Originally posted on the International Nanny Association’s website.
Nannies’ salaries and benefits vary and are based on the job requirements, the nanny’s level of experience, education, background, etc. The International Nanny Association regularly conducts salary and benefits surveys to make nannies, parents and those involved in the in-home child care industry aware of current employment trends.
A 2011 INA Salary and Benefits Survey revealed that a nanny works, on average, 40 to 60 hours per week with two scheduled days off. Live-out nannies (nannies who do not live with the family) who work part-time are paid, on average, an hourly rate of $7.25 to $20 or more per hour. Full-time, live-out nannies earn a weekly salary of $350 to $1,000 or more. Full-time, live-out nannies work more than 40 hours per week, they are generally paid at the rate of 1.5 times the normal hourly rate for all hours over 40 worked.
Live-in nannies (nannies who live with the family or in a residence provided by the family) earn from $300 to $1,000 or more per week. Live-in nannies enjoy the benefits of free room and board, which usually includes a private room and a private bath. Live-in nannies must be paid at least minimum wage for each hour that they work within a 7 day period and do not need to be paid overtime.
It is important to note that if a nanny is paid a salary, the salary must be translated into an hourly rate to determine whether or not the nanny’s wages comply with the Fair Labor Standard Act. To determine whether the wages comply, divide the weekly salary by the number of hours worked to calculate the base hourly wage. If the employee works 40 or more hours in a 7 day period, overtime must be included at a rate of 1.5 times the base hourly wage. The base hourly wage must be equal to or greater than your state minimum wage. If the state minimum wage is less than the federal minimum wage, the wage must be equal to or greater than the federal minimum wage to be compliant.
Employment benefits that most nannies receive, both live-in and live-out, typically include:
- Two weeks of paid vacation each year
- 8 to 10 paid holidays off
- Health insurance or a percentage of their health insurance premium paid for as a non-taxable benefit
- Use of employer’s car during working hours
- Paid sick days.
In addition to these standard benefits, some nannies also receive:
- Contributions to retirement plans
- Annual bonuses
- Paid professional development days
- Reimbursement for professional expenses such as the INA conference attendance.