Going hourly rate for babysitters in Northern Virginia?

[Anonymous]

We are moving back soon, and I'm interested in the going rate. We've been overseas for the past 4 years, so haven't a clue what to charge. A friend's 18 year old niece is able to provide some help for us in an ad hoc way, and hasn't babysat since she was a younger teen in California. I have three kids - 9, 7, and 4. We tend to overpay, I think, but I'm not sure if folks can recommend a good rate?

[Anonymous]

I pay $20/hr for 7, 3, and 1.

[Anonymous]

$10/hour is standard in our neighborhood.

Most nannies make between $15 and 25/hour.

[Anonymous]

I'd pay $20/hr for an 18 year old with 3 kids.

My younger teens babysit and get generally between $12-15/hr depending on the # of kids.

I think it depends where you are. We're in Arlington. From my friends in McLean it sounds like the teen rates are much higher.

[Anonymous]

I think it depends if you are hiring them as a Nanny, school pick up, homework help, take to activities, give dinner etc or a date night sitter who is watching a movie with your kid and eating pizza before bed.
A Nanny I would pay $15-$20, A sitter, more like $12-$15.

[Anonymous]

We pay $20/hour. All of our sitters are college age, but I’d probably pay a teen the same.

[Anonymous]

$12/hour, rounded up. I’ve never had anyone older than 20.

[Anonymous]

We pay $15/hr for date nights, so usually 2-4 hours at a time. Sitter is college age. Our DD is nearly 4.

[Anonymous]

This is so person dependent. My oldest is 9, and I’ve never paid less than $15 except once to a 12 year old who asked for $12/hour. Now I pay $20 to my college age or young but older than college sitters. $25 for a nanny for two kids. Arlington.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We pay $15/hr for date nights, so usually 2-4 hours at a time. Sitter is college age. Our DD is nearly 4.

I’m really surprised that you can get someone to come regularly for $30-$45 for a Saturday night.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We pay $15/hr for date nights, so usually 2-4 hours at a time. Sitter is college age. Our DD is nearly 4.

I’m really surprised that you can get someone to come regularly for $30-$45 for a Saturday night.

I'm the PP you're responding to...so am I, but that was her advertised rate! I always make sure we round up...honestly, if we are even a bit over (say 3.25 hours instead of 3), I give her the extra hour. She's a sweet girl, and DD loves her. She has a few other families she sits for, plus works retail during the day several days a week, so babysitting isn't her only source of income.

We're in the outer suburbs, too. Rates seem to be a bit cheaper out here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We pay $15/hr for date nights, so usually 2-4 hours at a time. Sitter is college age. Our DD is nearly 4.

I’m really surprised that you can get someone to come regularly for $30-$45 for a Saturday night.

Yes , I’m surprised as well. I remember people giving me $50 for just a couple hours of babysitting and that was 15 years ago.

[Anonymous]

Teenagers in our area are so affluent that they have no personal expenses. (They don't have to buy any of their clothes, pay for their phones or their gas, etc.) They don't "need" the money - its purely discretionary. The upside to this is that they don't have a clue what they should charge! And don't really seem to care! Most of them say "whatever you pay is fine!"

I pay them $12/hour and never seem to have any trouble getting them to come back.

[Anonymous]

High school sitters near us generally charge $15/hr.

[Anonymous]

Our babysitters are usually one of DD's preschool teachers. I pay $20/hr to watch one child.