Here Are Five Nannies Who Make Over $100,000 a Year

When you think of careers that yield six-figure salaries accompanied by enviable, jaw-dropping perks, being a nanny probably doesn't come to mind. We know what you're thinking: Is a $100,000 salary the norm? Nope, but it's absolutely doable. In fact, when we began researching this story, we quickly discovered that we had more highly paid nannies to interview than what we had room to include.

Here's the thing, though: Being a six-figure nanny requires a certain kind of person, and the skill set is more inherent than it is learned. They must be incomprehensibly patient, incredibly flexible, able to work 70+ hours a week with a perma-smile, and someone who will completely sacrifice her life for the family she's working with.

Let's say you're a six-figure nanny with hot date on Saturday night, but your family calls you in that morning for a spontaneous jet-away across the country. That date is to be continued, and you're officially on the clock. And though you may have been swept away via a private plane and ushered to the most lavish five-star hotel, that doesn't equate to champagne selfies and sight-seeing. It equates to preparing a schedule for the child and taking care of the family's every need so their vacation goes off without a hitch.

“These families have the luxury of being really spontaneous – to a degree that most of us can't even imagine," says Katie Provinziano, managing director at Westside Nannies, a California-based agency that pairs families with the perfect nanny. “A lot of nannies really like structure, and they feel like their role is to create structure for the children and their parents. So they're tasked with the difficult job of creating structure within what can be a completely unstructured setting."

We spoke to three of these highly-paid nannies to further gain insight into their lives. Some names have been changed to protect their – and their families' – identities.

Catherine, 29: Bedford, NY

Salary: $140,000

I've been a nanny since I was in college, and I have about six years of full-time, professional experience. I went to college to study elementary education, and sort of fell into nannying during the summers. I discovered that I loved it, and when I graduated, instead of looking for teaching jobs I applied to my first nanny agency.

I've worked with children ages fourteen to two days old, but my current kids are two and four. The parents are great and very involved. All of the families I've worked with have been different. In some cases, the parents are rarely around, and in others they're involved in every aspect. I've worked around the country and the world, and I've lived and worked on a horse farm, on a yacht, in villas, and in "normal" homes. That's what's great about being a nanny – it's the same profession, but every position is like a completely different job with different skills required and people to figure out.

Private travel is pretty great. It's hard to go back to flying commercial when you're used to having a jet all to yourself. I've seen more places than I ever would have been able to on my own, and in the most amazing ways. Also, getting to eat meals prepared by the amazing household chefs is a huge perk! Each job has had its own special things. I've gotten generous bonuses, had apartments provided, and have been given lovely gifts.

It can be a challenge to come into someone else's home and fit in seamlessly. That's part of what's expected of nannies who work in these types of positions. Each family has a different idea about what role they want their nanny to fill, and you need to figure that out quickly. In all cases, the idea is to anticipate and fix every problem before the parents know that it's a problem. It can be a lot of pressure, but I think it's a good and exciting challenge. I would say that nannies who are paid these large salaries are ones who are comfortable and willing to wear many hats. Every day can be different, and learning to go with the flow and keep order amidst chaos is such a necessary skill. It's an exciting career for sure!

Sasha, 28: Nashville, Tenn.

Salary: $150,000

I have been a nanny for 10 years. I started babysitting at the ripe age of 11, and those jobs turned into summer gigs, which evolved into part-time nanny positions while I was in college. I ended up taking about six months off from undergrad to take on a tour nanny position, and then once I graduated, I continued to nanny as my career. And here I am today! In addition to a college degree, I have a teaching credential, and have multiple child-related certifications, as well.

I typically work Monday through Friday about 50 to 55 hours a week, but there have been weeks that have topped 80 hours, not counting the overnights. This usually happens when we are traveling! I give my bosses my full availability from 6 a.m. Monday to 6 p.m. Friday, but there are times when I must be flexible to travel or work weekends. I generally get to work around 9 a.m. and stay until bedtime, but at least stay until after dinner. I'm really lucky with this family because they will let me hire back-up sitters if I have made plans for an evening and they need someone last minute. A lot of jobs that pay at this level don't have this sort of flexibility built in.

The most rewarding aspect of my job is how much of a difference I can make in a child's life. I love connecting with my charges and seeing their faces light up when I show up for the day. I love being able to soothe them when they scrape a knee or teach them to ride a bike. I truly have fun every single day at work and no two days are the same.

Christine, 33: Ireland

Salary: $100,000

I have been both a live-in and a live-out nanny. I don't really prefer one or the other, as they are both great in their own way. Most families I have worked with have two or three kids ranging in ages from newborn to 12. Sometimes you have nurses working with you and you have to manage staff, or as I was lucky enough to have on several travel trips, a co-nanny to help care for the children. It's always great working in an environment with other nannies so you can bounce ideas off each other or build each other up when the energy might be lagging after a long day. With other jobs, you might be the sole nanny in charge of one child, or even three children and maintain the household for the parents. I consider myself fortunate to have had great relationships with all of the parents I have worked for.

It varies from family to family. With live-in positions, your living expenses are paid for, including food, Internet, and that sort of thing. With overseas positions, you have medical insurance, plane tickets to and from your home country, and visas are organized and paid for. When you travel with a family, all your expenses are covered, including flights, accommodation and food. You are also often given gifts and bonuses, but it all depends on the family, the position and sometimes the culture that you are working in at any given time. Families are really generous and thoughtful with their nannies.

The most challenging aspect of the job for me doesn't come from the job itself, but from the perception of the job. The concept of “nanny" being a career path is not always seen as a serious or important job. The professionals in the industry have worked hard over the years to dispel the myth of a nanny just being an over-paid babysitter, or that is somehow an “easy" way to make money. In reality, it is a professional industry full of hard working women and men who are qualified and experienced and with a passion for what they do. The job has a really serious element to it that can often be glossed over. I have spent many hours with children in doctor's offices, hospitals, with anything from minor illnesses to serious breathing problems. You need to be prepared, be calm, and act quickly in an emergency. We aren't just there to play games all day; we are there to ensure the children's safety and wellbeing.

Sarah, 30: Sydney, Australia

Salary: $100,000

A family friend once asked if I could look after her baby for an hour while she went to a meeting. That hour turned into a full-time job and now, 13 years later, I cannot imagine working in a different field. Nannying can be hard to define, but if you think of any quote you've ever heard about finding fulfillment in your work, that's where I am.

I love teaming up with new parents who are figuring out how to juggle crucial times in their career, along with raising young children and carving out time to keep hold of what makes them feel like them. This is what nannying offers: quality childcare that really meets a family's needs, rather than expecting a family to work around what the childcare centre needs. My clients include CEOs and Middle Eastern royalty, and my work has brought me two degrees of separation (or less) away from the US President, Beyoncé, Mark Zuckerberg, sporting stars, celebrities, and authors. It certainly gives me a unique perspective on how we all rely on each other to keep the world running.

From envelopes that are full of Euros to Apple products to unicorn socks, the real value of a gift is the acknowledgement and recognition of the investment you are making in a family's life. Of course, my favorite perk is all-expenses paid travel and staying in obscenely lavish hotels in cities I'd previously only seen in photos and movies, eating at restaurants where the bill could cause me to lose my lunch if I were paying, and exploring our incredible world through a child's eyes.

For me, it's not being woken in the night, or the inevitable heartbreaking goodbyes. It's working in an unregulated industry. The women in my nanny community constantly face an uphill struggle to secure an on-the-books job that pays above minimum wage and includes benefits. Many feel forced to settle for one out of three. Unfortunately, this is a complex web to rid ourselves of. Two imposing factors being the gender pay gap and the traditional view that if a woman works, childcare should be paid out of her income.

Idaso, 31: Calabasas, Calif.

Salary: $100,000

I am currently working for a celebrity, and they have two children who are four and two and a half. The parents are young, very humble, nice, and value me a lot.

I am a live-in nanny, so I work 24/7. I usually get the kids ready for school in the morning, prepare a healthy breakfast and lunch for school, drop them at school, run errands, cook a healthy dinner, take the kids to different activities such as gymnastics, ballet, soccer, library, museums, indoor and outdoor playgrounds, or the zoo. I also teach French to the kids and am always on the floor playing with the kids, singing, reading stories, playing games, teaching them the good manners, and a lot more. I usually run most of the errands for the kids, organize their room, do their laundry, maintain their closet unit, clean, give them a bath at night, and put them to bed, as well.

I absolutely love what I do, and of course encounter a lot of challenges that help me to improve myself in a good way. I appreciate that there is always room for improvement, and I love moment when you can improve on something. What I found hard sometimes is the last-minute change.