Setting Nanny Salaries One Family at a Time

For most families it seems like deciding on a nanny salary can be just as tough as selecting the right nanny in the first place! While there are hundreds of pages on the internet giving recommendations on what factors to consider when paying a nanny, the question "how much to pay" still pops up more frequently than any other on message boards. Part of the problem is that there is no one answer for how much a nanny salary should be. Of course it will depend on what tasks the nanny is asked to take on, the amount of hours the nanny will work, the number of children, the amount of experience the nanny has and a slew of other variables and factors. Instead of trying to do the math on this impossible equation, many families are turning to the professionals and asking for assistance from a nanny agency.

Especially with the weakened condition of the economy, finances around the house can be a touchy subject. Working with a nanny agency helps families know exactly how much they should be budgeting in for childcare each week, month and year. Before approaching an agency, all families should begin by looking at their full annual budget. The family should then decide how much of this budget, what percent, can be realistically devoted to childcare. Taking the time to figure out how much the family can afford per month, per week, and per day will help to understand, realistically, how many hours and what kinds of childcare options the family has to choose from. Going to a nanny agency with this information already in hand can help your family find the perfect nanny match quickly and easily.

Another important step to take before heading to an agency is listing the specifics of your nanny needs. Use a plus column and a minus column, monetarily speaking, to delineate which characteristics will 'up' your nanny costs, and which will help drop it. For example, multiple children is a factor that will go in the plus column, as it is common practice to charge around 10% more per child from the expected salary for a nanny. Also, hiring a very experienced nanny should go in the plus column as an added expense. If you expect the nanny to do a lot of driving, add either providing a vehicle or paying for travel expenses in the plus column. Factors that go in the minus column include offering room and board, not requiring the nanny to perform domestic chores like cooking or housekeeping, and even the current economy. Look to the average salaries for starting and experienced teachers or daycare providers in your area for a good indication of where your childcare provider's salary should lie.

Say, as an example, a family decides that it can pay around $500 per week for a nanny, but this only amounts to $10 per hour for the 10 hours the family needs childcare each weekday, spanning from when the children awake to when both parents are home at night. If this is slightly below the average nanny salary for a professional nanny in the area, the family will have to consider what variables it can work with. For example, the family may offer the nanny room and board, plus use of a vehicle, in exchange for accepting the lower salary, and may even be able to drop the weekly pay to $300, depending on the cost of living in the area. Consider all that your family has to offer before heading out to the agency. It's likely that if you think you're a great family and employer, prospective nannies will think so too! Happy nannies are far more likely to be flexible when it comes to the delicate salary issue.

About the Author

Steve Lampert is the president of eNannySource, an online nanny agency that brings together families and nannies. Lampert has been helping nannies find nanny jobs and families find nannies. Steve has been in the nanny agency business since 1994. Prior to founding eNannySource in 2001 he ran a successful, award-winning nanny agency in a major city for over 10 years, during which time he worked with thousands of families and nanny candidates. Through this experience, he became familiar with the important steps in a nanny search, which he continues to apply to his business today. To find an excellent nanny or to find nanny jobs please go to: enannysource.com enannysource.com.