how much to pay a babysitter

If you have ever asked the eternal question: How much to pay a babysitter? In this section, you will find a wealth of information to answer this question. The rates and the salary to be applied will no longer hold any secrets for you!

Babysitter prices

It is not uncommon to find panic messages like this on the forums:

Help everyone, I have to babysit my 20-month-old twins next Wednesday night, from 7 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Then maybe from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. once a week, if I get along well with the babysitter. I have no clue how much to pay her. Should we pay it by the hour or by the package? … This is the very first time that I have had them babysat. I fear terribly the idea of separating myself from them. Can you give me some information, please? I need to contact her tomorrow without fail.


Even though there are a lot of articles dealing with this same question; how much to pay a babysitter. It is difficult to answer this mom without knowing more. One thing is certain, that it is an urgent concern. The answers that were given to this mother on the forum, were a range of prices that are practiced in all regions of the united states. Where she lives is going to make a big difference to the fare. she will also have to take into account the experience and qualifications of her babysitter, hours, and age.

How to pay a babysitter?

You can pay your babysitter in several ways: by check, in cash, by transfer, by credit card, or online payment like paypal, the method of payment is not the most important.

We cannot recommend enough that you never give in to illegal work. The penalties are really important and you could bitterly regret that your children or the babysitter are not insured in the event of an accident.

Pay by the hour or at a flat rate?

All cases are possible to pay your babysitter. For frequent babysitting, it is easier to pay for the time spent. The package payment, meanwhile, is more suitable for occasional care: for your romantic evenings, for example.

how much to pay a babysitter

There is no single rate for childcare remuneration. Several criteria must be taken into account when calculating how much to pay a babysitter. If you hear about $10 net per hour on-call, know that you will have other expenses to add.

UrbanSitter’s 2020 National Childcare Rate Survey concluded that, on average, families pay babysitters $17.73 for one child, $20.30 for 2 children, and $21.49 for 3 children. Average rates vary widely depending on geographic location, though. as an example, Families in San Francisco pay an hourly rate of $21.17 for one child, while the charge is $12.53 in Las Vegas. In general, the prices of babysitting have increased recently according to Care.com Survey on Cost of child Care in 2021 —85 % of families (compared to 72 % in 2020) said 10 % of their income goes to child care expenses.

Here is a list of babysitting rates in every state across the USA.

Besides geographic location and number of children, there are many other factors that can influence the salary of a babysitter, like a sitter’s experience, overnight sitting, level of time commitment ( full time or part-time), and any other extra responsibilities or special needs.

Use our online babysitting rates calculator

We created a helpful online babysitter rate calculator to help you calculate how much to pay a babysitter basing on some criteria. You just have to enter the main information like your state, years of experience you’re expecting, and any additional skills. With this key information, the calculator suggests the proper hourly rate for your area.

Read also The qualities of a super babysitter