Nurse Salaries / L&D Nurse Salary
Labor and delivery nurses (L&D nurse), also known as obstetric nurses (OB nurse), work as part of a care team for pregnant patients and their children. Labor and delivery RNs have a variety of responsibilities, including assessment of patients with pregnancy complications, fetal monitoring, patient management during labor, newborn baby assessment, postpartum support/management, and much more.
Registered nurses overall in the United States receive $82,750 per year according to the United States Bureau of Labor and Statistics. According to data from Incredible Health, the average salary for labor and delivery / obstetric nurses is $90,541 – an effective hourly rate of $44.
This hourly rate puts the average L&D nurse salary at about 9% higher than a the average registered nurse’s median wage. Remember that this number is just the aggregate average salary and does not take into account nursing salaries that consider unit position, experience level, and other factors.
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Nursing positions are among the top in-demand jobs in the country, and experts project at least 6% between 2021 and 2031. Additionally, there is a shortage of professionals in the field. These primary factors contribute to higher labor and delivery nursing salaries and a strong outlook for the career path.
Labor and delivery nurse salaries by state
L&D nurse salaries vary depending on the state in which you practice. The cost of living in different states affects compensation scales.
For example, you may earn a larger paycheck as a staff L&D nurse in California because the cost of living is about 10% higher than the country’s average.
Conversely, in Alabama, labor and delivery nurses may earn less than other states because the cost of living is about 11% less than the country’s average.
The top five highest-paying states for nurses, including L&D nurses (without factoring in the cost of living) include the following:
| State | Salary | COL Adjusted Salary | Local Estimates |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $124,000 | $106,529 | Get Local Estimate |
| Hawaii | $106,530 | $89,296 | Get Local Estimate |
| Oregon | $98,630 | $96,131 | Get Local Estimate |
| Alaska | $97,230 | $92,512 | Get Local Estimate |
| Massachusetts | $96,630 | $87,527 | Get Local Estimate |
The top five highest-paying states for nurses, including L&D nurses (adjusted for cost of living) are the following:
| State | Salary | COL Adjusted Salary | Local Estimates |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | $124,000 | $106,529 | Get Local Estimate |
| Oregon | $98,630 | $96,131 | Get Local Estimate |
| Alaska | $97,230 | $92,512 | Get Local Estimate |
| Nevada | $97,230 | $92,146 | Get Local Estimate |
| Hawaii | $106,530 | $89,296 | Get Local Estimate |
Top labor and delivery jobs on Incredible Health
🏥 Registered Nurse – OB/GYN
Prosper, TX | $54,000 to $104,000 /year
🏥 Registered Nurse – Obstetric / Labor & Delivery
Los Angeles, CA | $46,000 to $145,000 /year
🏥 Registered Nurse – Obstetric / Labor & Delivery
Frisco, TX | $54,000 to $111,000 /year
🏥 Registered Nurse – Obstetric / Labor & Delivery
White Plains, NY | $75,000 to $125,000 /year
🏥 Registered Nurse – Obstetric / Labor & Delivery
Lacombe, LA | $56,000 to $88,000 /year
Sources
- “Nursing Shortage.” aacnnursing.org. Accessed May 20, 2022.
- “Occupational Outlook Handbook-Registered Nurses.” bls.gov. Accessed May 20, 2022.
- Photo by Jonathan Borba on Unsplash
