The babysitting rate will change depending on where you live, the number of children you have, your children’s ages, how much experience your babysitter has, and their job responsibilities. Read on to learn the going rate for babysitting.
Before Hiring a Sitter: Taking some time to consider carefully the following questions will make sure that your expectations are clear and that you are prepared to pay your sitter a competitive wage for the services you are requesting.
1. Are you planning to hire a teenager or an adult?
2. Will the sitter have a set schedule, or are your needs more sporadic?
3. How and when will your sitter be paid?
An older babysitter is likely to have more experience with children than a younger teenager. There is nothing wrong with hiring a teenage babysitter, especially if they are friends of the family.
1. The average cost of a babysitter in New York City is $18.94 per hour—on par with the national average.
2. The average cost of a babysitter in San Francisco is $21.17 per hour, making it the most expensive city to hire a babysitter.
Many young babysitters fall into the trap of accepting less pay than they should because they have no experience working. It is easy to agree to a lump sum that equals less than the federal minimum wage.