Average Babysitting Rate: What Should You Pay for Child?
We only recommend products we back, so we don't earn commission from links on this page.Why should we trust you?
One thing that is constant when it comes to parenting is the cost of child care.National rates of babysitting have increased over the last five years according to UrbanSitter, a site that connects parents with caregivers.If you factor in the gear, clothes, food, and the daily care, how much should you budget for babysitting, so you can go out for a night on the town to de-stress?
$17.73/hour for one child, according to its data, but what you'll actually spend depends on a variety of other factors.
If you live on the West Coast, it's the most expensive place to provide child care.The area of the country has seen the biggest rate increase in the last five years.You can breathe a sigh of relief if you live in the South or Southwest.The UrbanSitter averages for some major metro areas are rounded to the nearest dollar.
More than two kids?Adding $2/hour for each additional child is a general rule of thumb.The majority of parents on UrbanSitter only hire a babysitter once or twice a month.
The bill at the end of the night shows the difference between a high schooler that's just watching your child while you work and a more experienced sitter with better credentials.According to UrbanSitter's data, sitters under the age of 18 are less expensive than older ones, and those with college degrees and specialized skills have higher rates.If your child will be sleeping for most of the time you're out, UrbanSitter suggests using a sitter with a lower rate.