How Much to Pay a Babysitter in 2026
The 2026 going rates by city, what genuinely justifies paying more, whether you tip, and what you should expect for the money.
There is no posted price for babysitting, which is why the question is uncomfortable for everyone. Here is what families actually paid in 2026, how to work out your own number, and what the extras are genuinely worth.
The short answer
The 2026 national average is about $26 an hour for one child. Most families land between $18 and $30 depending on where they live.
| City | One child, per hour |
|---|---|
| San Francisco | $29.63 |
| Seattle | $27.70 |
| National average | $26.24 |
| New York City | $26.03 |
| Boston | $25.52 |
| Denver | $24.05 |
| Chicago | $22.21 |
| Phoenix | $20.59 |
| Philadelphia | $20.10 |
| San Antonio | $18.21 |
Source: UrbanSitter national childcare rate survey, 2026.
What moves the number up
- More children. Add $2 to $5 an hour per additional child. Two kids is not twice the work, but it is more than one child’s worth.
- Age. Infants command more. A sitter comfortable with a baby under one is a smaller pool.
- Training. A certified sitter with first aid is worth a premium, and will usually ask for one. Roughly 10 to 15 percent is normal.
- Hours nobody wants. After midnight, holidays, New Year’s Eve. Expect to pay well over the going rate, and offer it before you are asked.
- Anything beyond the children. Cooking a full meal, driving, pets, bath and bedtime for three. If you are adding jobs, add money.
Want the number for your situation? The rate calculator takes your state, the number of children and the hours, and gives you a figure you can say out loud.
A minimum booking is normal
Most experienced sitters have one, usually three hours. If you go out for ninety minutes, expect to pay for three. This is not a sitter being difficult — they turned down other work and travelled to you for that evening. Agree it up front and it never becomes a conversation.
Do you tip a babysitter?
Not routinely, and no sitter expects it. Round up rather than tip: if the bill lands at $67, hand over $70. Tip properly when it earned it — you came home two hours late, a child was sick, they cleaned up something they had no obligation to clean up.
The exception is a regular sitter at the holidays, where a bonus of roughly one evening’s pay is a normal and very well received gesture.
How to pay, and when
Pay at the end of the night, before they leave. Cash or an instant transfer app is standard. Do not make a teenager ask you for money, and do not say you will “sort it next time” — it is the single fastest way to lose a good sitter.
If someone is working for you regularly, there may be tax implications for you as a household employer once you pass the annual IRS threshold. Occasional babysitting by someone under 18 generally does not count. See nanny vs babysitter for where that line falls, and check IRS Publication 926 if you are close to it.
What you should be getting for it
At $26 an hour you are entitled to more than a warm body. A sitter worth the going rate can tell you what they would do in an emergency as a sequence of steps, has training you can verify, and leaves the house roughly as they found it.
Every certificate we issue has a page you can look up in seconds — name, pass date, and whether it is current. Check a sitter’s credential.
How much to pay a babysitter: frequently asked questions
Is $20 an hour enough for a babysitter?
In much of the country, yes, for one child. In San Francisco, Seattle or Boston it is below the going rate and you will struggle to book anyone experienced.
How much should I pay a 14 year old to babysit?
Less than an adult professional, but do not lowball. Somewhere around 60 to 75 percent of the local going rate is fair for a trained teenager with a couple of families behind them.
Do I pay for the time after the children are asleep?
Yes. They cannot leave, and they are responsible the entire time. Some families pay a slightly lower overnight rate for sleeping hours, agreed in advance.
Should I pay more for a certified babysitter?
Usually 10 to 15 percent more, and it is generally worth it — training is the one thing on a sitter’s profile you can actually check.
Keep reading
Nanny or babysitter? — cost, taxes and which one your family actually needs.
How families choose a sitter — where parents look, and what makes them say yes.
Overnight babysitting rates — the hourly-plus-sleep-rate structure, and what to charge.
Babysitting classes near you — how the main courses compare on price and content.
Step two is the one that changes everything.
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