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NCLEX – Maternal/Neonatal jobs, salary benchmarks, and career pathways

Maternal-newborn nursing is a practice setting rather than a separate credential, so these benchmarks cover the RN role and the nurse-midwifery tier above it.

Updated August 22, 2026

Where this exam tends to lead

This cluster is oriented around related jobs and career pathways. The role targets below are the main search patterns this jobs page is built around.

NCLEX – Maternal/NeonatalNCLEX – Maternal/Neonatal SpecialistNursing Instructor

This page is built around related job searches now, with room for richer direct-ingestion job feeds later.

Nursing salary benchmarks

Maternal-newborn nursing is a practice setting rather than a separate credential, so these benchmarks cover the RN role and the nurse-midwifery tier above it.

Role / benchmarkPayWhy it matters
Registered nurses$93,600 median annual wageMay 2024 figure covering all RN settings including labour and delivery BLS Registered Nurses
Nurse anesthetists, nurse midwives, and nurse practitioners$132,050 median annual wage2024 figure; the tier certified nurse-midwives sit in, projected to grow 35% from 2024 to 2034 BLS Nurse Anesthetists, Nurse Midwives, and Nurse Practitioners

Official NCLEX-RN facts

FactCurrent detailSource
Maternity as a categoryNot a Client Needs category. Content is distributed by client need, not by patient population2026 NCLEX-RN Test Plan
Health Promotion and Maintenance6–12% of scored items — carries antepartum, postpartum, and newborn care content2026 NCLEX-RN Test Plan
Physiological Adaptation11–17% of scored items — where obstetric and neonatal complications concentrate2026 NCLEX-RN Test Plan
Exam length and time85 to 150 items, five-hour limit including the introductory screen and all breaksNCLEX Examination Candidate Bulletin, April 2026
RN passing standard0.00 logits through March 31, 2029NCLEX passing standard
Registration fee$200 USD for U.S. licensure, plus $150 USD for international test centre schedulingNCLEX fees and payment

Fetched job listings

These listings come from the latest automated jobs update run. If a board blocks or limits retrieval, use the live search links above.

6 listings captured

Official resources

2026 NCLEX-RN Test Plan

Client Needs percentages and the activity statements behind each category.

NCLEX Examination Candidate Bulletin

Format, timing, and the rules that determine when the exam stops.

NCLEX test plans index

Where NCSBN publishes current and superseded test plans for RN and PN.

External resources and benchmarks

BLS Registered Nurses

Wage and employment outlook for the RN role.

Questions people ask before choosing this path

Is there a separate maternal-newborn section on the NCLEX-RN?

No. The 2026 RN Test Plan organizes items by Client Needs, and maternal-newborn content is distributed across those categories rather than isolated into a section.

When did the current test plan take effect?

The 2026 NCLEX-RN Test Plan is based on the 2024 RN Practice Analysis and governs exams through March 31, 2029.

What does the NCLEX-RN cost?

Registration is $200 USD for U.S. licensure. International test centre scheduling adds $150 USD, and changing your nursing regulatory body or exam type after registering costs $50 each.