation.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
Labor and Delivery Nurse Salary by Work Setting
Labor and delivery nurses most commonly work on labor and delivery units in hospitals. However, they can be found working in other settings too, such as:
- Private clinics
- Birthing centers
- In-home settings
Labor and delivery nurses who work in the hospital setting usually earn the highest wages and benefits. However, this type of nurse will have opportunities for overtime and shift differential pay wherever they work because babies are delivered around the clock!.
>> Show Me Online RN-to-BSN Programs
How to Increase Your Salary as a Labor and Delivery Nurse
There are many ways to increase your salary as a labor and delivery nurse, such as:
Advance Your Education
Your level of education has one of the biggest impacts on your overall earning potential as a labor and delivery RN. Many new nurses start their careers with an associate's or bachelor's degree. However, as you progress in your career you may decide to further your education and become more of an expert in the field.
Certifications
A great way to show that you have the expertise as a labor and delivery nurse AND make more money is to achieve your Inpatient Obstetric Nursing (RNC-OB) certification.
Many employers offer an increase in hourly wage once nurses pass their certification exam. In addition, becoming board certified lets employers, co-workers, and your patients know that you have specialty nursing expertise in obstetric nursing care. In addition, this certification is usually required by most hospitals after 2-4 years of employment.
Some of the main topics that the RNC-OB certification exam covers include:
- The stages of labor
- Best practices for caesarian section birthing
- Best practices for different populations
- Anesthetics and pharmacology
Negotiate
Negotiating during the hiring process can help you get a higher salary in some cases. Even though most healthcare facilities have a pay structure for new employees, you may find some room for negotiation, especially if the hiring employers are struggling to find labor and delivery nurses.
>> Show Me Online RN-to-BSN Programs
Travel
Travel nurses are RNs who take short-term assignments at hospitals and other health care facilities to help fill nursing shortage gaps. Traveling nurses often have a great opportunity to earn more money while exploring new areas of the country.
Travel nurses usually have a “total pay package” instead of just earning an hourly rate, which includes:
- Hourly base pay
- Sign-on bonuses
- Travel reimbursements
- Housing, food, mileage stipends
- Other job-related expenses
Also, the COVID-19 pandemic caused many facilities to offer “crisis pay” as an incentive to get more travel nurses to work in hospitals that were chronically understaffed. Some hospitals were offering up to 2-3 times their normal per hour rate or higher to attract new travel nurses for assignments.
Lastly, travel nursing as a labor and delivery nurse can help you learn how other facilities operate and help you learn more about the specialty than you would by staying at the same medical facility.
Additional Compensation
Overtime
Labor and delivery nurses who work overtime earn increased pay for their additional work hours. In most cases, this means working over 40 hours a week or over 12 hours in a 24 hour period.
Overtime wages differ per facility, but they are usually one and a half to three times the normal hourly wage. Working a lot of overtime hours can add up quickly!
Since babies are born around the clock, labor and delivery nurses often have the opportunity to earn more overtime pay than other types of nurses.
Shift Differential
A shift differential is extra pay for working weekends, holidays, evenings, or night shifts. Shift differentials usually increase a normal hourly wage by a few additional dollars.
If a nurse works Saturday shift in a facility that pays a $4 shift differential, they can expect to earn an additional $48 dollar for working the same amount of time they normally do.
Bonuses
Most nurses, in general, don’t earn bonuses However, it is common for nurses to be offered a sign-on bonus as an incentive to work at a new facility. In this case, bonuses can range from several hundred dollars to several thousand.
Before agreeing to a sign-on bonus make sure you examine the terms very closely. Many hospitals will require that you stay working full-time at their facility for two to five years to keep the bonus. You must pay it back if you don’t.
Hazard Pay
Hazard pay is extra compensation above the normal compensation for nurses who work in physically harder or dangerous conditions, such as severely understaffed hospitals with COVID-19 patients.
Employers do not need to provide hazard pay by law. It is most commonly used as an incentive to bring on new nurses.
>> Show Me Online RN-to-BSN Programs
Labor and Delivery Nurse Education Costs
Nursing school to become a labor and delivery nurse is a huge investment, and there are many factors that determine how much a nursing student pays for school.
First, nursing school costs depend on whether you want to pursue an ADN or a BSN.
- ADN programs take two years to complete at a community college or technician school.
- ADN programs can range from $6000 to $20,000.
- BSN programs take four years to complete at a public or private four-year university.
- A BSN can cost anywhere from $35,000 to $100,000.
>> Show Me Online RN-to-BSN Programs
Related Nursing Careers
Nurse Midwife
According to salary.com, nurse midwives in the United States earn a median salary of $123,565. However, midwife salaries can range from as low as $113,621 and as high as $140,039.
Neonatal Nurse
According to ZipRecruiter, the average neonatal nurse salary in the U.S. is $127,391 annually or $61/hr. In addition, neonatal nurse annual salaries in the U.S. range from about $96,980 (25th percentile) to $154,960 (75th percentile) per year.
OB Nurse
Salary.com reports that OB nurses in the United States earn a median salary of $81,731 as of 2023. However, OB nurse salary ranges can vary from $74,387 to $92,554.
Postpartum Nurse
Salary.com also reports that postpartum nurses make a very similar salary to OB nurses earning a mean annual salary of $80,996. They found that most postpartum salaries range from as low as $73,718 and as high as $91,721.
Popular Online RN-to-BSN Programs
Gain the skills and credentials to advance into nurse management and leadership roles, while laying the groundwork to pursue future nurse practitioner or advanced practice roles. Complete your courses online, on your schedule, at Purdue Global’s School of Nursing.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide, but certain programs have state restrictions. Check with Purdue for details.
GCU’s RN-BSN program is tailored to meet the needs of the RN adult learner and to maximize the strengths that the working RN already possesses. Transfer up to 90 credits and earn a BSN in as little as 12 months. GCU’s online classes allow you to study at the times that work for your schedule while still enjoying a close connection with your classmates and instructor via online discussions.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
The University of Texas at Arlington’s online programs are designed to help you achieve more in your nursing practice with a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. They offer convenient, flexible options for completing your RN to BSN online, designed to fit into your busy schedule.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
WGU's award-winning online programs are created to help you succeed while graduating faster and with less debt. WGU is a CCNE accredited, nonprofit university offering nursing bachelor's and master's degrees.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
As a pioneer in distance learning since 1985, Liberty University’s online nursing programs are designed to prepare practicing nurses to serve with integrity by teaching advanced skills from an ethical perspective. Liberty's programs are based on industry best practices and up-to-date research – so you can get the tools you need to stay on the cutting edge of nursing care and innovation.
CCNE
Online
RN Required
Enrollment: Nationwide
