Your domestic staff plays an invaluable role in ensuring you lead a comfortable, efficient life. Naturally, you want to compensate these critical employees fairly and generously.
There are many benefits to paying your incredible domestic staff what they’re worth. Talent with high job satisfaction will work harder and stay longer. Their presence will help create a warm, positive atmosphere in your home. That all begins with their rate of pay.
As one of the top domestic employers, settling for low industry averages may not be enough. If you pay your household staff minimum wage, you shouldn’t expect more than a minimum level of service. The more you offer your domestic help, the more they will offer you.
We’ve created this guide to shed some light on what the country’s top earners really pay their most valuable household staff members. Continue reading to discover what it takes to retain the most experienced, hardworking housekeepers, nannies, groundskeepers, and more.
Understanding Household Staff Salaries
Housekeeper Salary
The rate you pay your housekeeper will depend on their unique duties and responsibilities. Expectations should be clear as early as the interview process. Specificity will ensure you hire the most qualified candidate for every role.
For example, a housekeeper with childcare or pet care responsibilities will require a different level of experience than a housekeeper without those duties. Likewise, any employee with unique, specific experience should receive higher pay for their expertise.
Many domestic employers utilize a tiered system based on experience. Your new, inexperienced housekeeper’s salary and your executive housekeeper’s salary should not be the same. Likewise, we advise you to make these salary tiers transparent. When your staff knows that there is a clear pathway toward career advancement, they will work harder and for longer.
The industry average salary for an executive housekeeper is about $80,000 annually. We often advise starting these staff members at no less than $100,000. The most senior and experienced members of the housekeeping staff might make $200,000 or more annually.
These rates do not include benefits, accommodations, or additional perks and amenities.
Nanny Salary
As with housekeepers, the role of the family nanny can vary. You should always compensate more for any unique childcare expertise. For example, a newborn care specialist has a critical and specific skill set. It requires study above and beyond what other nannies possess.
Likewise, a governess with a teaching credential has put additional time, money, and effort into developing career-relevant skills.
Even a standard nanny with special certifications or credentials is valuable. You should always pay these knowledgeable professionals what they are worth. After all, they are responsible for the care, development, and well-being of your irreplaceable children.
The average nanny salary for various roles is as follows:
- Nannies without other responsibilities: $80,000 annually
- Nanny-housekeepers or nanny managers: $100,000 annually
- Governesses or nanny-tutors with education backgrounds: $150,000 annually
- Newborn care specialists: $175,000 annually
Personal Assistant Salary
The range of responsibilities of a household personal assistant can run the gamut. As always, compensate your assistant fairly based on their experience and the demands of the role. Many personal assistants have special skills such as event planning or travel coordination. If you plan to make use of these important qualifications, paying above the industry average is key to retention.
The average top employer pays their personal assistant approximately $125,000 annually. You may wish to pay more based on your assistant’s unique skills.
Groundskeeper Salary
Employers with expansive properties need hardworking and competent groundskeepers to maintain the aesthetic of their homes. The rate of pay will depend on the size and location of your property. Also, consider whether the groundskeeper is a full-time or part-time staff member.
Likewise, some groundskeepers possess specialist skills such as topiary, horticulture, tree care, or irrigation management. Unique properties call for unique skill sets, and it’s crucial to compensate these experienced professionals for their expertise.
A full-time, experienced groundskeeper might make approximately $100,000 annually.
Generous Domestic Employers Attract Top Talent
Attracting top talent in the household staffing industry begins with you. Are you willing to pay what these experienced, loyal, and hardworking individuals are worth? Offering household staffing salaries that are higher than the industry average ensures service that goes above and beyond.
The domestic employers we work with are the most generous in the industry. We’ve found that they both attract and retain the best-qualified, hardest-working candidates available. We’d love to help you find and hire a talented domestic staff member whose skills and service are truly invaluable.
Begin the hiring process and experience the difference for yourself.
