California Central Coast
The Central Coast stretches from Montecito to San Luis Obispo, and nanny pay shifts a lot along the way. A-List helps families across Santa Barbara and SLO counties find a nanny we've personally vetted, led by a founder who spent 20 years as a nanny. Here's what care costs here.
Finding a nanny here
What Nannies Earn
Santa Barbara is one of the higher-paying markets in California; SLO is closer to the national average.
- Santa Barbara: $27.53/hr (about $57,300 a year full-time)
- Pismo Beach: $26.17/hr (about $54,400)
- Goleta: $24.24/hr (about $50,400)
- San Luis Obispo: $22.52/hr (about $46,800)
- Arroyo Grande: $21.30/hr (about $44,300)
Minimum wage
No city in Santa Barbara or San Luis Obispo County sets its own minimum wage, so California's $16.90/hr applies throughout. The state rate rises each January 1.
Nanny vs. Daycare
Average daycare prices per year:
- Santa Barbara County infant: $27,538 at a center, $22,091 at a home daycare
- Santa Barbara County toddler: $18,806 center; preschool: $14,733 center
- San Luis Obispo County infant: $21,984 at a center, $14,970 at a home daycare
- San Luis Obispo County toddler: $14,089 center; preschool: $16,578 center
Daycare prices are per child, per year. One nanny cares for all your children, so the math shifts toward a nanny as your family grows.
Areas we serve
All of Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo counties, including Santa Barbara, Montecito, Goleta, the Santa Ynez Valley, Santa Maria and Orcutt, Lompoc, the Five Cities and Pismo, and San Luis Obispo.