Babysitter pay in Minnesota
The median wage for childcare workers in Minnesota's 5 metro areas runs from $14.89 an hour in Duluth to $17.46 in Minneapolis, 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* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Minneapolis | $17.46 | $15.37–$19.29 | $20.00 |
| Mankato | $16.63 | $14.07–$16.89 | $19.00 |
| Rochester | $16.59 | $14.15–$18.00 | $19.00 |
| St. Cloud | $16.36 | $14.12–$16.91 | $19.00 |
| Duluth | $14.89 | $14.09–$17.52 | $17.00 |
*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 Minnesota
- Fargo, ND $14.44 median
- Grand Forks, ND $14.53 median
- La Crosse, WI $14.77 median
- Sioux Falls, SD $13.48 median
Outside the metro areas
| Area | Median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Northwest Minnesota | $15.68 | 550 |
| Northeast Minnesota | $15.50 | 190 |
| Southeast Minnesota | $15.00 | 630 |
| Southwest Minnesota | $14.71 | 340 |
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.