Babysitter pay in Alabama
The median wage for childcare workers in Alabama's 11 metro areas runs from $9.97 an hour in Anniston to $11.11 in Huntsville, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (May 2025). Pick your area for suggested babysitter rates built on those figures.
| Metro area | Median | Middle half | Experienced sitter* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Huntsville | $11.11 | $10.58–$14.08 | $13.00 |
| Birmingham | $11.09 | $10.55–$13.93 | $13.00 |
| Montgomery | $10.92 | $10.52–$14.99 | $12.50 |
| Auburn | $10.88 | $9.49–$13.44 | $12.50 |
| Mobile | $10.75 | $10.33–$13.22 | $12.50 |
| Daphne | $10.71 | $10.31–$13.65 | $12.50 |
| Decatur | $10.66 | $10.39–$12.72 | $12.50 |
| Tuscaloosa | $10.60 | $9.93–$13.04 | $12.00 |
| Dothan | $10.54 | $9.92–$12.95 | $12.00 |
| Gadsden | $10.12 | $9.88–$12.25 | $11.50 |
| Anniston | $9.97 | $8.76–$12.88 | $11.50 |
*Our suggested rate for one child: 15% above the local median. Each metro area's page has the full range.
Metro areas that cross into Alabama
- Columbus, GA $12.57 median
Outside the metro areas
| Area | Median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Southeast Alabama | $12.60 | 200 |
| Northeast Alabama | $12.44 | 520 |
| Northwest Alabama | $10.82 | 180 |
| Southwest Alabama | $10.67 | 200 |
How we get the suggested rates
A babysitter does much the same job as a childcare worker, usually alone and often in the evening, so we start from what childcare work pays locally: a new or teen sitter at the local median wage, an experienced sitter 15% above it, and a pro (CPR-certified, years of experience) 30% above it. Each child after the first adds about $2.50 an hour. It's a starting point, not a rule. Late nights, holidays, last-minute bookings, special needs and extra duties like driving or cooking all justify more; our guide to how much to pay a babysitter goes through them.
What these figures cover
They come from the Bureau of Labor Statistics' wage survey for May 2025, for the occupation it calls Childcare Workers: people paid to look after children at daycares, schools, businesses and in private homes. The survey asks employers, so it counts childcare workers on a payroll, and its technical note says it leaves out the self-employed and household workers. Babysitters paid directly by a family aren't in these numbers. Read them as what childcare work pays where you live, not as a survey of babysitting rates.
Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics, May 2025, occupation 39-9011 Childcare Workers. Suggested rates are Sitterday's rule of thumb, explained above.