Nanny shares can be a beautiful thing for all parties involved. On the one hand, parents get personalized care for their kids (plus, the benefits of socialization) while paying a lower price, and on the other, you make more than you otherwise would working as a nanny for just one family. That said, figuring out the right pay rate for a nanny share can be tricky — there are guidelines, however.
“A nanny’s share rate is 25-35% less [per family] than the rate they would charge for a single family,” explains Lora Brawley, a 30-year nanny veteran and consultant and trainer at Nanny Care Hub in Federal Way, Washington. “In every area, that single family rate depends on the nanny’s experience, education, skill level and work attitude, as well as the family’s job description and overall difficulty of the job.”
Whether you’re a professional nanny considering your first nanny share job or you’re simply looking for the going rates, here’s what experts say you need to know to figure out how much to charge for a nanny share.
Are you a parent looking for current nanny share cost info? Read more here: How much does a nanny share cost?
What’s a fair nanny share rate?
Michelle LaRowe, lead educator at Global Nanny Training, concurs with Brawley that, generally, nanny share rates are about 25% less than a single family rate. “Nannies often ask for two-thirds of what they would typically expect from each family in the nanny share.” However, she adds, to determine an exact number, “it really depends on the nanny and the family.”
“Nannies often ask for two-thirds of what they would typically expect from each family in the nanny share.”
— Michelle LaRowe, lead educator at Global Nanny Training
When it comes to setting a general nanny rate (which is the jumping off point to nanny share rates), there are a few things to go by, including:
- Your experience.
- Number of children and their ages.
- Your education level.
- Job location.
The job location, and going nanny rates in that area, will likely have the biggest impact on setting a rate. Here are some examples of the going hourly nanny rates based on top cities, according to recent Care data.
Current nanny pay rates for top cities*
| City, State | Hourly nanny rate |
| San Francisco, California | $25.75/hr |
| Seattle, Washington | $23.00/hr |
| Los Angeles, California | $22.50/hr |
| Brooklyn, New York | $21.50/hr |
| San Diego, California | $20.50/hr |
| Austin, Texas | $20.25/hr |
| Portland, Oregon | $20.00/hr |
| Denver, Colorado | $19.75/hr |
| Atlanta, Georgia | $19.50/hr |
| Chicago, Illinois | $19.00/hr |
| Philadelphia, Pennsylvania | $18.75/hr |
| Charlotte, North Carolina | $18.75/hr |
| Phoenix, Arizona | $18.25/hr |
| Orlando, Florida | $17.50/hr |
| San Antonio, Texas | $16.50/hr |
Not seeing your city on this list? Use our calculator or look up current rates by ZIP code.
Should you charge both families the same hourly rate?
“Typically a nanny share includes two families and their children,” explains LaRowe. “The rate is usually two-thirds of the nanny’s typical pay for each family. Unlike daycare, families do not pay per child, they pay for the services to their family.”
“Typically a nanny share includes two families and their children.”
— Michelle LaRowe, lead educator at Global Nanny Training
But of course, there are exceptions. “Some nannies charge by the number of kids,” Brawley says, noting that, if they do, it’s generally $1 to $3 more per hour, per child.
This, however, is rare, particularly if you’re an experienced nanny, Brawley continues. “Generally, nannies won’t adjust their rate for the number of families or children. Each family will pay 65% to 75% of the nanny’s normal single family rate.”
Also, while most nanny shares typically involve two families, that’s not to say all do. That said, Brawley notes, when this is the case, things get more complex for everyone.
“It’s not just the increase in the number of children that’s more work,” she says. “Juggling more families is more complex interpersonally; it’s more difficult to create an environment that meets everyone’s needs; and it’s overall more time-consuming and requires more emotional energy.”
“Newer nannies often set their share rate and then divide it by all the families, meaning the more families, the better deal for the family,” Brawley continues. “However, those nannies quickly learn that’s not sustainable and will either ask for a raise or leave the position for a better paid one. So in the long run, that doesn’t serve anyone well.”
Other factors that may influence a nanny share rate
While usually, a nanny’s rate is per family, as opposed to per child, there are instances where it may make sense for one family to pay you more than the other. These, according to LaRowe and Brawley, are:
- The individual needs of the children.
- Other tasks required, such as cooking and/or laundry.
Additionally, who’s hosting can influence what a family pays, as well (though, this generally would be worked out between families and wouldn’t increase or decrease your rate).
“A few summers ago, my friend agreed to host the kids at her house a few days a week with a caregiver,” says Jenna Margolis, a mom of two in Beacon, New York. “It seemed fair that I paid a higher rate since my house was quiet all day and clean come evenings.”
Payroll and taxes for a nanny share
Anytime you are hired by a family to be a nanny in their home, they become your employer and are responsible for making sure you are paid correctly. In the case of a nanny share job, you’ll actually have two (or more) employers.
“Each family is a separate household employer, and as such, must be compliant with applicable tax and payroll laws,” says LaRowe. Put another way: Even though nanny share families are technically pooling their money toward one nanny, they are still individual employers.
Says Brawley: “Nanny shares are considered joint employment, and each employer is considered a separate employer and would file all the same paperwork and pay the nanny as if they were the only employer.”
“Nanny shares are considered joint employment, and each employer is considered a separate employer and would file all the same paperwork and pay the nanny as if they were the only employer.”
— Lora Brawley, a 30-year nanny veteran, consultant and trainer at Nanny Care Hub
This also means you’re eligible for the benefits you deserve, you’ll want a written contract with each family, and, of course, taxes are involved. While most of the payroll and tax process won’t require any work on your part as the employee, it’s still important for you to understand the nanny tax process.
