What does a Nurse Midwives salary really buy you in New York?
New York is 7.6% pricier than the US averageData: BLS OEWS 2024 + BEA Regional Price Parities 2022 • Updated 2026-03-31
New York's Regional Price Parity (RPP) is 107.6, meaning prices are 7.6% higher the national average. A Nurse Midwives earning $137,860 in New York has the equivalent purchasing power of $128,122 in an average-cost US state.
Every dollar goes further in low-cost states. Here is how each salary percentile compares after adjusting for New York's cost of living.
| Percentile | Nominal Salary | COL-Adjusted | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10th Percentile (P10) | $108,970 | $101,273 | $-7,696 |
| 25th Percentile (P25) | $118,490 | $110,120 | $-8,369 |
| Median (P50) | $137,860 | $128,122 | $-9,737 |
| 75th Percentile (P75) | $154,710 | $143,782 | $-10,927 |
| 90th Percentile (P90) | $173,130 | $160,901 | $-12,228 |
While $137,860 sounds high, New York's elevated cost of living erases 7% of that salary's purchasing power. Your real buying power is $128,122. Consider whether the higher pay offsets the higher costs.
Where does Nurse Midwives salary stretch the furthest? Top 10 states ranked by COL-adjusted median salary.
New York ranks #20 out of 37 states for Nurse Midwives after cost-of-living adjustment.
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A Nurse Midwives in New York earns a median salary of $137,860 per year. After adjusting for New York's cost of living (RPP=107.6), the real purchasing power is $128,122 — a -7.1% difference.
New York's cost of living is 7.6% higher than the national average according to the BEA Regional Price Parities (2022). The RPP index for New York is 107.6 (US average = 100).
Regional Price Parities (RPPs) are price indexes published by the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis (BEA) that measure differences in price levels across states. They are expressed as a percentage of the national average (US = 100). Higher RPP means higher cost of living.
The adjusted salary is calculated as: Nominal Salary x (100 / RPP). For a Nurse Midwives in New York: $137,860 x (100 / 107.6) = $128,122. This represents what the salary would be worth in a state with average living costs.
Partially — a Nurse Midwives's nominal salary of $137,860 in New York has 7.1% less purchasing power due to higher living costs. The real value is $128,122. However, New York may offer better career opportunities, networking, and industry access.