Nanny Salaries: The things you need to know and the things you need to expect

Being a Nanny is hard work.  Thankfully, we have a lot of options when it comes to Nannies.  More and more Nannies are improving their craft, either by gaining more experience or getting an education related to this field.  Although this would mean higher costs of getting a Nanny, it would also mean a better quality of service.

There is a common misconception that getting a Nanny is only for busy individuals who are away from their home for 40 – 60 hours a week.  Some parents would say that they don’t need a Nanny because they’re always at home.  However, there may be times that you can’t be there for your children.  In these cases, it’s a great feeling that someone you can trust is taking care of them.

Before you hire a Nanny, you should set expectations for you and your Nanny.  First, think about what you need for you and your children.  Then draw up a budget on how much you can spend for a Nanny that can provide that service.  Set the expectations for your Nanny on what you require and then you can try to arrive at an agreement using the budget that you have.  Although rates do vary, you can easily get an estimate by asking around for references or even by checking an online site like www.nannytoyou.com.  You can also ask around for the rates in your area.

You also need to know that the higher quality of service a Nanny can provide, the higher their rates are.  You can expect higher rates for Nannies with years of experience or someone that is educated in child care.  On the other hand, a Nanny that is just starting or is not doing this professionally will demand a lower rate.  However, please note that different families have different needs.  So don’t expect that the Nanny with the highest rate is the best suited for your family.

To give you an idea, here are some factors and the general wage guideline for a Nanny working 45-50 hours a week while taking care of at most 2 children.  This guideline represents wages in year 2007:

• A Nanny between the age of 18-21 and has little or no experience in child care will usually require $325 - $450 for live in or $8 - $12 per hour for live out.
• A Nanny that is 21 years old and above and has 2 plus years of verified child care experience but with no prior nanny experience will usually require $450 - $600 for live in or $10 - $20 for live out.
• If the Nanny has more than 2 years of Nanny experience and/or a college degree related to child care like Child Psychology will usually requite $450 - $800 for live in and $10 - $20 for live out.

Note: This would be dependent on the area that you live in.

If you’re looking for a Nanny to do part time service for your family, it’s usually harder and more expensive.  Since they’re only doing part time, they are almost always live out and would require you to pay per hour of their services.  Rates may start at $12 per hour and may go as high to $25 per hour for big market cities.

There are also the benefits that Nannies may require or are required by law.  Some examples of these benefits are:

• Paid vacation leaves
• Mileage reimbursements (if Nanny is required to transport the children using her own car)
• Health benefits
• Paid US holidays
• Annual performance review that can lead to increase in pay
• Paid taxes

If you can’t afford the salary of a Nanny, don’t be afraid to offer additional perks that you can give.  These may include offering to pay for her education or training.  If you are a professional, you can also offer your services to the Nanny to compensate her.

Please keep in mind that you are morally and legally obligated to pay whatever is just for the service that they’ll be providing.  Although this is a responsibility, you’ll also get satisfaction in knowing that you’re providing Your children with a qualified Nanny getting the compensation package that she deserves.