Health Professions And Related ProgramsSpecialization of Registered Nursing

Best institutions to study Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing

CIP 51.3806

A program that prepares registered nurses to provide prenatal care to pregnant women and to mothers and their newborn infants.

14 U.S. institutions graduated 149 Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing students in 2024–25 (IPEDS). It is CIP 51.3806, a specialization of Registered Nursing (CIP 51.38), and leads most directly to the Registered Nurses occupation (BLS SOC 29-1141).

Institutions
14
offering CIP 51.3806
States & territories
11
with graduates reported
Graduates / yr
149
IPEDS completions 2024–25
Women
95%
share of graduates
US median pay · Registered Nurses
$97,550
BLS OEWS May 2025
Share of Registered Nursing
0.0%
of all Registered Nursing graduates

About Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing programs

Official NCES definition · CIP 51.3806
A program that prepares registered nurses to provide prenatal care to pregnant women and to mothers and their newborn infants. Includes instruction in perinatal and newborn health assessment, stabilization, and care; pathophysiology of pregnancy, fetuses, and the newborn; clinical management of high-risk pregnancies and newborns; perinatal and neonatal technology and clinical procedures; and patient education.
Also offered asNeonatal Nurse Practitioner

Source: National Center for Education Statistics, Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020).

The Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing program is designed for registered nurses who wish to specialize in providing care to pregnant women, mothers, and their newborns. This program prepares students to handle various aspects of maternal and neonatal health, equipping them with essential skills for a rewarding career in healthcare.

What you'll learn

Students will gain knowledge in prenatal care, perinatal and newborn health assessment, and clinical management of high-risk pregnancies. Coursework includes critical areas such as pathophysiology, patient education, and neonatal technology, enhancing their ability to provide comprehensive care.

Credentials awarded

What Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing graduates earned in 2024–25, by award level (IPEDS completions).

  • Master's degree123 graduates / yr · 12 institutions
    83%
  • Doctor's degree - professional practice20 graduates / yr · 3 institutions
    13%
  • Post-master's certificate6 graduates / yr · 6 institutions
    4.0%

Graduates over time

Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing completions reported to IPEDS each year, all award levels combined.

149graduates in 2025
-27% since 2012
265 · 201520122025204149
Graduates per year (IPEDS completions)
YearGraduates
2012204
2013215
2014248
2015265
2016246
2017227
2018209
2019211
2020172
2021181
2022192
2023134
2024160
2025149

Top 14 institutions for Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing, ranked by graduates

Graduates (IPEDS completions), 2024–25. Award levels show which credentials each institution confers in this specialization.

#InstitutionGraduates / yrGrad rateNet priceField earnings* (1 yr)
1University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Ann Arbor, MIPublicMaster'sDoctoral (prof.)
3193%—$75,458
2University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
Minneapolis, MNPublicMaster's
2985%—$72,929
3Vanderbilt University
Nashville, TNPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sMaster's
2194%$14,854—
4Regis University
Denver, COPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sMaster's
1661%$22,407$76,736
5Emory University
Atlanta, GAPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sMaster's
891%$20,586$79,073
6Wayne State University
Detroit, MIPublicMaster'sDoctoral (prof.)
858%—$74,793
7University of Cincinnati - Main Campus
Cincinnati, OHPublicMaster's
875%—$71,105
8Creighton University
Omaha, NEPrivate not-for-profitDoctoral (prof.)
783%$27,353$77,587
9Duke University
Durham, NCPrivate not-for-profitMaster'sMaster's
797%$16,260$77,288
10Stony Brook University
Stony Brook, NYPublicMaster'sMaster's
576%—$94,853
11Caribbean University - Bayamon
Bayamon, PRPrivate not-for-profitMaster's
443%$6,392—
12University of Pennsylvania
Philadelphia, PAPrivate not-for-profitMaster's
297%$22,055$80,943
13Inter American University of Puerto Rico - Arecibo
Arecibo, PRPrivate not-for-profitMaster's
239%$9,729$15,731
14East Carolina University
Greenville, NCPublicMaster's
163%—$72,051

* Median earnings 1 year after graduation for the broader Registered Nursing field (CIP 51.38) at these institutions; College Scorecard does not publish earnings at the 6-digit level.

Offered in 11 states & territories

Where Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing graduates come from. Each state links to all Registered Nursing programs offered there.

Careers & outlook

The payoff after graduation: occupation 29-1141, Registered Nurses, and its national outlook.

Graduates of this program can pursue careers as registered nurses, with a median wage of $93,600. The job outlook is promising, with an expected growth rate of 4.9% and approximately 189,100 annual openings in the field, typically requiring a bachelor's degree.

Projected growth (2024–2034)
+4.9%
About as fast as average
Openings / yr (US)
~189,100
BLS Employment Projections
US median wage
$93,600
typically Bachelor's degree
National employment
3,379,720
Registered Nurses
US average pay
$101,420
annual, BLS OEWS May 2025
US median pay
$97,550
annual

Top-paying metros

San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA
$194,950avg
Vallejo, CA
$182,820avg
San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA
$176,900avg
Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA
$170,000avg
Sacramento-Roseville-Folsom, CA
$164,200avg

Career pathways for CIP 51.3806

The occupations the NCES crosswalk maps this 6-digit code to, with BLS pay and 10-year outlook.

OccupationUS median payGrowthOpenings / yrTypical entry education
Registered Nursesprimary
SOC 29-1141
$97,550+4.9%
About as fast as average
~189,100Bachelor's degree
Nurse Practitioners
SOC 29-1171
$132,300+40.1%
Much faster than average
~29,500Master's degree
Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary
SOC 25-1072
$80,250+16.8%
Much faster than average
~8,600Doctoral or professional degree
Preparation needed

Job Zone Four: Considerable Preparation Needed

Education
Most of these occupations require a four-year bachelor's degree, but some do not.
Experience
A considerable amount of work-related skill, knowledge, or experience is needed for these occupations. For example, an accountant must complete four years of college and work for several years in accounting to be considered qualified.
Training
Employees in these occupations usually need several years of work-related experience, on-the-job training, and/or vocational training.

Related careers

Registered Nurses
$101,420 avg · 3,379,720 jobs
Nurse Practitioners
$137,300 avg · 323,040 jobs
Nursing Instructors and Teachers, Postsecondary
$86,410 avg · 77,960 jobs

Skills & knowledge in Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing programs

From the U.S. Dept. of Labor for the occupation this specialization most leads to.

Skills you'll build

Critical Thinking
Active Listening
Speaking
Reading Comprehension
Monitoring
Writing
Active Learning
Learning Strategies

Knowledge areas

Psychology
Customer and Personal Service
Medicine and Dentistry
English Language
Administrative
Mathematics

Abilities that matter most

Problem Sensitivity
Deductive Reasoning
Oral Expression
Oral Comprehension
Written Comprehension
Inductive Reasoning

Day-to-day work activities

Assisting and Caring for Others
Documenting/Recording Information
Getting Information
Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge
Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates
Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events

What graduates do on the job

  • Record patients' medical information and vital signs.
  • Administer medications to patients and monitor patients for reactions or side effects.
  • Maintain accurate, detailed reports and records.
  • Monitor, record, and report symptoms or changes in patients' conditions.
  • Provide health care, first aid, immunizations, or assistance in convalescence or rehabilitation in locations such as schools, hospitals, or industry.
  • Consult and coordinate with healthcare team members to assess, plan, implement, or evaluate patient care plans.

Tools and technology used

Allscripts healthcare automation softwareAllscripts SunriseApache SparkData entry softwareDatabase softwareDiagnostic and procedural coding softwareDoctorsPartner EMRDrug guide software

Other Registered Nursing specializations

The 22 other 6-digit CIP codes under Registered Nursing (CIP 51.38).

See all Registered Nursing programs →

Common questions

What is the focus of the Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse program?+

The program focuses on preparing registered nurses to provide care to pregnant women, mothers, and newborns.

What types of degrees can I earn in this program?+

You can earn a Master's degree, a Doctor's degree in professional practice, or a Post-master's certificate.

What skills will I develop in this program?+

You will develop critical thinking, active listening, monitoring, and patient education skills.

What are the job prospects for graduates?+

The job outlook is about 4.9% growth, with a median wage of $93,600 and many annual openings.

What is the CIP code for Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing?+

Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing is CIP 51.3806 in the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020), a 6-digit specialization within Registered Nursing (CIP 51.38). NCES defines it as: A program that prepares registered nurses to provide prenatal care to pregnant women and to mothers and their newborn infants. Includes instruction in perinatal and newborn health assessment, stabilization, and care; pathophysiology of pregnancy, fetuses, and the newborn; clinical management of high-risk pregnancies and newborns; perinatal and neonatal technology and clinical procedures; and patient education.

How many institutions offer Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing programs?+

14 U.S. institutions reported Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing graduates in IPEDS 2024–25, across 11 states & territories, awarding 149 credentials in the year. That is 0.0% of all Registered Nursing graduates.

How much do Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing graduates earn?+

Earnings are not published at the 6-digit CIP level by any federal source. The Registered Nurses occupation, which Maternal/Child Health and Neonatal Nurse/Nursing most directly leads to, pays a median of $97,550 a year nationally (BLS OEWS May 2025), and graduates of the broader Registered Nursing field report median earnings of $76,736 one year after graduation (College Scorecard).

About the data on this page

Every figure comes from an official federal or public source. Here is each one and the release it is currently on.

IPEDSFall 2025–26 release, published July 28, 2026
Enrollment, completions, graduation rates, tuition, financial aid, staffing, and finance for every U.S. institution in federal student aid programs.
College ScorecardJune 10, 2026 release (merged 2025–26 files)
Institution and field-of-study costs, graduate earnings, debt, completion, and admissions outcomes compiled from federal aid records, tax data, and IPEDS.
BLS wages & outlookOEWS May 2025 release
Occupational employment and wage estimates plus 10-year job outlook, used to connect programs to real-world earnings.

Program definitions are from the NCES Classification of Instructional Programs (CIP 2020). Skills, knowledge, abilities, work activities, tools, and job zones are from the O*NET database by the U.S. Department of Labor, used under the CC BY 4.0 license.

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