Babysitter pay in Iowa
The median wage for childcare workers in Iowa's 8 metro areas runs from $13.26 an hour in Waterloo to $15.53 in Davenport, 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* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Davenport | $15.53 | $14.34–$16.89 | $18.00 |
| Dubuque | $15.25 | $13.68–$17.39 | $17.50 |
| Des Moines | $14.31 | $13.12–$16.34 | $16.50 |
| Sioux City | $14.10 | $13.36–$14.66 | $16.00 |
| Iowa City | $14.02 | $12.89–$14.84 | $16.00 |
| Cedar Rapids | $13.54 | $11.16–$14.74 | $15.50 |
| Ames | $13.39 | $12.93–$13.93 | $15.50 |
| Waterloo | $13.26 | $11.87–$14.46 | $15.00 |
*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 Iowa
- Omaha, NE $15.06 median
Outside the metro areas
| Area | Median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Southeast Iowa | $13.37 | 530 |
| Northeast Iowa | $13.20 | 410 |
| Northwest Iowa | $13.08 | 670 |
| Southwest Iowa | $13.08 | 260 |
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.