What Is the Average Pay Rate for a Professional Nanny in Chicago?
The cost of a nanny is… WHAT?? (Insert Home Alone scene, hands to face.)
It can feel overwhelming to hear the average cost of a professional nanny in the Chicagoland area. We’re hoping to shed a light on the situation, as nanny pay rates are continuing to climb.
To get right to the point:
The nanny market has been changing drastically, and as an agency, we have been working hard to keep our finger on the pulse.
Times are tough. Unsurprisingly, a lot of this has to do with the pandemic. Even as it comes to a close, whenever that may be, some of these changes will be everlasting. At Nanny Harmony, as a team of individuals with both experience as new parents and who have all collectively worked as career nannies, we have continued to identify the mental/emotional shifts of both parties, and it is our job to make sense of the market. There is a lot of noise online, there is fear; there is STRESS and some false accusations. Is it the nannies’ fault?
Let’s dig into this a little further.
Parents’ Perspective:
As a newer mother myself with a tight budget for a part-time nanny, I empathize for families with little wiggle room in their budget even while knowing how valuable childcare is in the first place. From the parents’ angle, work demands have most likely ramped up in the wake of the pandemic, and then add the pressure of finding a [professional, experienced, reliable, engaging, compassionate, career] nanny to that list. And one that you can afford.
Quite frankly, gone are the days of asking around your neighborhood for recommendations on a “local nanny looking for a job at $18-20/hour.”
Why is it harder to find nannies? What’s happening to local referrals?
The nanny demand is HIGH, while the supply is LOW.
—The pandemic left many nannies/families questioning the safety of an in-home, in-person relationship, whether or not they are at higher risk for severe illness.
—On a positive note, more caregivers have taken time this past year to focus on furthering their education. They are expanding their knowledge and fine-tuning their resumes in order to demonstrate their commitment to professional excellence and to standout from their peers in a competitive market. This may play a role in the lower supply.
In most cases, the pandemic has caused nannies’ job responsibilities to increase, which has resulted in higher pay expectations. While parents didn’t have a choice with remote learning, while trying to juggle working-from-home, adding tasks to the nanny’s plate has caused nannies to ask for a boost in compensation. After numerous months of added responsibilities, whether that be facilitating remote learning or creating a mock preschool curriculum from home, many nannies’ list of responsibilities have become the “new normal.”
Nannies’ Perspective:
As a former/recent professional nanny here in Chicago, I fully understand the value of a professional caregiver. As someone who climbed their way to the top—from babysitter, to part-time nanny, to an established full-time, career nanny—I know that this is a special role and worthy of a pretty penny.
To take a step back, there is a clear-cut difference between back-up babysitting (having that person come over on an occasional basis and paying them at their hourly rate for their time) versus paying for the experience and education of a professional nanny.
Having a nanny is a luxury.
Nannies have become more protective of their self-worth, and rightfully so. We think there is some good that has come out of this pandemic, in terms of the work nannies have done, nationally, to redefine themselves in this role. To highlight this, we wholeheartedly appreciate this 3-minute video clip put together by Innovative Youth Care, who advocates for domestic workers and nannies through NYC.
. . .
As an agency, it is our job to keep our eye on the market. Families hire us for our expertise, our ability to source and screen experienced candidates, and for our advice on the market while keeping everyone’s best interest in mind.
So, what is the average rate for an experienced professional nanny in Chicago and/or the Chicagoland suburbs today?
Chicago, city limits*:
LONG TERM, Full-Time/Part-Time Nanny — $27-35+/hour.
LONG TERM, Nanny/Household Manager — $30-40+/hour.
LONG TERM, Nanny Share — $32-40/hour.
Short Term Nanny (with professional experience) — $25-35/hour, depending on criteria.
Chicagoland suburbs, (within 40-mile radius of the city)*:
LONG TERM, Full-Time/Part-Time Nanny — $25-33+/hour.
LONG TERM, Nanny Share — $30-36+/hour.
Short Term Nanny (with professional experience) — $25/hour, and up, depending on criteria.
*We observe these to be the average market rates, in our experience, as of April 2024.
Nanny Harmony is a well-established, premier nanny placement agency, based in Chicago and offering services nationwide. We take immense pride in our extensive community network and in our proven ability to find extraordinary matches between families and passionate, experienced nannies, household managers, and Newborn Care Specialists. To begin the process today, fill out a family application here.
