Community Chat

[esmerelda]

What's the current hourly rate for a babysitter? Not a daycare provider...a sitter like one might engage for an evening.

And thanks.

[kdgn]

Esme, I hate to bring up the phrase "look it up" but I must in this case. I just did because I no longer know what the going rate is. I nearly fell out of my chair when I read this one site. babysitting-rates dot com

$8-12 an HOUR? Gulp... They can vary from as "little" as $4 an hour to $18 an hour.

I need to go to back to work as a sitter. I counted myself lucky to get 50 cents an hour back in high school!

[Irshgrl31201]

I don't know if this is the norm but most of my friends who have smaller children pay $10 an hour. Now if they have like three kids, they may go up a couple of bucks. If it is M-F with set hours than they pay a set weekly fee and not the $10 an hour.

[esmerelda]

Wow! Rates have gone up since "back in the day"! And the perks are better too, I imagine...better TV, possibly more permissive parents (the BF can stop over for a visit), and maybe some $$ for a pizza delivery.

[kdgn]

That website said many teens get $5 an hour, but an adult sitter with nanny experience or a number of years babysitting experience would expect $10 an hour. And that's for ONE kid!! $1 per for each additional kid.

eta: I need to come out of retirement!

[dmod nj]

In this area, NY/northern NJ, the average for one child is between 12-14 dollars per hour. It goes UP for more than one child. If the babysitter is certified in CPR, the starting amount, in this area, is 16.00 per hour.

ETA: There is a young woman I volunteer with that negotiates a flat amount for her three children. That is popular when someone has 3+ children, at least according to her.

[kdgn]

And if the child is under the age of two, add $2 an hour for diaper changing, feeding, dressing, putting down for a nap....

I thought that was part of the job?? In today's market I could have made a flipping fortune!

[stilltamn8r]

Usually about $10 an hour depending on how many kids and if they have to feed them, etc...

[lolakimono]

http://www.care.com/babysitting-rates

[Irshgrl31201]

On 4/2/2014 kdgn said:

That website said many teens get $5 an hour, but an adult sitter with nanny experience or a number of years babysitting experience would expect $10 an hour. And that's for ONE kid!! $1 per for each additional kid.

eta: I need to come out of retirement!

I got $5 an hour in 1985! I know, not a bad way to make extra money, right?