Nanny rate calculator: what should I charge?

The national average for a booked nanny is $26.24 per hour, or roughly $55,000 a year full-time, according to UrbanSitter’s 2026 booking data. Posted starting rates average closer to $20.68 per hour (Care.com’s 2025 survey). Real rates run from about $18 per hour in lower-cost metros like San Antonio and Dallas to $30 or more in San Francisco and Seattle.

The industry standard is $1 to $3 more per hour for each additional child; this calculator uses $2. Families with infants or twins often pay the top of that range, since infant care demands more skill and attention.

Two families employ one nanny together. Each family typically pays 60 to 75% of the solo rate (this calculator uses 70%), so both families save 25 to 40% while the nanny earns roughly 140% for two children. Each family runs payroll and pays employer taxes on its own share.

Yes. Under the Fair Labor Standards Act, live-out nannies are non-exempt employees who must be paid at least 1.5x their regular rate for every hour over 40 in a week, in every state. Guaranteed hours and a written agreement are standard practice. This calculator applies the 1.5x rule automatically when you enter more than 40 hours.

Wages, plus about 10% on top for employer taxes: 7.65% for Social Security and Medicare, plus federal and state unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation. Most families also offer paid time off (typically two weeks of vacation, five sick days, and six paid holidays) and many add a health insurance stipend of $100 to $500 per month. Those benefits are baked into the 52-week annual figures this calculator shows.

Yes. No email required to use it, no signup, no limits. It is one of the free tools we build for childcare professionals. If you like it, share it with a fellow nanny or a family you know.