Average cost of a babysitter
Posted
July 12, 2006 at
4:19 am by
Jessica
Here’s a very interesting article I found in the Kansas City Star on how much babysitters charge and how much you can expect to pay them.
In our area, we have found that if you want someone reliable, you have to pay for it. $8 - $13 an hour is not unheard of. If you want Nanny services part-time, expect to pay on the higher side, $12 - $15 an hour. A full-time Nanny doesn’t expect as much, but in the Chicagoland area I’d still expect to pay a full-time Nanny $10 an hour.
A weekend, infrequent teenage babysitter would probably cost us at least $8 an hour, proving that it’s expensive to have a bad time, so why bother?
The 20 parents who responded to my call for information paid sitters from $2 to $10 an hour. The norm — based on this small sample — seemed to be $5 an hour.
High school or college-age sitters who can drive and take kids to events typically are paid more, and older adults who baby-sit receive a slightly higher premium.
Susan Ramza, who has two children, ages 6 and 9, broke down her salary scale this way: “I pay a youngish neighborhood kid $5 to $6 a hour, a high schooler who doesn’t drive $7 an hour, a high school or college driver $8 an hour, and if we have an adult who has a real job by day, we pay $10 an hour.”
Shirley Brogna said her going rate was $10 an hour to sit for her 6-year-old. “We only hire sitters that are 18 and older because they can drive themselves and hopefully are more mature and more reliable,” Brogna said.
Parents also said their pay rate depends on how much interaction the sitter will have with their children.
“We have two children and have a nanny from 9 to 3 during the week,” said Jayme Nolin. “When we have her baby-sit after her normal hours we pay $7 per hour while the children are awake and $5 per hour when sleeping.”
Here’s a sample of average hourly rates from four cities, based on a recent Money magazine survey:
Austin, Texas Minneapolis, Minn. New York City Santa Monica, Calif. Evening baby sitter age 18 or older $12 $10 $13 $12 Evening baby sitter age 14 to 18 $7 $6 $8 $7
 |
33 Responses to “Average cost of a babysitter”
RSS feed for comments on this post.
Leave a comment
Comments are moderated and may not appear immediately in an effort to remove commercial messages, irrelevancies, excessive foul language, racist/sexist/hateful comments, spoofed/cloaked IPs and/or personal attacks and will be edited/deleted at our discretion. Thank you for your patience.
1. Lina
August 16, 2006 @ 12:25 pm
U need to change your hourly rate.. Babysitters are worth more than $7.00 an hour
2. Brett
December 24, 2007 @ 2:19 am
I would never babysit for less than $10-$15/hour, depending on the situation and location… Usually $12-$15…. and none of the parents I’ve worked for have seemed to think this was at all unreasonable. It just isn’t worth it for the time away from my studies to work for less. I’m a 23 year-old, female college student.
3. Julissa
February 4, 2008 @ 1:31 am
WoW!!!! I babysit 2 boys which are brothers one 6y.o old for 31/2 hours because he has school & the other 4y.o sometime 9 to 10 hours & they pay me only $20 a day. They sometime drop them off with lunch but that only like 3 time a week…I also sit a little girl 4y.o which is I also sit more then 9 to 10 hours & they also give me 20 a day but no lunch…Im I getting pay to little????
Maybe i should get a other job
4. Allison
February 4, 2008 @ 10:38 am
$20 a day!?!?
That’s a rip-off!
5. Maureen
February 5, 2008 @ 10:29 am
$20 a day? That does seem a little low! If you are watching a kid the whole day, you are only making $2 an hour?? You could make more at a regular job. I don’t know where you live but that is below minimum wage! Ask for a raise.
6. Page
March 16, 2008 @ 3:37 pm
I think that for a 13-14 year old they should get paid $2 per child per hour.
7. Jasmine
March 18, 2008 @ 3:10 pm
i am about to start baby sitting an eight month old girl and im not sure how much to chrage the mother. I don’t want to over charge but i also do not want to uncharge. Help Me Out!!!
8. Carla Gavril
April 23, 2008 @ 10:54 am
I would ask for at least $10 an hour. How many days/week and for how long at a time will you be watching her? Also, how much experience do you have with children?
9. smj3a
April 23, 2008 @ 2:27 pm
I would pay under 18 $1.50 per child/ per hour.
10. Allison G
April 23, 2008 @ 4:25 pm
I give my 15 year old babysitter about $30 per job (4-5 hrs), $40 if my 3 kids were assholes to her. I pay her when I drive her home, so by then I know what kind of a night she’s had (but she doesn’t know why she’s getting the extra $10, sshhh)
11. Jessica
April 23, 2008 @ 5:02 pm
[quote comment="157682"]I give my 15 year old babysitter about $30 per job (4-5 hrs), $40 if my 3 kids were assholes to her.[/quote]
OMG. That quote must go down in Imperfect Parent infamy!
That is hilarious!!!
I was laughing at work, I had to show my collegues what you wrote. Total, real life LOL.
12. prescott
April 23, 2008 @ 5:30 pm
[quote comment="157651"]I would pay under 18 $1.50 per child/ per hour.[/quote]
I’m pretty cheap, but I’m sorry — unless you live in Appalachia nobody (even a 14 year old) is going to babysit for $1.50 an hour for one kid. You’re going to go out for five hours and then hand them $7.50? And if you do find someone
stupid enoughwilling to do so, you better watch out that you don’t get reported for indentured servitude. At least give them enough to buy a new CD for cryin’ out loud.(At the risk of sounding old, do kids even buy CDs anymore? Or is it all iTunes/downloads now?)
13. smj3a
April 23, 2008 @ 7:22 pm
I have four…So, that’s what I go by…$6.00 an hour…But then again, it is usually my younger sister…She owes me!
If I had one, I would pay more..BUT I would never pay more than $8.00.
14. Leeann
October 6, 2008 @ 6:25 pm
I would pay $2 an hour per kid or for 2 kids $20.00 for(4-5) hours!And Dont under or over charge!
15. Jennifer
December 30, 2008 @ 1:48 pm
I work part time and need a babysitter to watch my 5 month old 2 weeks a month. I live in Salt Lake City and was thinking about offering $250 a month. Is that cheap? Hey, I am only an underpaid Kindergarten teacher.
16. Hillary
December 30, 2008 @ 8:40 pm
I pay $15/hour. I have three kids, including one with autism, so the sitter earns every last penny of that $15.
17. Kymberly
January 1, 2009 @ 1:22 pm
Omgosh, must remove this bookmark and block this site lest my niece get wind of this. I think she gets $20-$40 to babysit for us like all day. Seriously.
Yes I know our children are our most precious commodity but this falls into the morass between what I wish I could pay and what I can really pay and still afford to go any dam@ place. We are just simple rural folks. If I paid the sitter $10+/hour, we’d have to stay home.
My .02 is that I don’t pay the sitter to RAISE my children - just sit here, keep the running with scissors at bay, and dial 9-1-1 if needed (bonus points if it is not!)
My niece seems tickled with the arrangement so don’t anyone tip her off
18. Stephanie
January 9, 2009 @ 3:11 pm
When I nanny, I charge 30 a day per child. When I babysit, I charge 5 an hr per child. The difference being regular schedule vs. On call. I found this to be very reasonable considering my yrs of experience, training, and the fact that I make it worth the price with cooking, cleaning, and spending real quality time with the kids. Being CPR and First Aid certified makes a nanny more valuable as well. Parents: ask sitters to do what u want and pay them for what they do. Sitters: go above and beyond to earn a higher wage and demand compensation when it is appropriate. Bottom line, no one gets what they want w/out first asking for it!
19. heidi
January 15, 2009 @ 8:14 pm
Thank you Stephanie! I understand people want to make easy money, but most of us cannot afford to pay $10+/hour. I have a girl who comes to the house in the mornings. She can watch tv the whole time. The kids dress and feed thmselves. She walks them to the bus. She gets $60/week, which is about $6/hour. When she watches them for the whole day, she gets $20. That may not sound like much, but as a single mom and teacher, I can’t afford to pay more. It would be great if she could live off of watching my boys, but really? When mine were babies I paid $100/week. Both went to in home daycares, where they were not the only kid, so the sitter was making $400 or more a week - TAX FREE. I work at a high school, and I would never pay a teen more than $5/hour.
20. Stephanie
January 15, 2009 @ 11:12 pm
Heidi, you make a good point but preschoolers, like highschoolers, are not easy money. I think what you offer for a teenager is reasonable considering your childrens’ ages, but as an adult, who has gone to school for early childhood development and worked in childcare, that would be disappointing. 30$ a day is the same as what a La Petite charges on avg in the Austin area. Unfortunately, teachers very rarely make what they deserve.
21. Tricia
January 16, 2009 @ 2:14 pm
This is why I laugh every time I hear some “expert” espouse about the need for date nights. Babysitters in the Atlanta area are about $10/hr. Instead of hiring anyone to watch our son, we’re just going to drag him along with use everywhere and by the time he’s old enough to stay home alone, my husband and I are hoping we’ll still be interested in dating each other.
22. jennifer
January 22, 2009 @ 12:14 pm
Thank you for all your input. I am the one who lives in Salt Lake City and teaches part time Kindergarten. I’ve rested on $6.25 an hr, so $300 a wk, since it’s only 2 weeks out of the month. The sitter thought this was generous, and it’s above the national rate and really good for the area. So I’m happy and she’s happy.
23. Cin
January 22, 2009 @ 12:54 pm
OMG I have had so much fun reading all these replies. I live in Flint, Mi. We pay $3/hr per kid/per hour and round up at the end of the night. So 3 to 4 hours away for dinner and a movie would cost us and extra $20 to $25 or $30 if we don’t have correct change. My Son plays video games the whole time and the sitter and my daughter watch movies and color. We supply pizza and snacks so she gets dinner as well, or lunch or whatever. $30 is a big deal to a high school kid. I thought it was an okay deal til I read what you all had to say! Certainly the market is different, though, between Chicago and Flint? It doesn’t matter anyway because between my real estate career and hubby’s auto layoffs we can’t afford the sitter OR the date! Ha!
24. Will
January 23, 2009 @ 4:09 pm
The scale definitely slides based on the job and the cost of living in the area where the job is located. People living in large cities and upscale neighborhoods can expect to pay more.
Qualifications are also important. Experienced sitters who are willing to go the extra mile are certainly worth more. While remodeling a house I hired several different sitters to watch my children. Sitter A was in college, washed the dishes and straightened up the house. She also had the kids doing little craft projects which she had brought along. Sitter B cost half as much, but was just in high school. She let the house go to pot, and when I came home the kids were all too glad to see me. You can guess which one I prefered to have watching the kids.
25. Gigi
February 8, 2009 @ 9:19 am
I am a 12 yr. old female who is very responsible and has lots of expierince with kids. I have at least 12 little cousins on my STEPDAD’S side of the family only, my little brother, and plenty of neighbors. I am in sixth grade and extremely smart (well im in gifted) and is taking 8th grade advanced math. I am currently in a girl scout troop which I have ben in for like 8??? years. Our G.S. troop is trying to raise money to go on trips and with the help of the love we share for chilren are trying to start up the babysitting business. We need some help price wise.
~BTW~ kids love me!!!
26. Stephanie
February 9, 2009 @ 4:30 pm
Gigi, it is so great that your troop is trying to earn the money for your trip. Kudos for taking some responsibility. I was a girlscout myself and would reccommend starting with asking your troop leader about a first aid and cpr class. You should earn badges for them and it’s a great way to encourage parents to hire you. Ask the local fire dept about it. With or without the classes, asking for 2 or 3 dollars an hour per kid would be reasonable for most parents. I would post fliers in my neighborhood stating exactly what you are doing. Most people want to help a good cause when they can. Posting fliers and a website will also allow those who can’t hire you to make a contribution should they choose. Good luck!
27. baby lady
May 17, 2009 @ 9:59 am
i’m new at this tell me the basics please!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
28. baby lady
May 17, 2009 @ 10:00 am
I NEED HELP!!!!!!!!!
29. sitter
June 1, 2009 @ 9:43 pm
I’m 12 and i am sertifie in CPR, first aid, and babysitting. How much should i ask to be paid?
30. babys
June 1, 2009 @ 9:51 pm
I’m 12, very responsible,smart, and kids love me. I am sertified in CPR, first aid and babysitting. I want to start a babysitting service and I’m not sure how much I should ask yo be paid.Any ideas?
31. Jessica
June 2, 2009 @ 3:50 pm
Sitter and babys, the amount you would charge would depend on what area you live in. Without telling exactly where you live, can you tell us if your area is rural or if you’re close to a big city. (Please do not disclose your exact location!)
32. Babys
June 12, 2009 @ 9:50 pm
I live in Oklahoma.
33. Tiffany
September 14, 2009 @ 7:45 pm
Heres a new perspective. I am 20 and am a full time student. I live in DC suburbia. All the parents in the neighborhood (and sometimes friends) will call on me when they need a sitter. I never have a “going rate” rather most parents pay me what they believe practical. One woman who has two well behaved toddlers will pay me $15 an hour. Another has two hellians and a sweet younger one, she pays me $20. I’ve never been paid less than $15 but I also spend a lot of time playing with the kids and reading to them.