Hire household staff directly in McLean, Great Falls and Vienna

Short answer: Nanny: Typical: $21–$28/hr (about $44,000–$58,000 a year full-time); Housekeeper: Typical: $17–$28/hr (about $35,000–$58,000 a year full-time); Private chef: Typical: $40–$60/hr (about $83,000–$125,000 a year full-time); House manager: Typical: $35–$55/hr (about $73,000–$114,000 a year full-time) (salary guide). Free for families until January 2027, and candidates never pay. Agencies charge fees that vary by agency and role; HomeHire is a direct-hiring marketplace with no agency fees.

McLean, Great Falls and Vienna sit in Fairfax County, just across the Potomac from Washington. Their households include government and military leaders, diplomats, defense and tech executives, and lawyers, and many of them value discretion. HomeHire lets families here hire nannies, housekeepers, house managers, estate managers, household PAs, private chefs and drivers directly. You write a confidential brief, review structured profiles and choose whom to meet. The family is the employer.

HomeHire's free period is nationwide. For Georgetown, Bethesda, Chevy Chase, Arlington, Alexandria and the rest of the region, see the Washington DC household staff guide.

What shapes household roles in McLean and Great Falls

Discretion by default. Many principals here have public, sensitive or security-conscious jobs. Families often want household staff who are comfortable with confidentiality agreements, who don't post about their work and who understand that guests, schedules and travel are private. HomeHire's confidential briefs suit that: nothing about your household is published as a job ad, and you decide when to share details.

Estates along the river and on big lots. Parts of McLean near Chain Bridge Road and the Potomac, and much of Great Falls with its larger, often wooded lots, have substantial homes with grounds, pools, and sometimes guest houses or barns. These households frequently hire a house manager or estate manager to coordinate grounds, security systems, vendors and multiple staff, alongside a housekeeper.

Entertaining and official hospitality. Dinners, receptions and holiday events are part of life for many McLean families. Private chefs, event-support housekeepers and house managers who can run a guest list, rentals and caterers are common short-term or part-time hires.

International families. Diplomatic, World Bank and international-business families often look for multilingual nannies, or staff who are comfortable traveling with the family or keeping the home running during long postings abroad.

Schools and commutes. Families use Fairfax County schools such as Langley and McLean high schools, and private schools including The Potomac School, The Madeira School and The Langley School. Tysons, the Silver Line, the Dulles Toll Road and the George Washington Parkway shape daily routes. Staff often come in from Fairfax, Arlington, Falls Church, Reston or Maryland, so be clear about parking and whether a car is provided.

Running a multi-staff home. In larger McLean and Great Falls homes, the house manager is usually the point person for housekeepers, grounds crews, security and AV vendors, and the chef. Families that do this well keep a written household manual covering routines, standards, approved vendors and spending limits. Say in your brief who the role reports to, who it supervises, and whether it includes building or updating that manual.

Vienna. The Town of Vienna, around Maple Avenue, the W&OD Trail and Wolf Trap, has smaller lots and many young families. Nannies, nanny–housekeepers and family assistants are the main hires there.

Roles McLean-area families hire most

Roles McLean-area families hire most
Role	What it often looks like locally	More detail
Nanny	School runs, activities, travel with the family, multilingual care	Hire a nanny
Housekeeper	Daily care, laundry, event preparation	Hire a housekeeper
House manager	Vendors, security systems, staff schedules, events	Hire a house manager
Estate manager	Larger properties, grounds, multiple staff, second homes	Hire an estate manager
Household PA	Calendars, travel and personal admin under strict confidentiality	Hire a private PA
Private chef	Family meals, dinners and receptions	Hire a private chef
Driver	School runs, airport trips to Dulles and Reagan National	Hire a chauffeur

Being a household employer in Virginia: what to check

Hiring directly makes you the employer. HomeHire doesn't give legal or tax advice. Start here:

Minimum wage. Since May 1, 2021, the Virginia Minimum Wage Act has covered domestic service workers, as the Department of Labor and Industry's 2021 notice explains. See DOLI for the current rate.
Overtime. Federal rules generally require overtime for household employees after 40 hours a week; live-in workers are exempt from overtime but not minimum wage. See US Department of Labor Fact Sheet #79D.
Work across state lines. If a role is partly in DC or Maryland, check those jurisdictions' rules too.
Taxes and paperwork. IRS Publication 926 and Form I-9. Check Virginia's state payroll-tax rules for household employers too.

How hiring works on HomeHire

Write a confidential brief: area, duties, hours, travel, confidentiality expectations, start date.
Review structured profiles. Candidates choose whether they can be found.
Do your own hiring checks. Contact references and confirm identity and right to work yourself. Read safety & hiring tips.
Request introductions and interview. Check references yourself.
Agree terms directly, including any confidentiality agreement, in writing.

Briefing tips for McLean, Great Falls and Vienna

Say "McLean, near Langley" or "Great Falls" rather than an address.
Describe confidentiality needs without naming employers or titles.
Say whether travel with the family is required, and how travel days are paid.

Nearby guides

Washington DC · Philadelphia · New York · Charlotte · How it works · Pricing · Candidates: find household work

Typical hourly pay in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV area

Full-time annual equivalents use hourly pay × 2,080, rounded to the nearest $1,000; gross pay before tax. Private chef estimates cover full-time work for one family. Local salary guide.

US typical range; local pay varies with local wages and minimum-wage rules.

Based on Care.com and US Bureau of Labor Statistics pay data and published household-staff salary surveys, Oct 2026. Actual pay depends on duties, hours and experience.

Typical hourly pay in the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV area
Role	Typical pay
Nanny	Typical: $21–$28/hr (about $44,000–$58,000 a year full-time)
Housekeeper	Typical: $17–$28/hr (about $35,000–$58,000 a year full-time)
Private chef	Typical: $40–$60/hr (about $83,000–$125,000 a year full-time); Estate or high-net-worth roles: $130,000–$250,000 a year
House manager	Typical: $35–$55/hr (about $73,000–$114,000 a year full-time); Estate or high-net-worth roles: $110,000–$180,000 a year

Next steps for families

HomeHire is a self-service marketplace, not an agency: families review profiles, contact candidates and hire directly, and the family is the employer. Free for families until January 2027, and candidates never pay.

Explore more hiring guides

Explore the US Salary Guide for national, state, and metro pay context.

Frequently asked questions

Can I hire household staff in McLean without an agency?

Yes; HomeHire lets you write a confidential brief, review structured profiles and request introductions yourself; you hire directly, and the family is the employer.

How does HomeHire handle confidentiality for high-profile households?

Household briefs are private unless the family chooses to publish a public job listing; public listings show only the role, town/ZIP area, schedule, pay range and start date — never the family's name, address or contact details.

Does Virginia's minimum wage apply to nannies and housekeepers?

Yes; since May 1, 2021, the Virginia Minimum Wage Act has covered domestic service workers; check the Department of Labor and Industry for the current rate, and federal rules for overtime.

What does HomeHire cost families in McLean, Great Falls or Vienna?

Free for families until January 2027, and candidates never pay.

Can I hire a multilingual nanny or one who travels with us?

Yes; put languages and travel expectations in your brief so candidates can decide if they fit; agree how travel days are paid.

Get started with HomeHire

Start a confidential family brief · Register as a household professional

Start a confidential family brief · Register as a household professional (never pay)

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