How much does a nanny cost in California?
Reviewed September 2026 against the same data that powers Kindred's free calculators.
Families in California typically pay a nanny around $32 per hour in wages. Once you add the employer payroll taxes you owe on those wages, a full-time nanny (40 hours a week) costs roughly $71,998 per year, which works out to about $35 per hour all-in.
The typical hourly rate
$32 per hour is a regional benchmark for California, drawn from national childcare cost data adjusted for local cost of living. Your actual rate moves with experience (a veteran infant specialist earns well above a first-year nanny), the number of children, extra duties like cooking or driving, and whether you offer guaranteed hours and paid time off.
- What nannies actually earn in Los Angeles
- What nannies actually earn in San Diego
- What nannies actually earn in San Jose
- What nannies actually earn in San Francisco
- What nannies actually earn in Fresno
- What nannies actually earn in Sacramento
The full budget math, full time
Paying legally means payroll taxes on top of wages. For a 40-hour week in California at $32/hour:
- Gross wages: about $66,560 per year
- Employer payroll taxes (Social Security and Medicare at 7.65%, federal and California unemployment tax): about $5,438 per year
- Total cost to your family: about $71,998 per year
How that compares with daycare in California
Center-based infant daycare in California runs around $23,100 per year per child. A nanny costs more for one child, but the gap narrows fast with two or more kids because a nanny's rate rises only modestly per additional child while daycare charges per seat. A nanny share, where two families split one nanny, usually lands between the two.
Related
- What nanny taxes do I pay in California?
- Do nannies get overtime in California?
- How much should I pay my nanny?
- Post a job free on Kindred
Figures are regional planning benchmarks, not quotes. Real rates depend on experience, duties, schedule, and your local market.