| There are several important factors to consider when defining the salary for your aupair or nanny. And you should know the value of what you’ll get before you pay for it.
Salary is not dependent on the need of the individual, rather on the value they provide based on their experience. Remember that the starting salary for a live-in aupair as defined by the US State Department is US$157.95 and in the UK it is less: £40-55. Simply because an aupair or nanny asks for a certain rate does not necessarily mean it is deserved. Salary should be earned based on demonstrated performance and current value. And market values change based on economic conditions.
AuPair and Nanny Salary Guidelines
Important Factors Affecting Au Pair & Nanny Salaries
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- Works 5 hours per day, 5 days per week
- Baby sits 2-3 evenings per week
- Receives 2 free days and evenings off
- Weekly salary ranges from 52 – 65 €
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- Works 6 hours per day, 5 days per week
- Baby sits 2-3 evenings per week
- Receives 2 free days and 3 evenings off
- Weekly salary ranges from 78 – 95 €
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- Works 8 hours per day, 6 days per week
- Baby sits 4-5 evenings per week
- Receives 1 free day and 3 evenings off
- Weekly salary ranges from 104 – 120 €
- Qualifications
Are you hiring an au pair with standard baby sitting experience that requires training or are you hiring an experienced au pair or nanny that has over three years of aupair or nanny experience with 200 hours of documented infant care experience, CPR training and child care education credentials?
- Total Cost Comparison – Live in or Live Out?
Will your aupair or nanny be living in your home and will you be covering all of her food and utility costs? Possibly health insurance and car insurance? Will she travel with you on vacations as part of your family – with some free time off? This is an important point to consider since the cost of housing in most major metro areas ranges from US$13,200 to US$20,400 and up per year. Those are costs that your aupair or nanny will not have to bear if she is a live-in. So when considering the salary you plan to pay, factor in the value of room and board then add your weekly pay to come up with a realistic annualized salary. Then compare that salary to the salary of a local school teacher (who has a four-year degree) or to the salary of a day care provider in your area. That way you will get a relative comparison of the salary for the value of the service of your aupair or nanny.
It is also important to understand your overall cost if you plan to hire your aupair through an agency. The following fees/costs are listed in US dollars and based on averages for US agencies. The costs shown do not account for supplemental expenses you will incur while having a live-in, such as food, utilities and family vacations, etc. These costs will vary depending on your country.
Agency program fee
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$ 6,385
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| Agency application fee |
$300
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Domestic aupair airfare cost
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$500
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| Education fee |
$500
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| Annual aupair salary at $158/wk |
$8,216
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| Total annual cost |
$15,901
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| Weekly cost |
$306
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- Previous Experience
How many years of child care experience does your aupair or nanny have? If your candidate has less than three years of experience of continuous referential employment as a child care provider, then she is at the beginning of her child care career and will not typically receive a weekly salary above $200 per week on a live-in basis.
- Maturity and Education Level
What is the maturity and education level of the child care provider you are hiring? Does she have a four-year college degree or a Master’s Degree? The higher the education, the more you will typically pay your aupair or nanny. Your aupair or nanny will have a definite influence on your children and she will be partly responsible for their ongoing education in assisting with school work and proper grammar. Be sure you hire an aupair or nanny with the right kind of influence for your children. A four-year degree may increase the base salary up to 20 percent and a Master’s Degree may increase the base salary up to 40 percent depending on practical, related experience in the field of child care.
- Geographic Location: Supply and Demand
Where you live, the number of available candidates in your area, how desirable your city is, the cost of living and the cost of child care in your area will affect the rate you pay your aupair or nanny. In many major metro areas where the cost of living is high, there is also a high demand for qualified child care and thus the salaries for aupair and nannies tend to be competitive, which means that the costs for child care in more rural areas tend to be comparatively lower. Compared to the United States, European countries tend to pay far less for aupairs, nannies, child minders and house help. So if you live in a European country you will want to strongly weight this factor when scoring the qualifications of your aupair or nanny to determine the appropriate salary.
As an example, there are three different classifications for an aupair in most European countries: Au Pair, Au Pair Plus and Mother’s Help, each with varying pay depending mostly on the hours worked.
Au Pair in Europe
Au Pair Plus in Europe
Mother’s Help in Europe
- Scope of Responsibility
Are you hiring an aupair or a nanny for part-time or full-time work? How many actual hours per week will you require their services? Do you require more than 45 hours per week? If so, the weekly salary should be adjusted accordingly. How many children will the aupair or nanny care for? If the aupair or nanny will have care for more than three children, the weekly rate should be increased by 10 percent per child. Basic services such as grocery shopping, cooking meals for the children and light housework are typically expected in the basic job description.
However, some nannies may also provide additional household management services; overseeing gardening, kitchen or cleaning staff, or even handling bills. Such services depend on the nanny’s education and experience. Such services usually demand greater responsibility and specialized experience for which higher salaries are expected and deserved. Professional nannies with over five years of contiguous child care experience and at least a four-year degree that are providing full household management services beyond child care, shopping, cooking and light housework may find salaries extending well beyond US$400 per week.
AuPair and Nanny Salary Guidelines
The weekly salary ranges indicated below may be used as guidelines based on a wide range of factors described above. The Qualitative Qualification Rating from 1 to 5 resembles the lowest level to the highest level of possible qualification in each category. Evaluate your aupair or nanny candidate based on the listed categories, then sum the ratings to find the total Rating Score. Based on the Rating Score, find the corresponding salary range listed below. All salaries are listed in US dollars. Salaries do vary greatly based on country, so be sure to adjust salary ranges accordingly.
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