Babysitter pay in Colorado
The median wage for childcare workers in Colorado's 7 metro areas runs from $16.94 an hour in Pueblo to $21.31 in Denver, 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* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Denver | $21.31 | $18.94–$22.41 | $24.50 |
| Boulder | $20.86 | $18.12–$22.86 | $24.00 |
| Colorado Springs | $17.86 | $16.86–$21.13 | $20.50 |
| Greeley | $17.64 | $16.46–$20.77 | $20.50 |
| Fort Collins | $17.51 | $16.38–$18.41 | $20.00 |
| Grand Junction | $17.02 | $16.34–$18.19 | $19.50 |
| Pueblo | $16.94 | $15.80–$18.58 | $19.50 |
*Our suggested rate for one child: 15% above the local median. Each metro area's page has the full range.
Outside the metro areas
| Area | Median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Northwest Colorado | $21.44 | 760 |
| Eastern and Southern Colorado | $17.91 | 270 |
| Southwest Colorado | $17.52 | 400 |
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.