How Much Should I Pay a Babysitter?
Set the hourly rate, hours and number of children to get the total — benchmarked against federal wage data.
Short answer: there is no official national babysitting rate. The nearest federal benchmark is the median wage for childcare workers: $15.41 an hour (BLS, May 2024), which makes 8 hours cost $123.28. The 90th percentile is $21.42, or $171.36 for eight hours. Treat the median as a floor: the federal survey explicitly excludes workers in private households, which is exactly what a babysitter is. Add $1–$2 an hour per additional child.
Wages: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Childcare Workers (SOC 39-9011), May 2024.
What 8 hours of babysitting costs, by hourly rate
There is no official national babysitting rate. The closest federal benchmark is the median wage for childcare workers, and it comes with an important limitation, explained below.
| Hourly rate | 4 hours | 6 hours | 8 hours | 10 hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $11.01 (BLS 10th percentile) | $44.04 | $66.06 | $88.08 | $110.10 |
| $15.41 (BLS median) | $61.64 | $92.46 | $123.28 | $154.10 |
| $18.00 | $72.00 | $108.00 | $144.00 | $180.00 |
| $21.42 (BLS 90th percentile) | $85.68 | $128.52 | $171.36 | $214.20 |
| $25.00 | $100.00 | $150.00 | $200.00 | $250.00 |
Wage percentiles: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Childcare Workers (SOC 39-9011), May 2024 — median $15.41/hr, 10th percentile $11.01, 90th percentile $21.42.
Why there is no official babysitter rate
BLS states plainly that its wage survey does not include pay for workers in private households or for self-employed workers. A babysitter in your home is precisely that. So the $15.41 median describes childcare workers in centres and schools, and functions as a floor for private babysitting rather than a going rate.
- Number of children. A common practice is to add $1–$2 an hour per additional child.
- Local market. Metro rates run well above rural ones; the BLS 90th percentile of $21.42 is a useful upper anchor.
- Duties and hours. Cooking, bedtime routines, driving, and late finishes all push the rate up.
- Experience and certification. CPR and first-aid certification commands more.
Frequently asked questions
How much should I pay a babysitter for 8 hours?
There is no official national rate. At the U.S. median wage for childcare workers, $15.41 an hour, eight hours costs $123.28. At the 90th percentile of $21.42 an hour it costs $171.36. Private babysitting typically pays at or above the median, because the federal wage survey excludes workers in private households.
Is there an official average babysitter rate?
No. The Bureau of Labor Statistics measures childcare workers (SOC 39-9011) at a median of $15.41 an hour as of May 2024, but explicitly excludes self-employed workers and workers in private households from that survey. Babysitters in a family home fall into the excluded group, so figures quoted as a 'national average babysitter rate' come from private company surveys, not government data.
How much extra should I pay per additional child?
A common practice is an extra $1 to $2 per hour for each additional child. The calculator above lets you set that amount and applies it to every child beyond the first.
Should I pay more for late nights or extra duties?
Usually yes. Cooking, bath and bedtime routines, driving, and finishing after midnight are all commonly compensated above the base rate. Agree the rate and the finish time before the evening starts.