How to hire a nanny/household manager

How to hire a nanny/household manager, step by step

Here's a step-by-step nanny/household manager hiring guide:

• Step 1: Identify your hiring needs
• Step 2: Create an ideal candidate profile
• Step 3: Make a budget
• Step 4: Write a nanny/household manager job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new nanny/household manager
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   Before you start hiring a nanny/household manager, identify what type of worker you actually need. Certain positions might call for a full-time employee, while others can be done by a part-time worker or contractor.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

   Is the person you're thinking of hiring a US citizen or green card holder?

   Yes

   No

   Hiring the perfect nanny/household manager also involves considering the ideal background you'd like them to have. Depending on what industry or field they have experience in, they'll bring different skills to the job. It's also important to consider what levels of seniority and education the job requires and what kind of salary such a candidate would likely demand.

   The following list breaks down different types of nanny/household managers and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Nanny/Household Manager	Description	Hourly rate
   Nanny/Household Manager	Childcare workers provide care for children when parents and other family members are unavailable. They attend to children’s basic needs, such as bathing and feeding... Show more	$14-29
   Family Nanny	A family nanny is primarily in charge of taking care of children while the parents are away. Their responsibilities typically depend on the children's age or habits... Show more	$11-28
   Baby Sitter	A Baby Sitter is responsible for the welfare and safety of children while their parents or guardian are away. The tasks will vary on the age, behavior, or needs of the children... Show more	$10-21

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Homework
   • Household Chores
   • Kids
   • Healthy Meals
   • Meal Prep
   • Educational Games
   • Child Care
   • RUN Errands
   • Meal Planning
   • CPR
   • Household Management
   • Transport Children
   • Medical Appointments
   • Drop Offs

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Administer medications as directed by physician, regulate daily eating and sleeping schedule, perform CPR or first aid as needed.
   • Volunteer for PTA and are a classroom mom.
   • Prepare to perform first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) when require.
   • Buy and stock all groceries, household items, prescriptions, and dry cleaning.
   • Interact with kids with learning activities to help develop fine motor skills and learn numbers and letters.
   • Handle bill payments, answer phone calls and secure groceries, home supplies and other supplies need.

   More nanny/household manager duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your nanny/household manager job description helps attract top candidates to the position. A nanny/household manager salary can be affected by several factors, such as geography, experience, seniority, certifications, and the prestige of the hiring company.

   For example, the average salary for a nanny/household manager in Mississippi may be lower than in Alaska, and an entry-level nanny/household manager usually earns less than a senior-level nanny/household manager. Additionally, a nanny/household manager with certifications may command a higher salary, and working for a well-known company or start-up may also impact an employee's pay.

   Average nanny/household manager salary

   $43,544yearly

   $20.93 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level nanny/household manager salary

   $30,000 yearly salary

   Updated December 16, 2025

   Average nanny/household manager salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Washington	$56,200	$27
   2	Washington	$56,197	$27
   3	California	$54,263	$26
   4	Massachusetts	$52,784	$25
   5	Massachusetts	$52,741	$25
   6	Massachusetts	$52,710	$25
   7	Massachusetts	$52,654	$25
   8	Massachusetts	$52,597	$25
   9	Massachusetts	$52,585	$25
   10	New Jersey	$49,607	$24
   11	Colorado	$48,262	$23
   12	New York	$47,967	$23
   13	Minnesota	$45,278	$22
   14	Minnesota	$45,241	$22
   15	Minnesota	$44,822	$22
   16	Pennsylvania	$39,838	$19
   17	Utah	$39,575	$19
   18	Delaware	$39,220	$19
   19	Virginia	$36,948	$18
   20	Texas	$34,457	$17

   Average nanny/household manager salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	College Nannies And Tutors	$45,963	$22.10
   2	Nanny	$45,849	$22.04	25
   3	Nanny Poppins	$45,715	$21.98
   4	Grp Inc	$45,714	$21.98
   5	CARE	$44,706	$21.49	15

4. Writing a nanny/household manager job description

   A nanny/household manager job description should include a summary of the role, required skills, and a list of responsibilities. It's also good to include a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager. To help get you started, here's an example of a nanny/household manager job description:

   Nanny/household manager job description example

   A bit about us: We are a family of five - we have two kids ages 6yo and 2.5yo, mom, dad, and cat (Nick). We love traveling and being outside - on many weekends you can expect to find us in our camper in the woods somewhere. We're a busy family with two parents who work full-time, so we need your help to close the gaps!
   
   Our oldest kiddo is very excited to be starting kindergarten this fall. He is a lively and creative kid - he loves imagining entire worlds and acting out stories in them. He also loves to build (and rebuild and rebuild) his Lego sets. He is high-functioning autistic - for the most part, he's just like any other kid but could use some minor extra support with transitioning between activities. He has ABA therapy at home 3x/week and is in school full time.
   
   Our younger kiddo is starting preschool this year. He has a sunny disposition and is also quite active. He enjoys listening to stories and playing with anything with wheels. He adores going to the park or playing on our backyard swing set.
   
   A bit about you: You're organized, empathetic, and kind. You believe that kids are individuals and value their thoughts and opinions while also setting and maintaining boundaries. You excel not just at completing tasks but also at identifying gaps and seeing what needs to be done. You're a good communicator and express your opinions and ideas openly. You enjoy teaching and guiding kids (and having fun with them as well!).
   
   Job Duties: Care for two children M-F, approximately 12:30-5:30 (when school is in session; potential for more hours when school is out). Picking our younger kiddo up from preschool every day at 1:00 pm (1.1 miles from our house). Help with cleaning, organizing, and tidying common spaces (kids' rooms, playroom, living room, kitchen, dining room, etc) Laundry (for the whole family) Meal prep - packing lunch and snacks for the kids' for the next school day, preparing after-school snacks for both kids, dinner prep for the family as needed. Help with grocery shopping and errands.
   
   *Position Highlights*: Competitive pay. Guaranteed regular hours, with more bonus hours as mutually agreeable for date nights, etc. 2 weeks paid vacation, plus paid time off whenever we are out of town. Paid sick time. Healthcare stipend.
   
   *Qualifications*: Good communication skills, curiosity/interest in learning about neurodiversity, ability to pick children up from school (car, e-bike, or bus), 2 years of experience, and glowing references from recent nanny positions.
   
   *Set yourself apart*: Experience working with neurodiverse children. Driver's license (to be able to transport children with a vehicle)
   
   *Schedule: * M-F 12:30 pm - 5:30 pm (when school is in session; potential for more hours when school is out).
   *Pay: *$35 an hour
   
   Job Types: Part-time, Full-time
   
   Pay: $35.00 per hour
   
   Schedule:
   * 4 hour shift
   * 8 hour shift
   * Monday to Friday
   
   Application Question(s):
   * Are you fully vaccinated against Covid 19?
   * Please provide your email for quickest connection:
   
   Experience:
   * Childcare: 1 year (Required)
   * Nannying: 1 year (Preferred)
   
   License/Certification:
   * Driver's License (Required)
   * CPR Certification (Preferred)
   
   Work Location: One location

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find the right nanny/household manager for your business, consider trying out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important sources of talent for any company is its existing workforce.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and current employees and ask if they know or have worked with nanny/household managers they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit nanny/household managers who meet your education requirements.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter now have more than 3.5 billion users, and you can use social media to reach potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

   • Post your nanny/household manager job on Zippia to find and recruit nanny/household manager candidates who meet your exact specifications.
   • Use field-specific websites.
   • Post a job on free websites.

6. Interview candidates

   During your first interview to recruit nanny/household managers, engage with candidates to learn about their interest in the role and experience in the field. During the following interview, you'll be able to go into more detail about the company, the position, and the responsibilities.

   It's also good to ask about candidates' unique skills and talents to see if they match your ideal candidate profile. If you think a candidate is good enough for the next step, you can move on to the technical interview.

   The right interview questions can help you assess a candidate's hard skills, behavioral intelligence, and soft skills.

7. Send a job offer and onboard your new nanny/household manager

   Once you've decided on a perfect nanny/household manager candidate, it's time to write an offer letter. In addition to salary, it should include benefits and perks available to the employee. Qualified candidates may be considered for other positions, so make sure your offer is competitive. Candidates may wish to negotiate. Once you've settled on the details, formalize your agreement with a contract.

   It's also important to follow up with applicants who do not get the job with an email letting them know that the position is filled.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new nanny/household manager. Human Resources should complete Employee Action Forms and ensure that onboarding paperwork is completed, including I-9s, benefits enrollment, federal and state tax forms, etc. They should also ensure that new employee files are created for internal recordkeeping.

8. Go through the hiring process checklist

   • Determine employee type (full-time, part-time, contractor, etc.)
   • Submit a job requisition form to the HR department
   • Define job responsibilities and requirements
   • Establish budget and timeline
   • Determine hiring decision makers for the role
   • Write job description
   • Post job on job boards, company website, etc.
   • Promote the job internally
   • Process applications through applicant tracking system
   • Review resumes and cover letters
   • Shortlist candidates for screening
   • Hold phone/virtual interview screening with first round of candidates
   • Conduct in-person interviews with top candidates from first round
   • Score candidates based on weighted criteria (e.g., experience, education, background, cultural fit, skill set, etc.)
   • Conduct background checks on top candidates
   • Check references of top candidates
   • Consult with HR and hiring decision makers on job offer specifics
   • Extend offer to top candidate(s)
   • Receive formal job offer acceptance and signed employment contract
   • Inform other candidates that the position has been filled
   • Set and communicate onboarding schedule to new hire(s)
   • Complete new hire paperwork (i9, benefits enrollment, tax forms, etc.)

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