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How much does a live-in nanny cost?

From taxes to overtime, here’s everything you need to know about the cost of a live-in nanny.

How much does a live-in nanny cost?

When it comes to hiring a live-in nanny, there are a number of things to consider. First and foremost, you need to decide if having a live-in nanny is right for your family. After that (and after finding the right person), you need to determine an acceptable live-in nanny salary. But spoiler alert: The latter decision shouldn’t be all that difficult, as the cost of a live-in nanny doesn’t differ much from the cost of a live-out nanny.

“Whatever the market rate is for live-out nannies in your area, you can expect to pay the same, or a few dollars more per hour, for a live-in nanny,” says Michelle LaRowe Conover, lead educator at Global Nanny Training. “And like live-out nannies, live-in nannies must be paid an hourly rate at or above minimum wage, though most nannies expect far more.” 

“Whatever the market rate is for live-out nannies in your area, you can expect to pay the same, or a few dollars more per hour, for a live-in nanny.”

—Michelle LaRowe Conover, lead educator at Global Nanny Training

From taxes to overtime, here’s everything you need to know about live-in nanny costs.

How much should you pay a live-in nanny?

The cost of a live-in nanny is on par with the cost of a live-out nanny — or, as LaRowe Conover says, a few dollars more per hour. While a number of factors will influence a live-in or live-out nanny’s rate (more on this shortly), Olivia Fountain, operations manager at the domestic staffing agency, Household Staffing, notes that the live-in nannies who are placed through their company generally make between $25-$30 an hour, with their working hours generally being from around 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. or 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. The company places nannies nationally, but it’s worth noting they generally work with higher-income families.

To get a better idea of what a nanny will cost in your area and the general cost of live-in nanny services, use our babysitting rates calculator. As a quick example, the cost of a live-in nanny in Brooklyn, New York is currently about $22 an hour, while the cost of a live-in nanny in San Antonio, Texas is around $16.75.

Here are some basic examples of typical live-in nanny rates based on location, according to recent Care.com data collected from our 2024 Cost of Care Report.

Current live-in nanny rates for top cities*

CITYHOURLY NANNY RATE
San Francisco, California$27.01/hr
Seattle, Washington$24.39/hr
Washington, DC$22.89/hr
Brooklyn, New York$22.87/hr
Denver, Colorado$22.21/hr
San Diego, California$21.97/hr
Portland, Oregon$20.81/hr
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania$20.69/hr
Atlanta, Georgia$20.64/hr
Chicago, Illinois$20.56/hr
Phoenix, Arizona$19.74/hr
Charlotte, North Carolina$18.86/hr
Orlando, Florida$18.41/hr
San Antonio, Texas$17.53/hr
* Rate information as of 2/2024

Other factors that can influence the cost of live-in nanny services (live-in or live-out) are:

  • Years of experience.
  • Number of kids.
  • Ages of kids.
  • Expected duties. 

Live-in vs. live-out nanny cost: How they compare

A live-in nanny salary may be on par with a live-out’s, but there are a few differences to keep in mind. For one, in addition to their salary, you’re including “room and board” (which means you need a clean, safe, suitable place for them to live). While, technically, you can deduct a small amount for this, LaRowe notes that “most nannies will not look favorably on essentially paying a family for employment”and in some places and instances, it’s illegal.  

In Massachusetts, for example, employers are not allowed to deduct room and board from a household employee if the job requires them to live in your home. If the nanny wants to live in your home, but is not required, you can deduct $35 (at most) a week. 

“Many people are under the impression that live-in nannies earn less than their live-out counterparts — this simply is not true,” explains LaRowe Conover. “Live-in nannies are typically paid a premium because of the flexibility and reliability they bring to the table. While it is often assumed that by deducting room and board, parents can save by hiring a live-in nanny, in practice, that just isn’t the case.”

“Many people are under the impression that live-in nannies earn less than their live-out counterparts — this simply is not true. Live-in nannies are typically paid a premium because of the flexibility and reliability they bring to the table.”

——Michelle LaRowe Conover, lead educator at Global Nanny Training

Each situation is different, but other expenses that may accompany a live-in nanny are:

Are live-in nannies paid overtime?

Live-in nannies must be paid for every hour worked — “including times they are not allowed to leave the home or are on call,” according to LaRowe Conover — but in most states, due to the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), live-in nannies are not entitled to overtime pay.

“However,” LaRowe Conover adds, “in some states, live-in nannies are entitled to overtime if they exceed a set number of hours per day or week.” 

For instance, in Hawaii , live-in employees are to be paid overtime for anything over 40 hours a week, whereas in New York, live-in nannies are to be paid overtime if they work over 44 hours in a week. 

Other states have their own live-in nanny overtime rules, as well. To find the most up-to-date information, check out our list of nanny tax and payroll requirements by state

What are live-in nanny work hours?

Live-in nanny hours are generally the same as live-out nanny hours. While a live-in nanny undoubtedly offers more convenience than a live-out, they’re not “on 24 hours a day,” notes Fountain. Each family and live-in nanny need to decide what works best for them and put it in their nanny contract

Fountain also notes that, generally, live-in nannies don’t get up with babies during the night, as their tasks are more aligned with a live-out nanny than a night nanny

Do you pay live-in nanny taxes?

Yes! Families are required to withhold taxes from household employees that earn over $2,700 in a year, in addition to paying household employment taxes of their own. If taking care of taxes and payroll feels like a daunting task to you, consider having Care.com HomePay take care of everything for you.