How Much Does a Nanny Cost in 2024?
Average daytime nanny rates are between $30 and $40 per hour in Australia. This varies depending on the role and whether they are a casual, part-time or full time employee or an independent contractor.
The cost of a nanny is one of the considerations for parents when they are researching the right mix of childcare for their family. Often a nanny is a valuable addition to the family to help parents manage the juggling act of children, school hours, work schedules, travel, extracurricular activities and busy lives!
What is a nanny?
In order to determine the right hourly rates, it's important to define a nanny. A nanny usually refers to a person who cares for children in the children's own home. She is a professional who works as a nanny as her main career. Often nannies have a qualification in childcare or education. They may also have qualifications relating to first aid and anaphylaxis. Most importantly career nannies are experienced and skilled in working with babies and children. For this reason nannies are usually paid a slightly higher hourly rate compared to a babysitter.
How much does a nanny cost?
Most nannies in major cities in Australia cost between $30-40 per hour if they are working independently. Sometimes it can be higher or lower, depending on the nanny and the role. If a nanny is working as an Independent Contractor she sets her own rates and employment conditions. This may be negotiated with parents directly.
Based on a survey of the nannies listed on Find A Babysitter, below are the average rates:
How much does a nanny cost in Melbourne?
The majority of nannies in Melbourne are advertising rates between $30 - $40 per hour on Find A Babysitter.
How much does a nanny cost in Sydney?
In Sydney most of the professional nannies on Find A Babysitter have rates listed at $30 - $40 per hour.
How much does a nanny cost in Brisbane?
In Brisbane the majority of nannies on Find A Babysitter are charging between $30-35/hour.
How much does a nanny cost in Perth?
The nannies in Perth are charging between $30-35/hour.
How much does a nanny cost in Adelaide?
In Adelaide the nannies are charging between $25-30/hr.
How much does a nanny cost in Canberra?
Based on a small sample size the nannies in Canberra are mostly charging around $30/hr.
How much does a nanny cost in Hobart?
In Hobart the nannies advertising on Find A Babysitter are usually $20-30/hr.
How much does a nanny cost through an agency?
As a comparison, here are some of the rates and fees that nanny agencies charge. Agencies usually conduct the screening, interviewing and credential checking for parents. The fees that agencies charge for this service vary. Here are some fees published by a range of nanny agencies in Australia:
| FEE | NANNY AGENCY | FIND A BABYSITTER |
|---|---|---|
| Admin, Registration or Joining Fee | $100 - $295 | $75 |
| Placement Fee for a full-time nanny | $3,500 - $4,000 | $0 |
| Placement Fee for a part-time nanny | $750 - $1,500 | $0 |
| Placement fee for an afterschool carer | $1,500 | $0 |
| Daily booking fee for a temporary nanny | $35 per day + the hourly rate | $0 |
| Hourly rate for a nanny | $30 - $45 / hour | $20-40 |
| Hourly rate for a nanny after school | $38 / hour (3hr min shift) | $28-35 |
| Newborn care (casual) hourly rate | $39 / hour | $30-40 |
| Payroll fee - for the agency to run the payroll for the parent | $1-2 extra per hour = approx $30 per week. | n/a |
What factors influence the hourly rates for nannies in Australia?
The hourly rates for nannies vary based on
- Whether the job is casual, part-time or full-time
- The hours of the role (e.g., before 7am or after 7pm, afterschool care)
- The nanny's qualifications
- The nanny's experience
- The number of children being cared for (rates are higher for 2, 3, 4 or more children)
- The ages of the children (rates are higher for young babies)
- The duties of the role
- Weekend work and public holidays
- The employment market - the market forces drive hourly rates up or down. This is a significant factor post-pandemic with a tight labor market.
Is a nanny an employee, contractor or sub-contractor?
A nanny can be paid as either
- an Independent Contractor (where she negotiates her own fees or working arrangements) or
- An employee of the family.
FairWork Australia provides guidance on whether a nanny is defined as an Independent Contractor.
What is the cost of a nanny share?
A nanny share is when 2 families employ 1 nanny to care for their children in one of the families' homes. Some families choose to share a nanny to halve the cost of care and provide the children with the shared care opportunity. This works well when each family has 1 or 2 children, so the total number of children combined is suitable for a sole carer. For example if the nanny's rate is $35/hr, then each family pays $17.50/hr.
If a nanny is an employee, what award applies?
If the nanny is an employee, her rates are covered by the Miscellaneous Award
in Australia. This is a safety net for lower paid employees, to ensure they
are paid minimum wage. Rates of pay change annually on the 1st of July, so
it's important to check for updates each year. The charts provided by the
government are quite detailed and can be found through Fair Work Australia.
Below is an example of hourly rates to give you an idea of employee rates:
Adult employee
Casual rate
Level 3 (has a trade qualification)
= $33.96/hr (+ super and workcover if needed)
How is payment processed?
When it comes to nanny pay, Find A Babysitter does not process payments. The parents and the nanny arrange this directly, off the platform. In most cases parents pay their nanny on a weekly or fortnightly basis. Find A Babysitter does not control this process or take commissions. This means that there are no extra fees that are added to the transaction, keeping costs low for parents.
Can I pay cash to my nanny?
Yes, it is legal to pay wages in cash. This may be more convenient for some families. In this situation the nanny must declare cash income to the ATO in her tax return. The employer must follow all the tax and super rules.
How does a nanny pay tax?
Every employee must pay income tax when they earn money from employment. The first $18,200 is tax free for Australian residents. The employer deducts tax from the employees wages and sends it to the ATO. If a nanny is an Independent Contractor she must report and pay her own tax.
Does a nanny earn superannuation?
If a nanny is an employee and works over 30 hours per week her employer is required to pay a percentage of her gross salary into a superannuation fund. Employers may need to pay superannuation to a nanny who is an Independent Contractor, if she is mainly paid for her labour. The ATO has lots of helpful information about paying superannuation here.
Does a nanny need workers compensation?
Employers may be required to provide Workers Compensation for employees, depending on your state and the amount the nanny earns per year. Every state and territory in Australia has a different system - called WorkSafe (in ACT, Vic, Tas, NT) or WorkCover (in NSW, Qld, WA). Please check your state for requirements.
How much is the cost of a nanny versus a babysitter?
Often the terms nanny and babysitter are used interchangeably. The key difference is that a babysitter usually refers to a carer who does childcare in a casual or part-time capacity. She does not care for children for her main career. A babysitter might be studying or working in another field and does some babysitting as a part-time job. Often a babysitter's hourly rates will be slightly less than a nanny. This does depend on the hours and the role she is undertaking, though. Frequently a babysitter will be working irregular hours, late at night or on weekends, so her hourly rates will reflect this. To see more details about babysitting rates please check out our guide to babysitting rates in Australia.
Should we write an Employment Contract for our nanny?
An employment contract is a great way to cover all the details of the pay and conditions for your nanny. Areas to consider include:
- Job description
- Starting date
- Wage, super and tax arrangements
- Days and hours of work
- Reimbursement for expenses
- Leave entitlements
- Notice for leave requests
- Performance review
- Termination of employment
There are lots of employment agreement templates to be found online. Here is a starting point to create an employment contract.
Please note Find A Babysitter cannot provide professional advice regarding nanny employment. This information is only provided as a general guide. Find A Babysitter is not a nanny agency, we are simply a job posting and introduction site. We give parents an affordable and efficient way to meet a range of carers to suit their family. We do not specify the nannies' rates or add any other costly overheads. Nannies create profiles on our site and state their rates. Parents have the freedom and flexibility to set appropriate hourly rates based on the specific role.
We hope that this information helps give you an overview of how much a nanny costs in Australia.
