Babysitter pay in Arkansas
The median wage for childcare workers in Arkansas's 5 metro areas runs from $13.43 an hour in Fort Smith to $14.52 in Fayetteville, 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* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fayetteville | $14.52 | $13.89–$14.90 | $16.50 |
| Hot Springs | $14.11 | $13.20–$15.54 | $16.00 |
| Little Rock | $13.85 | $13.41–$14.89 | $16.00 |
| Jonesboro | $13.73 | $13.32–$14.16 | $16.00 |
| Fort Smith | $13.43 | $11.68–$15.82 | $15.50 |
*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 Arkansas
- Memphis, TN $13.88 median
- Texarkana, TX $11.87 median
Outside the metro areas
| Area | Median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| East Arkansas | $13.14 | 390 |
| West Arkansas | $13.10 | 420 |
| South Arkansas | $13.10 | 350 |
| North Arkansas | $13.06 | 430 |
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.