Au pair cost in 2026: stipend, agency fees and the real total

An au pair costs about $21,600 to $22,700 a year at four of the largest US agencies in 2026 ^[3][4][5][6]. That covers a program fee of $10,295 to $11,245 plus other agency fees, a minimum stipend of $195.75 a week at most agencies, and up to $500 toward the au pair's required classes ^{[1][3][4][5][6]}. Room and board come on top, since your au pair lives with you in a private bedroom you provide ^[1].

Spread over a year, that's about $415 to $437 a week. If you use all 45 hours of care the rules allow each week ^[1], it works out to roughly $9.20 to $9.70 an hour. A full-time nanny averaged $21.75 an hour in Care.com's 2026 survey ^[12].

Au pair cost by agency (2026)

*Our math: agency fees, plus 52 weeks of the agency's minimum stipend, plus the $500 education allowance. Prices are for a new host family's standard 12-month program, as listed on each agency's site on October 9, 2026 ^[3][4][5][6].

A few notes on those prices:

• Fifty-two weeks of stipend at $195.75 is $10,179. AuPairCare lists a $215 minimum, or $11,180 a year ^[4].
• Repeat families pay less. Cultural Care's program fee drops to $9,880 for returning families ^[3]. Go Au Pair lists discounts from $100 to $1,905, depending on eligibility ^[6].
• Prices rise. Au Pair in America's program fee goes from $11,100 in 2026 to $11,500 in 2027 ^[5].
• Higher-tier au pairs cost more. Au Pair in America's Extraordinaire program carries a $300 weekly minimum ^[5]. Go Au Pair's Plus and Premiere au pairs have $215 and $255 minimums ^[6].

What the fees leave out. Au Pair in America notes that food, a phone plan and car insurance aren't included ^[5]. Budget for groceries for one more adult, the au pair's share of the phone bill, and adding them to your car insurance if they'll drive your kids.

What the State Department rules require

Au pairs come on a J-1 exchange visa, and federal rules set the terms of the job ^[1]:

Source: 22 CFR 62.31 ^[1].

At the agencies that list it, the EduCare minimum stipend is $146.81 a week ^[5][6], and EduCare program fees are lower: $9,700 at Au Pair in America and $9,595 at Go Au Pair ^[5][6]. EduCare can fit families with school-age kids who need before- and after-school care.

Host families must be US citizens or permanent residents who are fluent in spoken English, and must give the au pair a suitable private room ^[1][2].

If you're planning around a newborn

The rules limit au pair care for young babies ^[1]:

• A sponsor can't place an au pair with a family that has a child under 3 months old unless a parent or other responsible adult is home.
• For any child under 2, the au pair needs at least 200 hours of documented infant care experience.

So an au pair can start during your parental leave, but can't be the only adult home with your baby in the first three months.

Is the $195.75 stipend changing?

The regulation doesn't set a dollar amount. It requires a weekly rate based on 45 hours, paid in line with the Fair Labor Standards Act ^[1]. Agencies describe $195.75 as the minimum set by the State Department, a federal floor that applies no matter how many hours you use ^[6][7].

Some states require more. Massachusetts requires host families to pay at least the state minimum wage, currently $15 an hour, for every hour worked ^[7]. Au Pair in America says Massachusetts and California have different minimum weekly stipends and asks families there to contact it ^[5].

Federal rule changes, as of October 2026:

• 2023 overhaul, not finalized. The State Department proposed major changes to the au pair program in October 2023. It got more than 10,000 public comments, and the changes were never enacted; the department said it was stepping back to reassess ^[11]. Its au pair page says it's premature to comment on a potential new au pair rule ^[2].
• July 2026 extension proposal. On July 30, 2026, the State Department proposed a rule covering termination, extension and reinstatement across J-1 programs (91 FR 48021) ^[9][10]. For au pairs, it would delete the separate au pair extension rule, so extension requests would follow the general J-1 timeline of 90 days before the program ends instead of 30 days ^[9]. Six-, nine- and 12-month extensions would still be possible ^[9]. Comments closed September 28, 2026 ^[10]. The proposal doesn't change the stipend, hours or education rules ^[9].

If you're planning a second year with your au pair, ask your agency early about extension timing.

Au pair vs. nanny vs. daycare

Agency fees are per family, not per child ^[5], which is why it often makes the most sense for families with two or more young kids. It also needs a spare bedroom, and you're sharing your home with a young adult for a year. A nanny lives out and can be more experienced, and daycare is usually cheapest for one child. Compare the full numbers in what a nanny costs and childcare costs by state, or look up your county's childcare prices.

Taxes and tax breaks

Payroll taxes usually don't apply. The IRS says most au pairs are nonresident aliens, so their pay is generally exempt from Social Security, Medicare and federal unemployment tax ^[8]. Host families don't have to withhold income tax, though an au pair can ask for voluntary withholding ^[8]. Au pair pay is taxable income to the au pair, who must file a US tax return ^[8].

Tax breaks can apply to you. Care in your home while you work counts toward the child and dependent care credit and a dependent care FSA, and so do fees you pay an agency to get care ^[15]. Confirm with your FSA administrator before you submit au pair costs. See how the 2026 dependent care FSA and credit compare.

Questions to ask before you sign with an agency

• What's the total first-year cost, including application, match, SEVIS and airfare fees?
• What's your minimum weekly stipend, and is it higher in my state?
• What happens to my fee if the match ends early, and is there a rematch fee?
• What support do you give during the year, and who is my local contact?
• What are your rules for au pairs driving our car?
• When would I need to apply to extend for a second year?