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Permalink Reply by RP Mom on March 24, 2009 at 4:15pm

How much do sitters charge in your town?

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Permalink Reply by RP Mom on March 24, 2009 at 4:15pm

I pay my sitters a little over $10 an hour!

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Permalink Reply by marissa rillos on March 24, 2009 at 4:40pm

I am a childcare provider/nanny/babysitter. I will usually charge anywhere from $12-15/hour depending on these factors:

-how many kids
-their ages
-if driving/transportation is needed
-duties including feeding dinner, bathing, homework, etc.

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Permalink Reply by ctsbaby on March 24, 2009 at 7:19pm

I charge $10 an hour for a 2 year old. I usually play with him and feed him dinner for about an hour while the parents get ready to go out. Then we put him to bed and he sleeps most of the time I'm there.

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Permalink Reply by Caryn Gehrke on March 24, 2009 at 7:42pm

I am also 12-15 - usually 12 for one child, then another dollar for each additional child. I have a masters degree and extensive experience working with children. Most parents are willing to pay a little bit extra to know that their children have the best care possible, besides their own parents!

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Permalink Reply by Stephanie on March 24, 2009 at 8:27pm

I typically am paid around 11 dollars an hour. Depending on the situation and special factors sometimes it is more. Honestly I leave my pay pretty much up to the parents though- unless they completely lowball me. Typically they offer to pay me what I believe is fair. =)

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Permalink Reply by Nicole Powers on March 24, 2009 at 8:59pm

I think it just depends on the situation I have been a nanny and babysitter for years and have never made anything less than $12/hr. I was a nanny for four kids from 1 1/2-7 years old, which required me to do alot of driving and some household chores and with them I made $15/hr. It really does depend on the age and the activities I have to do for a family that I babysit for all the time I charge them no more than $12/hr.

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Permalink Reply by icefairy on March 24, 2009 at 10:54pm

What should I focus on when choosing among hundreds of sitters available in my area?

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Permalink Reply by Sittercity on March 25, 2009 at 10:04am

Marissa is dead-on. A babysitter's rate depends on many different factors -- another big one being geographic location. If you live closer to a major metro area, for example, parents there will typically pay more than parents in more rural areas. And parents who live on the East Cost often pay more then parents who live in the South.

Check out Sittercity's Rate Calculator to get a better idea of rates, using many of the factors that people mentioned here!
Interactive Babysitter Rate Calculator

Responsibilities matter too. If you're asked to do light housekeeping, for example (like vacuuming), you should be paid a little more than the average rate. And if you're a highly qualified babysitter with safety certifications and training under your belt, you can charge a little more as well.

Essentially, the "right" rate is one that both the sitter and parents are comfortable with!

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Permalink Reply by Sittercity on March 25, 2009 at 10:16am

icefairy said:

What should I focus on when choosing among hundreds of sitters available in my area?

Great question!

You want to look for sitters with relatively complete profiles. These have background checks, ratings/reviews, references, photos, bios, updated availability calendars, and skills & certifications. Sitters with the most complete profiles will appear at the top of your search results, so you won't have to shift through hundreds of pages of sitters!

You also want to look for sitters who apply to your job with professionalism and interest. They shouldn't use texting language ("ur job looks gr8") and they should provide you with a little background about their experience and why they'd be a good fit for your family.

You should also think about your children in particular. Are they super energetic? You'll want an active sitter to keep up with them. Are they very creative? You might want an artistic sitter who loves doing crafts/projects. No one knows your family better than you do, so there's NO ONE more qualified to pick the perfect caregiver than yourself! Good luck. :-)

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Permalink Reply by Jenna Marie Reisch on March 25, 2009 at 12:52pm

Moms, do you prefer sitters who have background check? What do you think about the background check?

~Jenna

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Permalink Reply by Ida Mae Allen on March 25, 2009 at 1:34pm

I am a long time nanny and I guess based on your answer my profile would be considered as incomplete. I don't have a background check because having been in the field for many years I have had many background checks. I don't have any reviews/ratings because I tend to work for my families many years rather than working for many families. I don't have a photo because I don't have the equipment to upload one. However, the families who do contact me always want to hire me due to my educational background/degree in early childhood as well as excellent references from past families and my many years of experience.

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