What it actually takes to become a Midwife in Australia
Median $109,928 a year. Four ways in, taught at 11 Australian institutions — what each route costs and what the work is really like.
What the job actually is
A midwife is not an assistant to an obstetrician. Midwives are registered health professionals who care for women through pregnancy, labour, birth and the weeks after, and in a normal pregnancy a midwife may provide most or all of that care. Doctors are called in when complications arise. Birth itself is only part of the job: antenatal checks, education, breastfeeding support and postnatal visits fill much of the week. Opinion
Public hospital birth suites and wards
Most midwives work in public hospital birthing, antenatal and postnatal units. Estimate
Midwifery group practice and continuity models
Small teams of midwives follow the same women through pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period, often on call. Estimate
Community and home visiting
Postnatal home visits, antenatal clinics and child and family health services. Estimate
Private practice
A small number of endorsed midwives run private practices, including home birth services. Estimate
Specialties
Birth suite
Labour and birth care, including emergencies. Estimate
Continuity of care
Caring for the same women across the whole pregnancy in a small team. Estimate
Neonatal and special care
Caring for newborns who need extra support, sometimes with further qualifications. Estimate
Lactation consulting
Specialist breastfeeding support, with an additional international certification. Estimate
Rural and remote midwifery
Broader responsibility in small hospitals and remote communities. Estimate
A week, not a day
There is no typical day. There is a typical week, and it is uneven by design.
| Block | Roughly | What it looks like |
|---|---|---|
| Labour and birth care | 30% | Supporting women in labour and managing births. Unpredictable timing. |
| Antenatal care and education | 20% | Pregnancy checks, screening and preparation for birth. |
| Postnatal care | 25% | Recovery, breastfeeding support and newborn checks, in hospital and at home. |
| Documentation | 15% | Detailed clinical records, which matter legally for every birth. |
| Handover and team work | 10% | Coordination with obstetricians, paediatricians and other midwives. |
Is it right for you?
An honest self-test. The filter is rarely passion — everyone has that.
Strong signs of fit
- You stay calm when things change fast, and birth can change very fast. Opinion
- You are comfortable with bodies, blood and intimate care. Opinion
- You like building trust with people over weeks and months. Opinion
Warning signs
- You picture mostly joyful births. Midwives also care for families through stillbirth, complications and trauma. Opinion
- You want predictable hours. Babies arrive at all hours and on-call work is common in continuity models. Opinion
- You are squeamish. The work is physical and clinical. Opinion
- You expect high pay quickly. Midwifery pay rises steadily but is set by public sector agreements. Opinion
Soft skills
- Calm in emergencies
- Building trust
- Advocacy for women's choices
- Clear communication
Technical skills
- Antenatal assessment
- Labour and birth management
- Newborn assessment
- Breastfeeding support
- Obstetric emergency response
Demand, pay and the next twenty years
What changes over the next twenty years
- Continuity of midwifery care models are likely to expand, putting more midwives into small, on-call teams. Forecast
- Rural maternity services are likely to remain under staffing pressure. Forecast
- An ageing midwifery workforce may create openings as experienced midwives retire. Forecast
A small, mostly part-time profession
57 per cent of midwives work part-time, one of the highest shares of any profession. Verified fact
About these figures
Jobs and Skills Australia counts people whose main job is midwifery. Many dual-registered nurse-midwives work mostly as nurses and are counted there, and the female share is rounded. Verified fact
Registered through the Nursing and Midwifery Board
Midwives register with the Nursing and Midwifery Board, one of Ahpra's National Boards. Verified fact
What registration means
The Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia registers both nurses and midwives under Ahpra. Verified fact
Midwifery is a separate registration from nursing. A nurse is not a midwife unless they complete midwifery training, and a direct-entry midwife is not a nurse. Estimate
Every route in
Tap a route to open it. The tag shows how commonly that route actually delivers the target role — not how hard the study is.
- Complete an accredited three-year Bachelor of Midwifery, including continuity of care experiences with women through pregnancy and birth. Estimate
- Register as a midwife with the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. Verified fact
- A four-year double degree leads to registration as both a nurse and a midwife, widening job options. Estimate
- Registered nurses complete a graduate diploma or master's in midwifery, often while employed by a hospital. Estimate
- Many midwives start in their late twenties or later, often after having children themselves. Estimate
The sequence that actually matters
The qualification varies wildly across people who reach this role. The sequence barely varies at all.
| Stage | Typical age | What you are buying | How people get stuck here |
|---|---|---|---|
| Accredited degree | 18 to 21 | Eligibility for registration | Underestimating the on-call commitment of continuity of care experiences. |
| Graduate year | 21 to 23 | A supported transition program in a hospital | Missing graduate program applications, which close months before graduation. |
| Consolidation | 23 to 28 | Confidence across birth suite, antenatal and postnatal care | Staying only in postnatal wards and losing birth suite skills. |
| Advanced practice | 28 and over | Continuity roles, endorsement or management | Burnout from understaffing. |
Pathways compared
Compare them on what they cost you, not just where they end. The last column matters most — it is where the pathway leaves you if the target role never arrives.
| Pathway | Live example | Years | Study cost | Difficulty | Biggest risk | If it doesn’t work out |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Direct-entry Bachelor of Midwifery | A common route for school leavers Estimate | 3 years Estimate | About $14,700 at the 2027 nursing rate, deferrable Estimate | Demanding placements | On-call placement commitments | Women's health, child and family health, or further study in nursing |
| Nursing and midwifery double degree | Increasingly popular Estimate | 4 years Estimate | About $19,600 at the 2027 nursing rate, deferrable Estimate | Higher workload | One extra year | Strongest: two registrations |
Experience that runs alongside study
This matters more than marks. Every one of these is available before you graduate.
Continuity of care experiences
Following individual women through pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period, which can mean attending births at night. Estimate
Hospital placements
Birth suite, antenatal and postnatal placements in hospitals. Estimate
Graduate midwifery programs
Public hospitals run supported graduate years, usually through state-wide application processes. Estimate
Australian College of Midwives student membership
The professional body runs student events and conferences. Estimate
Midwifery is its own registration
Midwives are registered by the Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia. Verified fact
Midwife or nurse?
Nurses and midwives share a board, but they are separate registrations. Verified fact
If you also want to work as a nurse, a double degree is the shortest route to both. Estimate
Where you can study this
Two questions decide this table: do you want a specialist network from year one, or maximum optionality if you leave the field?
| Institution | State | Course | Selection rank | Duration | Study modes | Placement | What it’s good at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| University of Canberra Bruce | ACT | Bachelor of Midwifery | Not verified for this edition — confirm with your state admissions centre Estimate | 3 years | full-time | The register records 1304 hours of required work component for this course, so there is a placement or practical element inside the degree. 1304 hours Verified fact | The register records 1,304 hours of required work component; UAC lists the course without a published rank. Opinion |
| Southern Cross University Bilinga | NSW | Bachelor of Midwifery | Not verified for this edition — confirm with your state admissions centre Estimate | 3 years | full-time | The register records 1000 hours of required work component for this course, so there is a placement or practical element inside the degree. 1000 hours Verified fact | A regional program; UAC lists the course without a published rank. Opinion |
| Charles Darwin University Casuarina | NT | Bachelor of Midwifery | Not verified for this edition — confirm with your state admissions centre Estimate | 3 years | full-time | The register records 1260 hours of required work component for this course, so there is a placement or practical element inside the degree. 1260 hours Verified fact | The only midwifery degree in the Territory, with remote community practice built in. Opinion |
| Griffith University Meadowbrook | QLD | Bachelor of Midwifery | Not verified for this edition — confirm with your state admissions centre Estimate | 3 years | full-time | The register records 1426 hours of required work component for this course, so there is a placement or practical element inside the degree. 1426 hours Verified fact | The register records 1,426 hours of required work component. Opinion |
| James Cook University Townsville | QLD | Bachelor of Midwifery | Not verified for this edition — confirm with your state admissions centre Estimate | 3 years | full-time | The register records 960 hours of required work component for this course, so there is a placement or practical element inside the degree. 960 hours Verified fact | Rural and remote midwifery is central to placements in North Queensland. Opinion |
| The University of Queensland St Lucia | QLD | Bachelor of Midwifery | Not verified for this edition — confirm with your state admissions centre Estimate | 3 years | full-time | The register records 1505 hours of required work component for this course, so there is a placement or practical element inside the degree. 1505 hours Verified fact | The register records 1,505 hours of required work component, the highest for a single degree in this list. Opinion |
| Adelaide University Adelaide | SA | Bachelor of Midwifery | Not verified for this edition — confirm with your state admissions centre Estimate | 3 years | full-time | The register records 1120 hours of required work component for this course, so there is a placement or practical element inside the degree. 1120 hours Verified fact | South Australia's midwifery degree from the merged Adelaide institution. Opinion |
| Flinders University Adelaide | SA | Bachelor of Midwifery | Not verified for this edition — confirm with your state admissions centre Estimate | 3 years | full-time | The register records 1490 hours of required work component for this course, so there is a placement or practical element inside the degree. 1490 hours Verified fact | The register records 1,490 hours of required work component. Opinion |
| Federation University Australia Berwick | VIC | Bachelor of Midwifery | Not verified for this edition — confirm with your state admissions centre Estimate | 3 years | full-time | The register records 880 hours of required work component for this course, so there is a placement or practical element inside the degree. 880 hours Verified fact | A regional Victorian program. Opinion |
| Curtin University Bentley | WA | Bachelor of Science (Midwifery) | 80.00, TISC 2026 Main Round minimum rank for consideration Verified fact | 3 years | full-time | The register records 1250 hours of required work component for this course, so there is a placement or practical element inside the degree. 1250 hours Verified fact | TISC data shows a lowest offered rank well above the published minimum. Opinion |
| Edith Cowan University Bunbury | WA | Bachelor of Science (Nursing)/Bachelor of Science (Midwifery) | Not verified for this edition — confirm with your state admissions centre Estimate | 4 years | full-time | The register records 1520 hours of required work component for this course, so there is a placement or practical element inside the degree. 1520 hours Verified fact | A four-year double degree leading to both nursing and midwifery registration. Opinion |
Postgraduate study
Usually a mid-career decision, not a next step. The honest question is whether it adds anything your first three jobs would not.
Graduate Diploma or Master of Midwifery (for registered nurses)
The main route for registered nurses who decide on midwifery later. Not needed after a direct-entry midwifery degree. Opinion
11 providers on the register
The table below is built from the CRICOS register, not from memory. Verified fact
How to read this table
Institution names, course names, campuses, durations and work hours are copied from the CRICOS register. Verified fact
CRICOS lists courses open to international students, so a domestic-only course will not appear here even if it is well established. Opinion
Midwifery has many domestic-only programs, so the register understates the number of providers. Opinion
1 of 11 institutions carry a real, dated selection rank from UAC or TISC. Ranks published for a different course or an unidentifiable campus were not reused; the rest read not verified. Opinion
Admissions centres also list these courses that are not in this field of the register: Australian Catholic University, Bachelor of Midwifery, 75.70; La Trobe University, Bachelor of Nursing/Bachelor of Midwifery, 80.95; University of Technology Sydney, Bachelor of Midwifery, 85.20; Western Sydney University and the University of Newcastle also appear in UAC's list without a published rank. Verified fact
The gates
What actually stands between you and a place. Where a gate does not apply, that is stated rather than omitted — an absent requirement is decision-relevant information.
Adjustment and access schemes
Points added to a raw rank. These are systematically under-claimed relative to eligibility — check every one.
Educational access schemes
Adjustments for students affected by financial hardship, illness, caring duties or disrupted schooling, applied for through your state admissions centre. Many eligible students never apply. Estimate
Rural and regional adjustments
Points added for applicants from regional areas, especially at regional universities. Estimate
Early entry
Offers made before results are released. Applications usually open around August and cost nothing.
Schools recommendation and early offer schemes
Offers based on Year 11 results and school recommendations, made before ATARs are released. Applications usually open around August of Year 12. Estimate
Alternative and back-door entries
No rank closes most careers. It only changes the first two years.
Nursing first, then postgraduate midwifery
Registered nurses can qualify through a one to two year postgraduate program. Estimate
Mature-age entry
Adults can apply on prior study or a special entry test. Estimate
Enrolled nurse pathway
Enrolled nurses with a TAFE diploma can enter nursing degrees with credit, then move into midwifery. Estimate
Pathway programs
University preparation programs for students without an ATAR. Estimate
Which route is realistic depends on your selection rank, whether you also want nursing registration, your state and your budget; a personalised plan can work through that with you. Opinion
Subject selection — General advice for all states; check your state's subject names
Take these
- Biology, for anatomy and physiology. Opinion
- Chemistry, for pharmacology. Opinion
- English, for documentation and communication. Opinion
Think twice about
- Avoiding science. Anatomy and pharmacology are core from first year. Opinion
Money to help you get there
Far more scholarship money is offered than is claimed. Rounds close early, often in September.
Commonwealth Prac Payment
A means-tested weekly payment for eligible students on mandatory nursing, midwifery, teaching and social work placements, paid through the university. The 2026 rate was $338.60 a week. Estimate
Rural health scholarships
Scholarships for students from rural areas or willing to work rurally. Estimate
Indigenous health scholarships
Scholarships for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students in health degrees. Estimate
University equity scholarships
Means-tested scholarships offered by every university to students from low-income, regional or disadvantaged backgrounds. Estimate
The placement commitment is the real test
Continuity of care experiences mean attending births at any hour while still at university. Opinion
Before you apply
Expect immunisations, a police check and a Working with Children Check before placements. Estimate
Ask each university how continuity of care experiences are organised and how much on-call time they involve. Opinion
General information only — not financial advice
The figures in this section are indicative estimates only and are general in nature. They are modelled from published rates and typical costs, and they take no account of your personal objectives, financial situation or needs.
They are not quotes, and they are not a projection of what you personally will pay or earn. Course fees, indexation rates, salaries and repayment thresholds all change.
Before you act on any of it, speak to a qualified financial adviser about your own circumstances, and confirm course costs and fees directly with the institution and your state admissions centre.
What it actually costs
Set your own situation. Everything updates live, and every figure is calculated in your browser from the assumptions listed below — none of it is a number quoted at you.
Every line, three ways
Minimum, average and premium. The deferrable column is the one most people misread — a deferred cost is repaid through the tax system, not paid up front.
| Cost | Minimum | Average | Premium | Deferrable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Student contribution (tuition) Nursing and midwifery units are capped at $4,908 per full-time year in 2027. The premium column is a four-year double degree. Verified fact | $14,724 | $14,724 | $19,632 | Yes |
| Student services and amenities fee Capped at $386 a year for full-time students in 2027 and deferrable through SA-HELP. Verified fact | $1,158 | $1,158 | $1,544 | Yes |
| Uniform, fob watch and checks Uniform, shoes, immunisations and checks. Estimate | $200 | $300 | $500 | No |
| Laptop and technology A standard laptop is enough. Estimate | $900 | $1,200 | $2,000 | No |
| Textbooks Clinical texts; many are in the library. Estimate | $800 | $1,400 | $2,200 | No |
| Placement travel and on-call transport Getting to births at night often means driving or taxis. Estimate | $500 | $1,500 | $3,500 | No |
| Living costs while studying Zero if living at home for the whole degree; the average column assumes moving out for about two years, the premium column for all 4. Estimate | $0 | $30,000 | $88,000 | No |
Return and assumptions
What these numbers assume
A graduate starting salary of $76,000 including some penalties, in line with public sector graduate midwife rates. Estimate
Compulsory HELP repayments start at $69,528 of repayment income in 2026-27, at 15 cents per dollar above that threshold, so early repayments are a small share of salary. Verified fact
Lifetime earnings assume long-run pay growth of 2.5 per cent a year over 40 years. A projection, not a promise. Forecast
Tuition and the amenities fee can be deferred through HECS-HELP and SA-HELP and repaid through the tax system once income passes the threshold. Verified fact
Eligible students may receive the Commonwealth Prac Payment during mandatory placements. Estimate
The low student contribution makes midwifery one of the cheapest health degrees to study. Estimate
One of the cheapest health degrees to study
The nursing-rate student contribution keeps the debt low; placements are the hidden cost. Opinion
The verdict
Several ways of asking “which is best”, answered separately — because the best pathway depends entirely on what you are optimising for.
Best value
A three-year direct-entry midwifery degree
The low student contribution and short length make it strong value. Opinion
Which one is yours depends on your selection rank · where you can live while studying
Fastest
A three-year Bachelor of Midwifery
The shortest route from Year 12 to registration as a midwife. Opinion
Which one is yours depends on your selection rank
Most prestigious
A program at a research-intensive university with a large teaching hospital
Matters most for research and leadership careers; hospitals hire mainly on placement performance. Opinion
Which one is yours depends on your selection rank · which state you can study in
Lowest cost
A direct-entry degree within commuting distance, with the Prac Payment during placements
Living costs and on-call transport outweigh the low fees. Opinion
Which one is yours depends on eligibility for the Prac Payment · whether a program is within reach of home
Best long-term return
A nursing and midwifery double degree
Two registrations widen job options and make rural and senior roles easier to reach. Opinion
Which one is yours depends on whether you want nursing work too
Best for mature-age students
Direct-entry midwifery or postgraduate midwifery for registered nurses
Many midwives start later in life; life experience helps. Opinion
Which one is yours depends on your previous study · your family commitments
Best for career changers
Postgraduate midwifery for registered nurses, otherwise a direct-entry degree
Registered nurses can qualify in one to two years, often with hospital sponsorship. Opinion
Which one is yours depends on whether you are already a nurse
Get your personalised plan
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Your action plan
Concrete, dated and checkable. Tick these off as you go — your progress is saved in this browser.
This year
First three years
By five years
By ten years
Decision points and contingencies
The last column is the useful one. A plan with no fallback is a wish.
| Decision point | When | Preferred move | If that’s unavailable |
|---|---|---|---|
| University offer round | December to January of Year 12 | A direct-entry or double degree | Start nursing and complete postgraduate midwifery later. Estimate |
| Graduate applications | Mid-year of final year | A public hospital graduate program | Apply to rural hospitals, which often have more graduate places. Estimate |
| Model of care | Two to three years in | Choose between rostered hospital work and continuity models | Continuity models suit some and burn out others; try both before deciding. Estimate |
| Advanced practice | Five years in | Specialise or move into leadership | Lactation consulting and education roles offer more regular hours. Estimate |
If the whole pathway closes
If midwifery does not suit you, the degree leads to child and family health, women's health and further study in nursing or public health. Estimate
Mistakes to avoid
The most common
- Thinking midwives assist doctors rather than lead normal births. Opinion
- Underestimating on-call placement demands. Opinion
- Missing graduate program deadlines. Opinion
And the less obvious
- Assuming nursing registration comes with a midwifery degree. Opinion
- Losing birth suite skills by staying only on postnatal wards. Opinion
What to read, watch and do
Generic to the career, not to you — start anywhere. Most of these cost nothing.
Australian College of Midwives
The professional body for midwives, with student membership and education. Estimate
Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia
The national board that registers midwives and sets the standards for practice. Verified fact
Women and Birth
The Australian College of Midwives' peer-reviewed journal. Estimate
First aid and CPR certificate
A basic requirement for placements. Opinion
Midwifery textbooks recommended by your university
Ask your university for its first-year reading list before starting; editions change often. Opinion
Steady, meaningful work with demanding hours
Midwifery suits calm, practical people who are comfortable with intimate care and unpredictable hours. Opinion
Study costs are low, and graduates are needed in rural areas. Employment has been flat recently, so expect to be flexible about where you start. Opinion
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