Nanny Pay Rates – How Much To Pay Your Nanny?

When it comes to balancing work and childcare, the question often becomes whether to hire a babysitter to come to your home or find daycare. There are positive aspects to both options. In the nursery, a great deal of “socializing” takes place, and many feel that early interaction with multiple playmates helps children develop social skills. The benefits of having an in-home nanny include wonderful individual attention for her child(ren). In addition, they are in a familiar environment, and contactable at all times. Additionally, some babysitters are charged with helping around the house with various chores (which usually involves the kids in some way, be it laundry, tidying up the kitchen, and tidying up the play areas).

What are the guidelines for nanny salaries? Which is the correct price? Consider the following questions:

1. What level of experience does the nanny candidate have? The general rule is: the more experience, the higher the salary.

2. Does the babysitter have transportation? Some nanny candidates will have a car and some will not. If you’re expected to take your child to events, dates, and even the park, consider that extra qualification, not to mention the cost of gas.

3. How many days a week will you need the services of a babysitter? As counterintuitive as it may seem, sometimes you end up paying a little more per hour for a babysitter who only comes one day a week instead of five days a week. This is because a nanny who must split her time between several client families may have a less consistent job. A family that requires a babysitter five days a week is less likely to cancel that babysitter for one day than one that only requires a babysitter once a week. To make up for that possibility, nannies sometimes have to charge a little more for part-time jobs.

4. Where do you live? Some areas in the US and Canada are more expensive than others, and prices tend to be higher for everything. However, the most expensive areas are also the most densely populated: New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, etc. Due to the size of the population, there tends to be more nanny candidates available.

5. How many children do you have that will be cared for by a babysitter? The somewhat natural line of thought is that more children equals higher pay. I heard the suggestion that several children have the ability to entertain each other, which makes things easier for the nanny, and therefore the salary should not be higher. However, in my experience, the opposite is also true: multiple children have an even greater capacity to irritate each other, making things difficult for the babysitter. I think the latter is more often the case.

6. How old is your child? Some babysitters love taking care of babies, and others feel the same way about toddlers, preschoolers, kindergarteners, etc. However, in very general terms, the work of a babysitter is constant, while kindergarten children are more able to help themselves and, therefore, the environment is sometimes less hectic. If you’re looking for a babysitter and your child is currently two years old or older, you’ll probably agree that it’s even more difficult than when your child was a baby! Consider your child’s age when thinking about how much to pay a babysitter.

7. Do you live inside or do you live outside? Since a live-in nanny will save on rent, utilities, food, etc., a lower hourly or weekly wage is sometimes expected. However, in many major markets, there is not much of a difference in wages. The benefits for a live-in nanny in many family situations can make the cost of extra food and an extra room worth it.

Now, let’s talk about numbers. After doing a survey of nanny salary ranges across the country, it’s clear that salaries vary widely. In fact, nanny salary requests within the US currently range from $7 per hour to $25 per hour, depending on all of the above factors, with the average request for a child being $10-15.

To narrow it down a bit more, try asking other parents in your local area how much they pay for their babysitter. Since salary rates vary widely by location, getting an idea of ​​the going rate in your city by asking around can provide some good comparisons.

If you would like more information on paying for babysitting or how to get a babysitter, please visit: http://www.getananny.net

© 2010 Jon Lake.