How to hire a nanny

How to hire a nanny, step by step

Here's a step-by-step nanny 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 job description
• Step 5: Post your job
• Step 6: Interview candidates
• Step 7: Send a job offer and onboard your new nanny
• Step 8: Go through the hiring process checklist

What does a nanny do?

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1. Identify your hiring needs

   The nanny hiring process starts by determining what type of worker you actually need. Certain roles might require a full-time employee, whereas part-time workers or contractors can do others.

   Determine employee vs contractor status

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

   Yes

   No

   A nanny's background is also an important factor in determining whether they'll be a good fit for the position. For example, nannies from different industries or fields will have radically different experiences and will bring different viewpoints to the role. You also need to consider the candidate's previous level of experience to make sure they'll be comfortable with the job's level of seniority.

   The following list breaks down different types of nannies and their corresponding salaries.

   Type of Nanny	Description	Hourly rate
   Nanny	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	$12-29
   Sitter	A sitter is responsible for assisting medical needs under the supervision of an attending physician, registered nurses, and other health professionals. Sitters monitor the patients' daily activities and perform medical duties such as taking the patient's temperature, administering medications, monitoring food intake, helping with bathing needs, and responding to the patients' inquiries, concerns, and requests... Show more	$9-18
   Pet Sitter	A pet sitter is responsible for taking care of household pets while their owners are away. Pet sitters perform services for pet maintenance, including taking them to the veterinarian, monitoring their food, walk them in the park, and administer medications, if any... Show more	$4-29

   Show more

2. Create an ideal candidate profile

   Common skills:

   • Meal Prep
   • Kids
   • CPR
   • Child Care
   • Household Chores
   • Transport Children
   • Medical Appointments
   • Discipline Programs
   • Allergies
   • Drop Offs
   • Healthy Snacks
   • Nutritious Meals
   • Administer Medications
   • Healthy Meals

   Check all skills

   Responsibilities:

   • Feed, bathe, play, and teach them abc's, numbers, and colors.
   • Provide English language education (ESL) to young children.
   • Work closely with parents to counsel and motivate child with ADHD.
   • Tutor children in mathematics, reading, writing, and German/English.
   • Organize activities for children and provide childcare while parents work or run errands.
   • Develop into a caregiver, supporter, planner, and friend to the children.

   More nanny duties

3. Make a budget

   Including a salary range in your nanny job description is one of the best ways to attract top talent. A nanny can vary based on:

   • Location. For example, nannies' average salary in florida is 42% less than in massachusetts.
   • Seniority. Entry-level nannies 57% less than senior-level nannies.
   • Certifications. A nanny with certifications usually earns a higher salary.
   • Company. Working for an established firm or a new start-up company can make a big difference in a nanny's salary.

   Average nanny salary

   $40,262yearly

   $19.36 hourly rate

   ---

   Entry-level nanny salary

   $26,000 yearly salary

   Updated January 1, 2026

   Average nanny salary by state

   Rank	State	Avg. salary	Hourly rate
   1	Massachusetts	$56,396	$27
   2	Vermont	$55,396	$27
   3	Washington	$54,448	$26
   4	California	$54,390	$26
   5	Maine	$52,714	$25
   6	Colorado	$51,137	$25
   7	District of Columbia	$50,385	$24
   8	Oregon	$50,169	$24
   9	Minnesota	$49,081	$24
   10	Wyoming	$48,888	$24
   11	Arizona	$47,629	$23
   12	New York	$47,363	$23
   13	New Jersey	$45,726	$22
   14	Connecticut	$44,874	$22
   15	Michigan	$43,583	$21
   16	Idaho	$43,206	$21
   17	Nebraska	$42,852	$21
   18	Maryland	$42,840	$21
   19	Wisconsin	$42,827	$21
   20	Pennsylvania	$41,740	$20

   Average nanny salary by company

   Company

   Rank	Company	Average salary	Hourly rate	Job openings
   1	Missouri State University	$54,097	$26.01
   2	Go! Retail Group	$48,409	$23.27	3
   3	Marin Software	$46,889	$22.54
   4	Jordan Company	$46,211	$22.22
   5	Quinn	$44,172	$21.24
   6	Sam	$42,737	$20.55
   7	CARE	$42,439	$20.40	55
   8	Zūm	$42,288	$20.33
   9	Sittercity	$41,641	$20.02	11
   10	Albert	$41,295	$19.85
   11	College Nannies And Tutors	$40,937	$19.68
   12	Nanny	$40,837	$19.63	30
   13	Smartsitting	$40,740	$19.59	2
   14	Nanny Poppins	$40,597	$19.52	23
   15	Vivvi	$40,585	$19.51
   16	Grp Inc	$40,585	$19.51
   17	Private Inc	$40,585	$19.51
   18	Dia	$40,539	$19.49
   19	Wellthy	$40,519	$19.48
   20	Eastwind	$40,336	$19.39	7

4. Writing a nanny job description

   A good nanny job description should include a few things:

   • Summary of the role
   • List of responsibilities
   • Required skills and experience

   Including a salary range and the first name of the hiring manager is also appreciated by candidates. Here's an example of a nanny job description:

   Nanny job description example

   LIGHTHOUSE POINT, FL (LOCAL CANDIDATES ONLY)-Business professionals located in between BOCA RATON and FORT LAUDERDALE seek a FULL-TIME NANNY to care for their two girls, ages 5 years and 1 month. Position can be LIVE IN or LIVE OUT. They are currently in a smaller home but are looking for a larger home in the same area. In both homes, a live-in nanny will be provided with a private bedroom and bathroom. Hours are from 7am-5pm Monday-Friday, but the schedule can be flexible for the right candidate, especially when the newborn is on a set schedule. They have a 16-year-old English Setter (must love dogs) who does not require care other than being let outside and back in.
   
   The eldest goes to school around 7am and usually has afterschool activities on campus until about 5pm. During the day, the nanny's focus will be on helping mom care for the newborn and assisting with household duties such as laundry, light housekeeping, tidying up, cooking/meal prep for the family (required if living in, must be a helpful housemate!), etc. Afternoons will be spent picking up the eldest from school and chauffeuring her to afterschool activities (most are on campus/nearby). A family car will be provided.
   
   They seek a kind and patient team player. Someone who is flexible and willing to roll up their sleeves and jump in where help is needed. A self-starter who takes initiative to help without being asked. Someone who can anticipate needs and take the lead. Mom works from home and dad works in an office. They are true partners and work as a team and seek a professional nanny to become part of their parenting squad and help them to raise confident and kind children!
   
   They would love a nanny who is willing to travel with them as a family on occasion. Must be vaccinated for Covid, tdap, flu, and be a strong simmer, as they will be moving to a waterfront home with a pool and boat and spend a lot of time on the water! Pay is $25-30/hour (flexible depending on experience). Benefits include paid sick days, holidays and vacation. Start date is ASAP!
   BA/BS college degree | AA in related field of study
   
   CPR/First Aid Certification (renew as needed)
   
   Ability to make a one-year commitment unless applying for a temporary position
   
   A passion for working with children
   
   Two+ years childcare experience
   
   Excellent work and personal references
   
   U.S. driver's license (this does not apply to NYC residents)
   
   Complete Stop the Silence Training upon Membership
   
   Fluent in English/Bilingual a plus
   
   Competent swimmer
   
   Non-smoker
   
   Willing to go through extensive Background Check
   
   Must be Live-Scanned and registered with Trustline if CA resident
   
   Willingness to show proof of immunizations
   
   No-cell phone driving signed guarantee
   
   Must be eligible to work in the U.S.
   
   Paid sick days, holidays and vacation
   
   USD $25.00/Hr.
   
   USD $30.00/Hr.
   
   50
   
   ID: 2022-2829
   
   External Company Name: The Nanny League, Inc.
   
   Street: 123 Main Street

   Copy this example

   

5. Post your job

   To find nannies for your business, try out a few different recruiting strategies:

   • Consider internal talent. One of the most important talent pools for any company is its current employees.
   • Ask for referrals. Reach out to friends, family members, and your current work to ask if they know any nannies they would recommend.
   • Recruit at local colleges. Attend job fairs at local colleges to recruit entry-level nannies with the right educational background.
   • Social media platforms. LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter have more than 3.5 billion users, and they're a great place for company branding and reaching potential job candidates.

   Post your job online:

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

6. Interview candidates

   Recruiting nannies requires you to bring your A-game to the interview process. The first interview should introduce the company and the role to the candidate as much as they present their background experience and reasons for applying for the job. During later interviews, you can go into more detail about the technical details of the job and ask behavioral questions to gauge how they'd fit into your current company culture.

   Remember to include a few questions that allow candidates to expand on their strengths in their own words. Asking about their unique skills might reveal things you'd miss otherwise. At this point, good candidates 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

   Once you have selected a candidate for the nanny position, it is time to create an offer letter. In addition to salary, the offer letter should include details about benefits and perks that are available to the employee. Ensuring your offer is competitive is vital, as qualified candidates may be considering other job opportunities. The candidate may wish to negotiate the terms of the offer, and it is important to be open to discussion and reach a mutually beneficial agreement. After the offer has been accepted, it is a good idea to formalize the agreement with a contract.

   You should also follow up with applicants who don't get the job with an email letting them know that you've filled the position.

   Once that's done, you can draft an onboarding schedule for the new nanny. 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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