How Much to Pay a Babysitter

Curious about how much to pay a babysitter? While this is not a one-amount-fits-all situation, there are some guidelines to follow. Read on. Desperate for a night out?

Or maybe you feel like your last date night took place in a galaxy far, far away?

Or perhaps you have an important work function that you can’t miss.

Time to find a babysitter.

Like so many things mamahood, the question of how much to pay a babysitter is not something you’re supposed to just know the answer to.

That's where we come in.

In this article: 📝

How much do most babysitters charge? 💰

This depends on a couple of factors.

Age and experience of the sitter

Your neighbor’s 15-year-old daughter may not charge as much as someone with kids of their own.

Extra credentials like CPR training generally come with a higher price tag.

If your child has additional needs, getting a sitter with a special skill set may also cost a little more.

The number of babies

As any mama knows, looking after one rugrat is very different from looking after two or more.

Depending on the area you live in (more about that below) baby sitters may charge between $1 to $3 extra per child per hour.

The age of your child/children

A newborn baby requires a lot more active care than the average 10-year-old who has more bodily independence.

So factor in an extra $1 or $2 an hour for wee ones.

Where you live

The answer to the question how much do most people charge an hour for babysitting? is usually geography-dependent.

As with most things, costs go up in bigger cities.

According to Care.com, sitters in San Antonio, Texas, earn approximately $14 an hour.

Compare that with New York City’s $18.75 average rate.

You'll also get totally different answers for “How much do you pay a babysitter in Canada?” as opposed to “How much do you pay a 15 year old babysitter in the UK?”.

Check in with the other parents in your area.

What are they paying their babysitters?

Ask on neighborhood groups and when picking up your kids from school.

Chances are you could get some great personal referrals, too.

Additional duties and responsibilities

If you need your babysitter to do some light cleaning, help with homework or get your child to sports practices, you can expect to pay more.

So always be sure to check in with whoever you employ as to what their expectations and parameters are.

Transportation costs

It is quite common for babysitters to have their transport to and from your home covered at an additional rate — especially if you’re only employing them for a couple of hours.

They may bill you for the mileage, or you could choose to supply them with a bus or subway card.

If they are using their own car to drop your child at appointments or extra lessons, remember to reimburse them for the extra gas and mileage.

How many hours and when

Most babysitters will have a minimum charge of two or more hours — especially if they're traveling further than from just across the street.

And remember that if they are giving up their New Years Eve, you will typically have to pay them more than you would on an average Friday night.

There will also be a difference if the babysitter is looking after your children during the day and actively entertaining them.

That’s more work than getting them in bed by 8pm and keeping an eye on them from the sofa until you come home.

Show me the money!

So let's break it down, and consider how much to pay a babysitter per day.

Say you have a family of 3 kids.

Taking the national average of $17.40, you're looking at paying at least $19.40 an hour to accommodate the extra two children at $1 a piece.

If one is a 4-month-old baby, consider an extra $1, bringing the total to $20.40 per hour.

Say you are out from 7pm to 10pm, that's $61.20 (excluding transport costs).

Pop geography into the mix, and you may be looking at about $51 in San Antonio, and $65.25 in New York City (still excluding transport).

If you need help with your calculations, Care.com has a handy babysitting rate calculator to help you narrow it down.

It can seem like a minefield working this all out.

If you need any extra help, chat with the mamas in your Peanut community for advice.

Now book that sitter and hit the town💃.

You deserve it.