When it comes to in-home child care, nannies often pop into parents’ heads first, but au pairs are another option. That being said, while both provide care inside the home for children, there are some major differences between an au pair vs. nanny in terms of their roles, caregiving backgrounds, salaries and more.
“Au pairs are typically young persons from other countries who participate in a formal U.S. cultural program, providing child care in exchange for room and board along with a stipend,” explains Elizabeth Malson, president of the U.S. Nanny Institute. “Nannies, on the other hand, are typically employees able to work legally in the U.S. as caregivers — many of whom work full time and often have specialized training and experience in child care.”
Here, Malson, along with Samantha Janney, executive vice president at Cultural Care Au Pair, offer insight on the difference between an au pair and nanny.
The difference between au pair and nanny: A quick look
| Au Pair | Nanny | |
| Training | Varies but have some babysitting experience | Varies but most have experience beyond babysitting; some have advanced and specialized training |
| Day-to-day duties | Child care/light housework | Individualized child care; other duties vary |
| Living arrangement | Lives with “host family” | May live with family or commute to work from home |
| Pay | Weekly stipend of at least $195.75/week (plus additional fees) | Varies, but average posted rate ranges from $20.04 to $27.18/hour* |
| Work hours | Maximum of 10 hours a day/45 hours a week | 40 hours a work week, with potential overtime |
| Job duration | One year, with ability to extend by 6, 9 or 12 months | Varies but long term in many cases |
| Work permit/visa | Required and arranged as part of the au pair program | Not required for nannies who are legally eligible to work in the U.S. |
Au pair vs. nanny: Roles and duties
The biggest difference between au pair and nanny is that nannies are professional child care providers, au pairs are not. While an au pair can provide basic child care support and safety, a professional nanny manages all aspects of a child’s care at home, as outlined by the family.
“Au pairs are part of a cultural exchange program and they ultimately become an extension of the family,” explains Samantha Janney, executive vice president at Cultural Care Au Pair.
“They’re young adults who have babysitting experience in their home country and are looking for an immersive experience with an American host family where they can provide support, care and companionship to the host children.”
With that said, the day-to-day duties of au pairs and nannies are fairly similar in that the crux of their tasks revolve around child care, first and foremost, often with the addition of light housekeeping, as agreed upon. Each family is different, but here are a tasks that both nannies and au pairs take on, as per Janney and Malson:
- Feeding.
- Bathing.
- Dressing.
- Playing.
- Homework help.
- Dropping and picking kids up from school, playdates, etc.
- Light housework, such as laundry and tidying up.
Keep in mind, though, nannies provide highly individualized care, which may include planning activities and meals, as well as nurturing a child’s social and emotional needs and development. Nanny positions can also be specialized. For instance, you may choose to hire a nanny who’s a newborn care specialist or has special needs training or other specialized experience.
Another key difference to note, per the Department of State, au pairs cannot be placed in families to care for:
- An infant less than 3 months old unless a parent or other responsible adult is at home.
- Children under 2 unless they have at least 200 hours of documented infant child care experience.
- A special needs child, unless they have identified prior experience, skills or training in caring for special needs children. The family needs to review their training and acknowledge it in writing.
Au pair vs. nanny: Living arrangement
Au pairs live with you — a.k.a. their “host family” — similarly to live-in nannies, who also reside with families; however, live-out nannies do not live with you and instead work on a predetermined daily schedule in your home..
“Au pairs must be provided with a private bedroom with access to a full bathroom, which can be shared,” Janney explains. “Host families also cover the cost of food — three meals a day — and board as part of the program.”
To find out more about live-in nannies’ living situations and more, check out: How much does a live-in nanny cost?
Au pair vs. nanny: Salary
Since au pair programs are regulated by the Department of State, their pay is much more uniform than nannies’, which are heavily influenced by experience, location, job scope, etc. According to Care’s Cost of Care calculator, as of July 2024, the average posted rate for nannies in the U.S. is between $19.89 and $27.15 per hour.
Au pairs, on the other hand, receive a minimum $195.75 weekly stipend set by the U.S. Department of State and are allowed to work a maximum of 10 hours a day and 45 hours a week.
“Host families and au pairs can discuss and agree on a higher stipend,” Janney notes. “However, they cannot be asked to perform any duties outside of those allowed by the au pair program.”
“Beyond the weekly stipend,” Janney continues, “au pairs have their room and board covered by their host families, as well as up to $500 to fulfill their education requirement of taking 6 college credits.
There are other fees with au pairs, as well. Using Cultural Care Au Pair as an example, there’s a program fee of $10,595, a $75 registration fee and a $450 processing fee in addition to weekly stipend and education fee.
Au pair vs. nanny: Job duration
Traditionally, nannies are long-term employees for families whereas au pairs work within the terms of the program. While the time a nanny is with a family will vary and depend on a number of factors, au pairs, Janney notes, come to the U.S. for an initial term of one year, with the possibility of extending for an additional six, nine or 12 months if they successfully complete the first year.
Au pair vs. nanny: Work visas
Au pairs always need a work visa; nannies, on the other hand, do not, as long as they are legally eligible to work in the U.S.
“As a part of the U.S. Department of State cultural exchange program, au pairs come to the U.S. on J-1 cultural exchange visas and must work with one of the 14 sponsor organizations designated by the State Department such as Cultural Care Au Pair,” notes Janney.
While most families hiring a nanny find caregivers already living in the United States, there are exceptions. Depending on their specific employment situation and the requirements of the employer, nannies from outside the United States, Janney explains, “need appropriate work visas, such as the H-2B or J-1 visa.”
The bottom line
Both nannies and au pairs provide child care in the home, but the former is a highly tailored, professional job, while the latter is a culturally immersive experience.
“Au pairs truly integrate into the family, learning about American culture while sharing aspects of their own background with the host family and children,” Janney explains. “They open a window to a world outside of the United States that ends up creating moments of enlightenment for everyone involved.”
