A standard au pair in the United States is paid at least $195.75 per week in cash, and that is the figure federal regulations set as a nationwide floor. The number assumes up to 45 hours of childcare per week and sits on top of free housing, meals, paid vacation, and an educational allowance that the host family also covers. Families can agree to pay more, and in some states they legally must, but no one may pay less than the federal minimum.
Where the $195.75 Comes From
The Department of State sets au pair pay under 22 C.F.R. § 62.31, and the weekly minimum is the product of a specific formula rather than a round number pulled from thin air.1eCFR. 22 CFR 62.31 – Au Pairs It begins with the federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour multiplied by a 45-hour work week, producing a gross weekly wage of $326.25.2U.S. Department of Labor. Minimum Wage
From that gross figure, the host family takes a credit for providing a private room and three meals a day. The credit uses Department of Labor rates for live-in domestic employees under Section 3(m) of the Fair Labor Standards Act. Lodging is valued at up to 7.5 times the federal minimum wage per week, or $54.38, and meals add roughly another $76.16 when provided seven days a week.3Federal Register. Exchange Visitor Program – Au Pairs Together the room-and-board credit comes to about $130.50, leaving $195.75 in cash. The total compensation package, cash plus in-kind lodging and food, equals a full minimum-wage income for 45 hours of work.
Hours are also capped. An au pair may work no more than 45 hours in a week, and no more than 10 hours in any single day regardless of how light earlier days have been.1eCFR. 22 CFR 62.31 – Au Pairs
What the Weekly Pay Includes Beyond Cash
The stipend is only the visible part of what an au pair receives. Federal rules also guarantee:
- At least one and a half days off per week, plus one complete weekend off each month.4eCFR. 22 CFR 62.31 – Au Pairs
- Two weeks of paid vacation during the program year, with the host family continuing to pay the regular weekly stipend even though no childcare is provided.4eCFR. 22 CFR 62.31 – Au Pairs
- An educational allowance of up to $500 for the six semester hours of coursework a standard au pair must complete at an accredited U.S. college. The allowance covers tuition, fees, and books; if the actual cost is lower, the family pays only the actual cost.1eCFR. 22 CFR 62.31 – Au Pairs
The written placement agreement signed before the au pair travels should document the weekly amount and any terms the family and au pair have agreed to beyond the federal minimums.
When Au Pairs Earn Less or More
Not every placement uses the standard 45-hour model. The EduCare program is designed for families with school-age children who need less daytime coverage. EduCare participants work a maximum of 30 hours per week and are paid 75 percent of the standard rate, currently about $146.81 per week.4eCFR. 22 CFR 62.31 – Au Pairs The educational allowance for EduCare rises to $1,000 because participants must complete 12 semester hours of coursework instead of six.
Some agencies also offer a professional or “Extraordinaire” tier for au pairs who hold a childcare-related degree or bring significant professional experience. Families pay a premium above the minimum for these participants, with the exact amount varying by agency and by the au pair’s background. The federal caps on hours and required time off still apply.
Above the minimum, families often negotiate higher stipends for skills like driving, infant care, or fluency in a second language. Some also offer periodic performance bonuses, with $250 to $500 every six months being a common arrangement. Bonuses are optional and not required by any regulation.
Higher Pay in States With Higher Minimum Wages
The $195.75 floor is built on the $7.25 federal minimum wage. In states where the minimum wage is higher, au pairs may be legally entitled to more. A federal appeals court has held that the Department of State’s au pair regulations do not preempt state wage-and-hour laws that set a higher minimum.5Justia Law. Capron v. Massachusetts Attorney General, No. 17-2140 The Fair Labor Standards Act itself contains a savings clause preserving any state or local minimum wage that exceeds the federal rate.
The practical effect is significant. A host family in a state with a $15-per-hour minimum wage could owe well more than $195.75 per week once the same room-and-board credit formula is applied to the higher hourly rate. Not every state has litigated the point, but the legal trend supports the higher wage floor. Families in higher-minimum-wage states should verify their state’s rules before assuming the federal number is all they owe.
Taxes on the Stipend
Au pair stipends count as taxable income. Because most au pairs hold J-1 visas and have not been in the country long enough to meet the substantial presence test, they are treated as nonresident aliens for tax purposes and typically file Form 1040-NR to report their earnings.6Internal Revenue Service. Au Pairs Form 8843, which documents exempt status under the substantial presence test, is filed alongside the return or mailed on its own if no return is due.
Host families are not required to withhold federal income tax from the weekly stipend, so au pairs need to set money aside during the year to cover the eventual bill. Au pair wages are generally exempt from Social Security and Medicare (FICA) taxes because of the nonresident-alien J-1 status, and host families are likewise exempt from federal unemployment (FUTA) tax on those wages.6Internal Revenue Service. Au Pairs Some au pairs owe less, or nothing, if a tax treaty between the United States and their home country partially or fully exempts exchange-visitor income.
What Hosting an Au Pair Actually Costs a Family
The weekly stipend is only one line in a host family’s budget. Over a full program year the main costs are:
- Weekly stipend of $195.75 for 52 weeks (paid vacation included) works out to roughly $10,179 in annual cash pay.
- Agency program fees run about $9,700 to $12,200 per year depending on program tier, plus a one-time match-processing fee of $400 to $525. These typically include medical and liability insurance for the au pair.7Au Pair in America. Fees
- The educational allowance of up to $500 (standard) or $1,000 (EduCare).1eCFR. 22 CFR 62.31 – Au Pairs
- Incidentals such as food, a cell phone or SIM card, and car insurance if the au pair drives. Adding a young international driver to an auto policy can add up quickly.
A family paying the minimum stipend and using a mid-range agency can expect roughly $21,000 to $24,000 per year before food and car insurance are added. Paying above the minimum or choosing a premium tier raises the total. Many families still find the arrangement competitive with a full-time nanny or daycare for multiple children, since the au pair lives in the home and offers flexible scheduling.