Nanny job description: duties, skills and qualifications.

Core duties

16

O*NET task statements

Preparation

Job Zone 1-2 of 5

very little to some preparation

Typical entry education

High school diploma or equivalent

BLS 2025–35 · broader occupation

Median pay

$34,980

BLS May 2025 · broader occupation

Data Government data groups this job as Nannies (O*NET-SOC 39-9011.01; BLS series “Childcare Workers”). O*NET figures on this page are for that occupation; BLS pay and projections are for the broader BLS occupation, labelled where shown.

1. Instruct children in safe behavior, such as seeking adult assistance when crossing the street and avoiding contact with unsafe objects. importance 4.9 of 5
2. Remove hazards and develop appropriate boundaries and rules to create a safe environment for children. importance 4.9 of 5
3. Perform first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) when required. importance 4.9 of 5
4. Instruct and assist children in the development of health and personal habits, such as eating, resting, and toilet behavior. importance 4.8 of 5
5. Regulate children's rest periods and nap schedules. importance 4.8 of 5
6. Teach and perform age-appropriate activities, such as lap play, reading, and arts and crafts, to encourage intellectual development of children. importance 4.8 of 5
7. Help prepare and serve nutritionally balanced meals and snacks for children. importance 4.7 of 5
8. Model appropriate social behaviors and encourage concern for others to cultivate development of interpersonal relationships and communication skills. importance 4.7 of 5
9. Organize and conduct age-appropriate recreational activities, such as games, arts and crafts, sports, walks, and play dates. importance 4.6 of 5
10. Assign appropriate chores and praise targeted behaviors to encourage development of self-control, self-confidence, and responsibility. importance 4.5 of 5
11. Observe children's behavior for irregularities, take temperature, transport children to doctor, or administer medications, as directed, to maintain children's health. importance 4.5 of 5
12. Work with parents to develop and implement discipline programs to promote desirable child behavior. importance 4.5 of 5
13. Perform housekeeping and cleaning duties related to children's care. importance 4.1 of 5
14. Meet regularly with parents to discuss children's activities and development. importance 4.1 of 5
15. Supervise and assist with homework. importance 4.1 of 5
16. Transport children to schools, social outings, and medical appointments. importance 4.1 of 5

Work activities O*NET rates most important here: Assisting and Caring for Others, Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships, Performing General Physical Activities, Making Decisions and Solving Problems and Scheduling Work and Activities.

Also part of the job

Supplemental tasks O*NET lists for this occupation: less central than the core duties above, and not done in every job.

• Shop for groceries, clothing, and other items needed for children's care.

Knowledge areas: English Language, Customer and Personal Service, Psychology, Education and Training and Public Safety and Security.

Software O*NET lists for this occupation: Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Educational software, Scheduling software, Web browser software. These are examples O*NET records for the job, not a list of tools every employer uses or a checklist of what you must know.

• Education: BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as the typical entry-level education for the broader occupation.
• Experience: BLS lists no work experience in a related occupation as typical to enter.
• Training on the job: BLS lists short-term on-the-job training as typical once hired.
• Preparation: O*NET places the job in Job Zone 1-2 of 5 (very little to some preparation). Some occupations may need little or no previous experience; others require several months to a year of experience.
• Licenses and certifications: not listed here. A license is a legal requirement set by a state; a certification is a credential from a private or professional body. Rules vary by state and employer, and a missing entry on this page does not mean none is required: check with your state's licensing board and see how to become a nanny.

Most O*NET's occupation experts for this occupation (60%) name a high school diploma or equivalent as the education the job requires.

Job title: Nanny
[Company] · [City, State] · [Full-time or part-time] · [Pay range, where your state requires one]

About the role
[Company] is hiring a Nanny to care for children in private households and provide support and expertise to parents in satisfying children's physical, emotional, intellectual, and social needs.
[One sentence on your team and why this role matters.]

What you will do
- Instruct children in safe behavior, such as seeking adult assistance when crossing the street and avoiding contact with unsafe objects.
- Remove hazards and develop appropriate boundaries and rules to create a safe environment for children.
- Perform first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) when required.
- Instruct and assist children in the development of health and personal habits, such as eating, resting, and toilet behavior.
- Regulate children's rest periods and nap schedules.
- Teach and perform age-appropriate activities, such as lap play, reading, and arts and crafts, to encourage intellectual development of children.
- Help prepare and serve nutritionally balanced meals and snacks for children.
- Model appropriate social behaviors and encourage concern for others to cultivate development of interpersonal relationships and communication skills.

What we are looking for
- [Education: BLS lists a high school diploma or equivalent as typical for this occupation; set the level this role truly needs]
- [Experience: BLS lists no related work experience as typical to enter; set what this role needs]
- Strength in social perceptiveness, active listening and monitoring
- Working knowledge of English Language and Customer and Personal Service
- [Software your team uses, e.g. Microsoft Excel or Microsoft Word]
- [Any license or certification your state or company requires]

[Schedule, benefits and how to apply]

Illustrative: every name, employer, school, date and number in these samples is fictional or a bracketed placeholder. Replace each bracket with your own true details; never copy a result you did not achieve.

Not a real job posting. This template is TryHired's illustration built from government occupational data. It is not an opening at any employer, and no employer wrote it.

For the broader BLS occupation Childcare Workers, the median annual wage was $34,980 in May 2025. The broader occupation's median hourly wage was $16.82.

BLS counts the O*NET occupation Nannies within Childcare Workers and publishes no separate wage for it, so the figure is for that broader occupation.

BLS projects employment in the broader occupation Childcare workers to decline 2.0% from 2025 to 2035, with about 150,300 openings a year over that period, including openings to replace workers who leave.

See the full nanny salary breakdown by percentile, state and metro.

• Read a real nanny posting next to the core duties above. Duties it repeats, such as “Instruct children in safe behavior, such as seeking adult assistance…”, tell you what that employer weighs most; anything it adds is specific to that team.
• Tailor your resume to the posting, not to this page: describe only nanny work you have actually done, with your own results.
• Prepare a story for each of the top-rated skills (social perceptiveness and active listening); nanny interview questions turns them into practice questions.