Why We Love It
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$22,310Potential Avg. Salary
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5.5%Job Growth Rate
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Growing DemandJob Outlook
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Skill-Based WorkCareer Attribute
Nannies are permanent, full-time caregivers for one or more children in a single household. They’re commonly hired to work for children of executives who work long hours or take frequent business trips. Nannies drive children to school and activities, prepare meals, and enforce adherence to rules.
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What is a Nanny?
The following job responsibilities are common for individuals in nanny roles:
- Care for one or more children in a single household, ensuring all needs are met
- Drive children to and from school, after-school activities, and doctor’s appointments
- Prepare meals and snacks for children to ensure they’re getting proper nutrition
- Help children with homework, provide education in the household, and change diapers/potty-train
- Ensure children follow all set rules to enforce safety and prevent the development of bad behaviors
A Day in the Life of a Nanny
Nannies function similar to another parent for the children they care for. Unlike babysitters and daycare workers who care for multiple children from multiple families, nannies care exclusively for one or more children from a single family. Most of the time, nannies care for children in their parents’ homes, and in some cases, nannies may actually live in the home as well. They often work for children whose parents are busy executives and are away from home often fulfilling work responsibilities.
Nannies provide all of the types of care you would expect a parent to provide. They take children to and from school, extracurricular activities, and appointments. They organize fun and entertaining outings to prevent boredom and keep children happy. They help with homework, ensure homework is completed, and take time to create educational opportunities in everyday life. They also ensure that basic needs are met: diapers are changed, children and bathed, and meals are provided for all major mealtimes.
The role of a nanny can be extremely rewarding for people who love working with children and enjoy the families they’re employed by. In many cases, children under the care of a nanny learn to love the nanny just as much as their parents. For this reason, most nanny roles are permanent situations throughout a child’s early life—the attachment the nanny and children feel for each other would make firing the nanny devastating for everyone involved.
Typical Work Schedule for Nannies
Because nannies commonly work for families where parents work long hours, nannies may be required to work long hours, evenings, weekends, and possibly even holidays. Many nannies live in the homes of the children they care for and may need to provide care for children at all times—even in the middle of the night.
Typical Employers
Most nannies work in private homes, though some are employed by nanny services and are placed with families by the services they work for.
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How To Become a Nanny
No formal postsecondary education is required to work as a nanny. For nannies, the most important qualification is that you can care for children in a manner that promotes healthy emotional and physical development, and that qualification is more about personality than formal credentials. However, it does help to have ample experience caring for children in order to gather references and stand out against other applicants, so many nannies begin their careers as babysitters or day care workers.
While no formal degree is required, nannies are commonly hired to work for highly educated families who prize education, and in these circumstances, having a degree in early childhood education can boost your chances of finding work. The level of degree is unimportant—it could be an associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree, but it will show potential employers that you have the skills and talents needed to provide educational instruction to children in addition to caring for basic needs.
When looking for opportunities, nannies can do the legwork of finding employers themselves, or they may choose to work with an agent or placement service. Working for a placement service has its advantages and disadvantages: it simplifies the process of finding new households who need nannies, but it also reduces the take-home pay for nannies as the placement service will take a cut of your pay. Nannies may choose to work for a placement service early in their careers and then move into a self-discovery working model where they find their own clients after earning years of experience.
Nanny Salary Data
We’ve provided you the following to learn more about this career. The salary and growth data on this page comes from recently published Bureau of Labor Statistics data while the recommendations and editorial content are based on our research.
National Anual Salary
Low Range
$18,290Average
$22,310High Range
$30,750National Hourly Wage
Low Range
$9/hrAverage
$11/hrHigh Range
$15/hrHow do Nanny salaries stack up to other jobs across the country? Based on the latest jobs data nationwide, Nanny's can make an average annual salary of $22,310, or $11 per hour. This makes it an Above Average Salary. On the lower end, they can make $18,290 or $9 per hour, perhaps when just starting out or based on the state you live in.
Salary Rankings And Facts
#797 Nationally for All Careers
Programs and Degrees
Here are the most common degrees for becoming a Nanny. a is usually recommended and specifically a degree or coursework that prepares you for the particular field, see below.
Highest Education Among Nannys
- 0.5% Doctorate
- 3.1% Masters
- 14.2% Bachelors
- 10.1% Associates
- 26.6% College
- 32.2% High School
- 13.3% Less than High School
Job Growth Projections and Forecast
2014 Total Jobs
1,260,6002024 Est. Jobs
1,329,900Job Growth Rate
5.5%Est. New Jobs
69,300How does Nanny job growth stack up to other jobs across the country? By 2024, there will be a change of 69,300 jobs for a total of 1,329,900 people employed in the career nationwide. This is a 5.5% change in growth over the next ten years, giving the career a growth rate nationwide of Below Average.
Growth Rankings And Facts
#405 Nationally for All Careers
What Companies Employ The Most Nannys
| Industry | Current Jobs | New Jobs Needed | % Increase |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-employed workers | 341,400 | 15,800 | 16% |
| Child day care services | 305,500 | 23,400 | 24% |
| Private households | 256,000 | 6,100 | 6% |
