(Of course, there are exceptions to this, and some nannies work on a part-time basis, especially if a family has school-aged children.)Īs a result of this commitment, your nanny may agree to take on additional tasks around the house, such as cooking, cleaning and laundry.
In general, a nanny works at least five days a week and receives a guaranteed weekly payment or salary that allows them to rely on the family as their primary source of income and as a professional career. Most full-time nannies are responsible for the child or children on a more consistent basis than the average babysitter. Additional compensation might also be added if driving is involved for the job or the babysitter needs to use her own vehicle. Some babysitters may charge extra for special training like American Red Cross babysitting certification, CPR training or early childhood education experience. Many babysitters command a higher price for watching an infant.
Once you do find a sitter, some experts recommend establishing a standard flat hourly rate plus an occasional bonus or annual raise.
The easiest way to do this is by asking other local parents how much they pay their sitters (you can poll the moms in your local What to Expect forum, too). It’s important to be aware of the average cost of a babysitter in your area to feel confident that you are paying yours fairly and ensure that they will want to come back to assist your family in the future. If you're paying an afterschool sitter a weekly rate, the 2020 average was $244 per week, according to the most recent figures from the Center for American Progress. In Urbansitter's survey, the average rate increased between $2 and $3 per hour for a second child. Most sitters will add a dollar or so per hour for each additional child they’re expected to watch.
According to Urbansitter's most recent survey on babysitting rates around the country, the national average is $18.36 an hour for a sitter watching one child and $21.23 an hour for two children, although there is a huge range depending on location: On the low end, the average hourly rate in San Antonio, Texas is $12.54, but it jumps to $21.17 an hour in San Francisco.Ģ9 Ways to Make Child Care More Affordable For example, in California and New York, average rates are almost always higher. This last one is important, as standard rates differ considerably around the country. The most common variables that impact babysitter wages include your sitter’s level of experience, the age and number of children they are watching, and where you live. For this reason, they are often less available - only on certain days or evenings during the week, for example. Many babysitters are in school or have another main source of income and are looking to babysit to make extra money.
How much should you pay a babysitter?Ī babysitter is typically hired for short-term or occasional work and is paid by the hour. While they might sound similar and fulfill similar roles (and some people refer to them interchangeably), babysitters and nannies are quite different when it comes to compensation and level of involvement.