Au Pair Cost: Average Prices & Cost Factors

An au pair is a young adult from abroad who lives with a host family and provides child care under a U.S. State Department exchange program. Families pay an agency for the program and pay the au pair a weekly stipend. Because the family also provides a private room and meals, the total is usually compared with the cost of a nanny or daycare.

This guide lists the agency fees, the weekly stipend, and the other required costs, then explains what the published totals leave out. Agencies update their fees each year and run discounts, so use the current pricing page of the agency you are considering for the final figure.

The yearly cost has two main parts. The program fee goes to the agency and covers matching, screening, training, visa processing, travel to the United States, and insurance. The stipend goes directly to the au pair. Added together, published totals land in a fairly narrow band.

Agencies describe the total a little differently. One adds the program fee, the minimum stipend, and the education allowance. Another quotes a round total of the costs the host family is required to pay. Because families also feed and house the au pair, a family's real out-of-pocket cost is higher than these figures.

The program fee is the biggest single line. Fees differ by agency and by program type, and agencies publish new prices each year.

Au Pair in America prices three tracks: the standard au pair program, Extraordinaire, and EduCare. Extraordinaire carries a higher fee and stipend, while EduCare has a lower fee and stipend and requires the au pair to complete more coursework. Ask each agency which program fits your family's schedule.

The State Department sets a minimum weekly stipend for au pairs, and host families must pay it regardless of how many children the au pair watches. Some agencies set their own minimum above the federal one, and families may agree to pay more.

The stipend is paid in addition to the program fee. Over a full year, it makes up a large share of the total.

Beyond the fees above, host families provide a private bedroom and regular meals. They also pay up to a set amount toward the au pair's required college coursework. If the au pair drives the family car, you will need to add the au pair to your auto insurance. Ask your insurer how it affects your premium.

The published totals leave out several household costs. Food is the largest one, since the au pair eats with the family. Utilities rise slightly with an extra person in the house. Family vacations with the au pair, a phone plan if you choose to cover it, and local transportation may add to the cost. Budget for them separately.

An au pair is often less expensive than a full-time nanny for families who need many hours of care, especially with more than one child, because Au Pair in America, for example, prices its program per family rather than per child. The trade-offs are the limit on weekly hours, the restrictions on duties, and the room you give up. An au pair is also a cultural exchange participant, not a household employee in the usual sense, so the schedule has rules. A nanny gives more flexibility on hours and duties but is typically paid by the hour and may bring employment tax duties of her own.

For rules on hours, duties, vacation, and the educational component, read the State Department's au pair program page. For tax or employment questions, ask a tax professional, because the answer depends on your situation.

Where you live matters because some states and cities set their own wage rules, and agencies may quote different stipend minimums there. Au Pair in America, for example, asks Massachusetts and California families to contact it about the minimum stipend. Repeat host families and families switching from another agency often qualify for a discount. Extension fees apply if you keep the same au pair beyond the first year. Ask the agency to write out every fee for your situation before you sign.

1. Which program fee applies to you, and does it differ for repeat families?
2. What is the minimum stipend, and does the agency set it above the federal minimum?
3. What does the fee include: travel, insurance, training, and local support?
4. How are payments scheduled, and is there a payment plan?
5. What is the policy if the match does not work out?