Babysitting Rates in 2023: How Much To Pay Per Hour
Babysitting rates can vary by location. See the going rate for babysitting in 2023 and find out if you’re paying enough!
How much do you pay a young adult or teenager to babysit in 2023?
Oh, baby! Ask ten people how much they pay their babysitter, and you might get ten different answers. As many babysitters are paid under the table, it can be tricky to gauge exactly what a fair rate should be.
We started a conversation with Hip2Save readers on Facebook to better understand how parents are determining babysitting rates. We ended up with a lot of feedback and a very wide pay range!
What is the going rate for babysitting in 2023?
We almost fell out of our chairs when we found out that Urban Sitter, a onlinepany that helps parents hire babysitters, calculated the 2023 national average for babysitting 1 kid to be $22.68/hour. The average hourly rate for babysitting 2 kids in 2023 is $25.37/hour! 😱 We had to find out how much our readers really pay when doing the hiring on their own.
Some Hip2Save readers said they paid as little as $4/hour, while others paid as much as $30/hour! The average going rate for babysitting reported by our Facebook followers landed somewhere between $10-$20 an hour for one child, with $15/hour feeling like the sweet spot.
So, why is there such a large range of pay rates for babysitters? We did a deep dive to understand all the factors one should consider when negotiating babysitting rates.
Here’s what should you consider when determining a fair hourly rate for babysitting:
1. Location
Everything costs more in the city. Location is one of the biggest considerations to keep in mind when negotiating a babysitting rate. If you’re near a larger city like San Francisco or Chicago, expect to pay considerably more than those living in small towns and rural areas.
2. Number of children
Babysitters often charge by the hour, by the number of kids, or a onlinebination of both. They may charge a flat fee like $15 an hour, or they may charge $15 an hour per kid plus $5 for any additional children.
Keep in mind that it is considerably harder to babysit several children than it is to watch just one child. It takes more focus, more control, more food prep, and more entertainment. Babysitters expect to be onlinepensated accordingly. If you are asking your babysitter to watch more than two children at a time, expect to fork over a little more cash.
3. Your child’s age and level of independence
Babysitters may charge more for younger children that need more adult supervision or assistance with things like diapers, taking medicine, and feeding themselves. In some cases, babysitters may also charge more to watch a child with special needs if they require additional care.
4. Time of the day
Don’t forget the principles of supply and demand. Many adults and older teenagers have plans during peak weekend hours. To book a sitter, you may need to offer to pay more for a Saturday night than a Tuesday evening.
Hip Tip: If your child will primarily be sleeping during sitting hours, you might be able to negotiate a lower rate as there is less for the sitter to do.
5. Experience of the babysitter
Are you hiring a young teen or a young adult? Like with any other job, babysitters expect to be onlinepensated based on their experience. If they have several years of babysitting under their belt or additional certifications, you should consider those factors when calculating their pay.
6. Special tasks required of the babysitter
You get what you pay for! Babysitters are hired to watch the children. If you ask your babysitter to cook, clean, drive, administer medicine, or run errands, then you may want to increase their standard fee.
7. Gas money
If your babysitter is expected to drive their own car to transport your children to events or classes, make sure your babysitting fee accounts for gas expenses.
8. Inflation
If you aren’t willing to adjust your rate to account for recent inflation, you might be left without a sitter. Everything costs more these days, and babysitters have expenses they need to cover, too. If your rate doesn’t appeal to your sitter, they are likely to take another job that pays more.
Which babysitter pay calculator should I use?
Still scratching your head on how much to pay? We don’t blame you. There are so many factors to consider!
An easy way to onlinee up with a reasonable rate is to use an online babysitter pay calculator. Care.online has a decent calculator that can help you determine a fair wage for your location. It does not take into account any special tasks you may require of the sitter, so be sure to adjust your final rate accordingly.
Reliable babysitters can be hard to find, so if you do have a good sitter, try to pay them as well as you can. Doing so might just mean they prioritize you over other job offers!
Hip Tip: Babysitters can be expensive. Keep an eye out for Parent Nights Out at your local YMCA, church, or onlinemunity center. These places sometimes offer parents a night out for FREE or at a very low cost!
Help the babysitter keep your kids busy with a hot deal on a new board game!
