According to a recent USA Today article, babysitters make an average of $10 per hour, though this number may vary depending on many factors:
• Location: Sitters who live in major cities get a higher hourly rate as the cost of living is higher.
• Experience: A teenager without any experience at all will obviously earn much less than a mature caregiver with a lot of experience, certifications and verifiable references. As you may have guessed, the more experience, the higher she get paid. A teenager and a professional babysitter who has taken some courses in first aid are definitely in two different categories.
• Number and age of child/children: The number of children and their ages play an important role in setting the rate you will pay to your babysitter. As you already understand, there is a real difference in taking care of toddler, a 4 years old kid, or a 10 years old. In most cases, what you will pay to your sitter depends upon the number of children, so you might want to inquire about the local rates for each additional child.
• Activities: Will you ask your babysitter to take your children outside your home, such as an appointment with doctor, music lessons or sport practices? If your babysitter has any special teaching skills that you want them to use, you may have to increase their hourly rate accordingly.
• Day, evening or night: Will your kid(s) be awake or asleep when the sitter watches over them? If the sitter is just “sitting” and house watching while the kids are sleeping, then you can pay less.
• Special needs: Does your child have any special need that require specific skills from the sitter? If so, it’s necessary to increase their salary accordingly.
• Special qualifications: A babysitter who is CPR-certified and/or has followed First Aid training deserves a higher wage.
• Housekeeping: Some sitters are willing to do household chores, but you need to pay them more.
• Transportation: You may decide to help your babysitter with transportation (ride home, money for gas, cab or local transportation).
There are chances that a sitter who insists to work for rates much lower than the typical accepted rate is not a qualified sitter. Newspaper ads or even a phone call to a local babysitting agency may give you more info on the ‘ going rates’ of your area.
Sometimes, a sitter will accept a lower rate if you pay cash. In any case, it’s important to make sure that you are both are comfortable with the arrangement.
If you intend to keep the services of the same caregiver for several years, a periodic raise in her salary may contribute to her satistaction at work.
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