How much does a nanny cost in Illinois?
Reviewed September 2026 against the same data that powers Kindred's free calculators.
Families in Illinois typically pay a nanny around $28 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 $63,274 per year, which works out to about $30 per hour all-in.
The typical hourly rate
$28 per hour is a regional benchmark for Illinois, 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.
The full budget math, full time
Paying legally means payroll taxes on top of wages. For a 40-hour week in Illinois at $28/hour:
- Gross wages: about $58,240 per year
- Employer payroll taxes (Social Security and Medicare at 7.65%, federal and Illinois unemployment tax): about $5,034 per year
- Total cost to your family: about $63,274 per year
How that compares with daycare in Illinois
Center-based infant daycare in Illinois runs around $18,900 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 Illinois?
- Do nannies get overtime in Illinois?
- 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.