Skip to main content

In 1993, The Nanny premiered on CBS. From the show’s first episode, fans were zeroed in on one thing. They wanted to see Nanny Fine and Mr. Sheffield become a couple. While they eventually hooked up, the sexual tension made it easy to miss an important detail in the show. Broadway producer Maxwell Sheffield was handsome and sophisticated. Still, he seemed to be underpaying his live-in nanny, Fran Fine. So, how much money did Nanny Fran Fine make; her income is lower than you might think. 

How much did Nanny Fine make as the Sheffield family’s nanny? 

Fran Fine was not shy about many things. She spoke about her income regularly, and her spending habits were often on full display. Several times during the series, Fran Fine revealed that she was earning $6 per hour. While her hourly wages were quite low, she did not pay rent to live at the Sheffield residence, and all her meals were included. 

Fran Drescher as Nanny Fine and Charles Shaughnessy as Maxwell Sheffield pose together in the Sheffield family mansion.
Fran Fine and Maxwell Sheffield | CBS via Getty Images

Bustle argues that the Broadway producer underpaid the beloved nanny despite the living accommodations. Nanny Fine made about half of what real nannies made in Manhattan during the 1990s. According to The New York Times, even mediocre au pairs earned an average of $400 per week for their services in the late ’90s.

Some sought-after nannies earned up to $800 weekly during the same period. At $6 per hour, Nanny Fran Fine’s income came in at $240 per week if she worked 40 hours. We don’t think Maxwell was just cheap, though. There might be a reasonable explanation for her subpar compensation. 

Why was Nanny Fine paid less than her counterparts? 

While Nanny Fine was likely underpaid for the amount of support she offered the Sheffield family, she was making more than minimum wage, and her living accommodations certainly sweetened the deal. According to the New York State Department of Labor, the Minimum wage for New York workers was just $4.25 per hour in 1993, the year The Nanny premiered. There are a few reasons Maxwell could get away with paying her less than other nannies. 

Charles Shaughnessy (as Maxwell Sheffield), Fran Drescher (as Fran Fine), Daniel Davis (as Niles) in a 1993 promotional photo for 'The Nanny'
Charles Shaughnessy (as Maxwell Sheffield), Fran Drescher (as Fran Fine) and Daniel Davis (as Niles) | CBS via Getty Images
Related

‘The Nanny’ Star, Charles Shaughnessy, Never Auditioned to Play Maxwell Sheffield, Despite Feeling Like He Should

Nanny Fine’s previous gig, selling cosmetics door-to-door, was likely a commission-only position. Based on that, Maxwell’s offer surely was a step up for Fran. Her unorthodox background also allowed Maxwell to keep the eccentric Queens native on the payroll for less than other nannies in the neighborhood. Because Nanny Fine had no formal training and no experience working with children, she naturally would earn less than a qualified employee Maxwell would have found through an agency or the children’s school. 

Fran Fine eventually retired from her career as a nanny and focused on raising her two kids with Maxwell Sheffield. There have been talks of a The Nanny reboot, but nothing has been officially announced just yet. While we have yet to find out what the Sheffields have been up to since fans last saw them in 1999, we can safely assume Fran Fine’s income is no longer less than $20,000 per year, though. 

Best in TV