Au Pairs vs. Nannies
South African au pair, Sandra
Curious as to the difference between an au pair and a nanny? You’re not alone. While at the end of the day, either option will provide quality child care, the differences are substantial. Choosing the option that is best for your family is a difficult one. Here’s a look at how au pairs and nannies compare to one another.
| Au Pairs | Nannies | Advantage | |
| Cost | Average weekly cost of $356, regardless of area or size of family. | Average weekly cost of $750 depending on the area of the country; also dependent on number of children. | Au pairs |
| Schedule/ Flexibility |
Schedule created by host family; 45 hours to utilize each week based on family’s needs. Lives in-home so available immediately for sick days, emergencies, etc. | Must operate within the framework of their service or agency; limited due to vacations, personal commitments, etc. | Au pairs |
| Training | Every au pair has at least 200 hours of recent child care experience. Upon arrival in the U.S., au pairs attend an intensive four-day orientation program. | Most agencies require a certain level of training, but no set of standards or requirements exist across the board throughout the U.S. | Au pairs |
| Non-Child Related Duties |
An au pair can assist with household duties pertaining to the children (laundry, meals, cleaning) but are not expected to perform everyday domestic-care duties. | A nanny is able to incorporate such chores as cooking family dinners and picking up the dry cleaning into their services. | Nannies |
| Support | Support of experienced au pair provider, 24/7 emergency assistance and year-round support from a local counselor whose main priority is assisting you throughout the year. | In most cases there are no support resources for a nanny. | Au pairs |
| Selection and Search |
Largest online database of qualified au pairs; preferences form allows families to set characteristics and criteria of candidates they’d like to see; au pairs found by self-search option or by suggestions from agency. | Families can place ads for nannies or utilize nanny services including online databases. Limited variety of applicants to choose from. | Au pairs |
| Educational/ Cultural Stimulation |
It is an au pair’s responsibility to help their host children with homework. Children also receive a global education during most formative years learning about au pair’s culture; many parents also utilize their au pair for language immersion. | Majority are either not qualified and/or not required to assist with children’s schoolwork. | Au pairs |
| Medical and Liability Insurance |
Au Pair in America is among the select few in-home care programs that offer Personal Liability Protection and basic medical coverage for all of its participants. The cost is already included in the program fee. | Most families must purchase an insurance plan for their nanny and offer it as a full benefit or ask the nanny to pay part of the premium resulting in added work and expenses. | Au pairs |
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