Care.com’s 2017 Babysitter Survey results are in! Over 800 parents who use Care.com responded to questions about their experiences with babysitters, including hiring, pay, and more.
From these insights, we pulled out nine of the most important pieces of advice to help you with your child care search — whether you’re looking for your first babysitter ever, or you’re hoping to hire a new one.
1) Babysitter Taxes: They’re Very Real
About half of our parent respondents said that they didn’t know that they had to pay taxes for their sitter. In fact, taxes are owed if you pay your sitter over $2,000/year.
If you’re unsure of where to start, or which forms you and your sitter will need to fill out, you can start here.
2) Location, Location, Location
If you live in a big city, expect to pay more for a babysitter than someone who lives in the suburbs or in a rural area. Remember: Higher cost of living = higher wages. Take a look at our data on annual babysitter rates for the top metro areas.
For example, babysitters in San Jose, CA, cost $16.68 per hour and are the most expensive sitters in the country. On the other hand, babysitters in Youngstown, OH, charge about $11.81 per hour — making them the least expensive.
Here are the most and least expensive big cities for hiring babysitters:
- The Five Most Expensive Big Cities to Hire a Babysitter (Per Hour)
| 1. San Jose, CA | $16.68 |
|---|---|
| 2. San Francisco, CA | $16.52 |
| 3. Bridgeport, CT | $15.74 |
| 4. Boston, MA | $15.51 |
| 5. New York, NY | $15.23 |
- The Five Least Expensive Big Cities to Hire a Babysitter (Per Hour)
| 1. Youngstown, OH | $11.81 |
|---|---|
| 2. Toledo, OH | $12.24 |
| 3. McAllen, TX | $12.36 |
| 4. Lakewood, FL | $12.52 |
| 5. Akron, OH | $12.67 |
(Live in one of these cities? Click on your city’s name to see the sitters who are available in your area.)
3) Put a Premium on a Sitter’s Experience
Nearly 60 percent of parents cited cost as their biggest block to hiring a sitter. Surprisingly, though, just as many parents reported that a sitter’s experience is the most important factor in their searches.
Safety expertise is definitely the number one priority for parents. In fact, a majority of parents (66 percent) said that they would pay more for a sitter with safety training — specifically, CPR and First Aid certification. And rightfully so!
In the same vein, parents also put a premium on babysitters who have extra credentials, education and/or child care-related certifications. To that point, 41 percent of parents say that they’d pay more for a sitter with an early education degree. And 1 in 3 parents say they’d pay more for a sitter who has the same state-level child care certification required for preschool teachers. In fact, nearly 70 percent were willing to raise hourly rates by as much as $2 for sitters with early education degrees and/or CPR/First Aid certifications.
If you want to find a babysitter for your newborn or infant, you should expect to pay slightly more, too. In general, the national average price for babysitters goes up by 2 percent if your child is under 7 months. Essentially, you’re paying for the extra experience and expertise a sitter may have caring for newborns.
Take a look at this table to see which types of education and certifications our respondents said they valued the most:
| Education/Certification Type | Percentage of Responses |
|---|---|
| College Degree | 31% |
| High School Degree | 11.6% |
| Safety Training (e.g., CPR & First Aid Certification) | 66.2% |
| Early Education Degree | 40.7% |
| Water Safety Certification | 14.6% |
| Special Needs Care | 12.8% |
| Infant Care Certification | 30.9% |
| State-Level Child Care Certification Required for Preschool Teachers | 33% |
4) Ever Considered a Sitter Share?
Almost all of the parents we asked said that they’ve tried to save money when booking a babysitter, but only 23 percent said that they’ve tried a babysitter share.
What’s a babysitter share, you might ask? True to its name, a babysitter share is when you ask a sitter to care for your children, as well as for the child(ren) of your friends. The sitter makes more money per hour, while you and your friends can split the cost (and pay less overall).
Plus, the kids get to have a playdate!
5) Book Ahead of Schedule
New Year’s Eve, Valentine’s Day, and Halloween are the three most popular times to hire a sitter. We recommend that you book ahead of schedule — at least a week or more — to avoid schedule conflicts and allow yourself time to thoroughly vet caregivers.
Keep in mind, though, that these “peak” seasons may mean that you’ll have to pay a little bit more. For holidays and last-minute bookings, more than half of the parents reported paying at least $3 more per hour to get a last-minute sitter.
6) Have a Backup Plan
To avoid last-minute cancellations, sickness, and scheduling conflicts, about half the parents we talked to reported having two or more sitters. While finding one reliable sitter can be difficult, it’s a good idea to have choices for backup care in case of last-minute changes in plans.
[RELATED: “4 Easy Steps to Creating a Backup Child Care Plan“]
7) To Tip, or Not to Tip? Survey Says: “Tip”!
Approximately 1 in 3 (34 percent) of respondents tip on top of the sitters’ hourly rates. This number is up from 26 percent of respondents in 2015 who said that they tip their babysitters.
Not sure whether you should tip your babysitter? Here are some situations where you may want to consider it.
Consider, though, that even a small tip can go a long way in ensuring that your sitter keeps coming back when you need them.
8) It’s All About Trust
Two-thirds of parents said that hiring a sitter was stressful because they couldn’t find someone they trusted. This was, in fact, the #1 reason why parents didn’t hire a sitter. But only 25 percent of respondents looked at background checks for their interviewees, and only 43 percent called references. To help put your mind at ease, we recommend that you use the background check feature on Care.com — and don’t forget to call those references!
Why? Because background and reference checks can help reveal information that may not come up during a phone screen or in-person interview. Information reported by background checks varies, so be sure to understand what information a particular check provides and choose the check that most fits your needs. For example, are you hiring a caregiver to drive your children? Then consider running a Motor Vehicle Records Check.
9) Worth the Price
An overwhelming 83 percent of respondents said that sitters should be paid above minimum wage. And at Care.com, we couldn’t agree more.
If you’re worried that what you’re paying is too low, check out our local sitter rates calculator. You can also find various resources about how to find a babysitter, basic interview questions, and more.
