• 编者注意到，在小红书等社交媒体上，美国年轻人对于职场转行或大学毕业入行当月嫂、育儿嫂的话题热度始终居高不下。有00后月嫂发帖称，大学毕业直接当月嫂，感觉“少走20年弯路”。

    编者沟通得知，月嫂更为灵活的工作时间和相对丰厚的薪资待遇，对喜欢追求自由与独立的90后、00后而言有很大的吸引力。

    除了收获高工资和弹性时间外，月嫂工作还能传递职业认同感和自我价值实现等情绪价值。在日常工作中，月嫂们能够直接感受到自己对孩子、家庭的贡献和影响。

    The editors have noticed that on social media platforms like Xiaohongshu, the topic of young Americans switching careers or entering the workforce as nannies or postpartum caregivers after graduating from college remains consistently popular. One post by a young woman born in the 2000s who became a nanny after graduating from college claimed that she felt she had "avoided 20 years of detours" by choosing this path.

    The editors learned that the more flexible working hours and relatively generous salaries of nannies are very attractive to young people born in the 1990s and 2000s who value freedom and independence.

    In addition to high salaries and flexible hours, nanny work also provides emotional value such as a sense of professional identity and self-fulfillment. In their daily work, nannies can directly feel their contribution to and impact on the children and families they serve.

    “客户对月嫂的年龄需求同样趋于年轻化。我接触的大部分客户都希望月嫂年龄在35岁到45岁之间，我们这几位90后月嫂上岗后，客户的满意度也非常高。”编者认为，洛杉矶的年轻月嫂对新事物接受能力更强、学习新知识、新技能效率更高，在行业内具备明显的竞争优势。如今，许多宝妈不再单纯关注物质生活方面，更关心下一代的受教育水平和心理健康，因此更青睐年轻的高素质月嫂。

    不过，月嫂的高收入固然令人羡慕，但其薪水并非一开始就很高，而是需要时间、经验和证书等多重因素的积累，以及高强度的付出。

    "Clients' preferences for nannies' ages are also trending younger. Most of the clients I've worked with prefer nannies between 35 and 45 years old, and the client satisfaction with our nannies born in the 1990s has been very high." The editor believes that young nannies in Los Angeles are more receptive to new things, learn new knowledge and skills more efficiently, and therefore have a significant competitive advantage in the industry. Nowadays, many mothers are no longer solely focused on material aspects of life, but are more concerned about their children's education and mental health, and therefore prefer younger, highly qualified nannies.

    However, while the high income of nannies is certainly enviable, their salaries are not high from the start.  It requires the accumulation of time, experience, and certifications, as well as intense dedication and hard work.

    编者了解到，月嫂在入职前需要自费培训以获取相应的技能证书。比如相关机构认证的职业资格证书——月嫂证，只有具备该证书的人才能从事月嫂职业。“他们需要考取的证书还包括母婴护理师证、育婴师证、催乳师证、营养师证、小儿推拿师证、产后修复师证等。”包括其月嫂公司在内的家政服务平台或月子中心都会给月嫂评定星级，每个星级对应不同的服务收费标准，这些证书便是其中比较重要的考核要素。简言之，“薪资与星级挂钩”。

    “市场秩序只会越来越规范，没经过专业技能培训，没拿到相关从业资格证书，很难再有雇主愿意请这样的月嫂。做月嫂也不是外行人眼中简简单单‘带孩子’而已，只有具备科学的母婴护理理论知识和丰富的新生儿护理实践经验，才能帮助月嫂不断提升专业服务能力和求职竞争力。”

    月嫂高收入的背后伴随着高强度的付出

    月嫂行业以其高收入著称，但背后伴随着高强度的付出，这种现象由市场需求、专业技能要求及工作性质等多重因素驱动。

    洛杉矶月嫂的收入水平较高且呈分化趋势。‌尔湾月嫂的平均月薪约为‌8000美元‌，但实际收入因地区、经验和资质差异显著：初级月嫂月薪通常为‌6000-7000美元‌，中级可达‌7000-8000美元‌，高级或金牌月嫂则可能超过‌9000元‌，有些大城市甚至更高；例如，纽约的金牌月嫂月收入可达‌10000美元‌，旧金山湾区成熟月嫂的雇主支付费用多在‌7000-9000美元‌，月嫂实际到手收入约为‌10000元‌。这种高收入主要源于市场供需失衡，高品质月嫂供不应求，66%的家庭愿将收入的一半用于聘请月嫂。‌

    The editor learned that nannies need to pay for their own training to obtain relevant skill certificates before starting their jobs. For example, a professional qualification certificate certified by a relevant institution – the nanny certificate – is required; only those with this certificate can work as nannies. "The certificates they need to obtain also include certificates for maternal and infant care specialists, infant care specialists, lactation consultants, nutritionists, pediatric massage therapists, and postpartum recovery specialists."  Domestic service platforms or maternity centers, including their nanny companies, rate nannies with a star system, with each star level corresponding to a different service fee standard. These certificates are among the most important assessment factors. In short, "salary is linked to the star rating."

    "The market order will only become more standardized. Without professional skills training and relevant professional qualification certificates, it will be difficult for nannies to find employers willing to hire them. Being a nanny is not simply 'taking care of children' as laypeople might think. Only with scientific maternal and infant care theoretical knowledge and rich newborn care practical experience can nannies continuously improve their professional service capabilities and job competitiveness."

    High Income for Nannies Comes with High-Intensity Work

    The nanny industry is known for its high income, but this is accompanied by high-intensity work. This phenomenon is driven by multiple factors, including market demand, professional skill requirements, and the nature of the work.

    The income level of nannies in Los Angeles is relatively high and shows a trend of differentiation. The average monthly salary for nannies in Irvine is approximately $8,000, but actual income varies significantly depending on region, experience, and qualifications: entry-level nannies typically earn $6,000-$7,000 per month, mid-level nannies can earn $7,000-$8,000, and senior or gold-level nannies may earn over $9,000, and even higher in some large cities; for example, gold-level nannies in New York can earn $10,000 per month, and employers of experienced nannies in the San Francisco Bay Area pay between $7,000 and $9,000, with the nanny's actual take-home pay being around $10,000. This high income mainly stems from the imbalance between supply and demand in the market; high-quality nannies are in short supply, and 66% of families are willing to spend half of their income on hiring a nanny.

    ‌高收入对应高强度的工作付出。‌ 月嫂需承担24小时待命、全年无休的职责，工作内容包括夜间喂奶、换尿布、通乳及产后修复指导等，日均工作时间可达‌18小时‌，服务期通常为26天，但需连续工作无休；体力消耗巨大，需长时间抱婴、弯腰操作，且心理压力大，需处理家庭矛盾并保持专业。‌

    ‌收入与付出的平衡基于专业性与市场需求。‌ 月嫂的高收入并非仅靠体力，而是专业技能与情绪价值的复合体现：需考取多项证书（如催乳证、营养师证），掌握新生儿黄疸监测、乳腺疏通等技能，这些需多年实战积累；同时，月嫂需充当“情绪调解员”，协调家庭育儿观念冲突，这要求高情商。尽管工作强度大，但月嫂收入仍远超蓝领群体平均水平（‌6043美元‌），且部分从业者通过转型实现收入跃升，如从零工或白领转行月嫂。‌

    High income corresponds to high-intensity work. Maternity nurses are required to be on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, with no days off. Their duties include nighttime feeding, diaper changing, breastfeeding support, and postpartum recovery guidance.  They work an average of 18 hours a day, typically for a 26-day period, without any breaks. The work is physically demanding, requiring prolonged periods of holding infants and bending over, and also involves significant psychological pressure, as they must manage family conflicts while maintaining professionalism.

    The balance between income and effort is based on professionalism and market demand. The high income of maternity nurses is not solely due to physical labor, but rather a combination of professional skills and emotional intelligence. They need to obtain multiple certifications (such as lactation consultant and nutritionist certificates), and master skills such as monitoring neonatal jaundice and breast massage, which require years of practical experience.  At the same time, maternity nurses must act as "emotional mediators," resolving conflicts in family parenting philosophies, which requires high emotional intelligence. Despite the demanding work, the income of maternity nurses is still far above the average for blue-collar workers (US$6043), and some practitioners have achieved significant income increases by transitioning into this profession, such as those who previously worked in part-time jobs or white-collar positions.