The national typical hourly rate in 2026 is $19.00 per hour for nannies and $17.50 for babysitters. When deciding how much to pay, it’s important to set a competitive rate to attract the best babysitters. But there are lots of factors to think about when determining the cost of babysitters. Use Sittercity’s chart to determine the most appropriate babysitter rate by hourly wage by location.

Start by posting a job that details your needs for free on Sittercity. Your job will be shared with a community of available babysitters. Interested babysitters will apply directly to your job and you’ll be notified via email and on the platform. From there, conduct interviews with your favorites. Once you’ve narrowed your search, start vetting individual babysitters by running background checks and checking references before the job officially starts.

You can find babysitters, nannies, special needs child care and more for in-home care or for a virtual sitting. Child care providers can help families with managing strict schedules, transportation to activities, homework help, last-minute coverage, date nights, and more.