The Child Care Job Guide: How Much to Charge for Child Care

Are you considering a career in child care and want to know what the pay rates would be? Pay rates for child care workers can vary significantly according to the following factors:

• geographical location.  Different cities have different pay rates.  For example, the amount a Dallas Babysitter charges may be different than the amount a Miami Babysitter will charge.
  
• job requirements, type of care provided, number of hours, and time of day
• level of skill, experience, and whether or not a person has a degree in child development.
• whether or not health insurance and other benefits are provided

But here are some general statistics:

• Nannies are among the best paid child care workers. They earn a median weekly income of $20,800 to $36,400 a year, in addition to free room and board. Experienced nannies, especially those who work in major metropolitan areas, can earn $41,000 or more per year. Remember, just like babysitters, different cities have a different pay rate for nannies--San Antonio Nannies will have a different pay rate than Denver Nannies. Check the nanny rates in your area to see what the average cost is. Nannies typically receive annual raises and often end-of-year bonuses.
• Administrators at nursery schools and day care centers, according to the U.S. Department of Labor, earn on average $35,000 a year, while preschool teachers average $21,000 a year.
• Per hour rates of babysitters vary tremendously. You can check the Babysitter Pay Calculator on Care.com to see what babysitters in your neighborhood with your level of experience are charging. But rates can be as low as a few dollars an hour for a teenager in a small town, to $25 or more an hour in a big city for a more experienced babysitter.

Now that you know approximately how much to charge, the next step is to create a profile on Care.com. We also suggest creating a Babysitting Pay Calculator Widget and adding it to your blog or include it in messages so potential employers know the pay rate for sitters in your area. And then you'll need to prepare for an interview.