Babysitter pay in Missouri
The median wage for childcare workers in Missouri's 8 metro areas runs from $13.75 an hour in Joplin to $16.02 in St. Louis, 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* |
|---|---|---|---|
| St. Louis | $16.02 | $14.60–$17.63 | $18.50 |
| Kansas City | $15.27 | $14.00–$17.08 | $17.50 |
| Springfield | $14.23 | $13.82–$17.25 | $16.50 |
| Cape Girardeau | $14.04 | $13.75–$15.90 | $16.00 |
| St. Joseph | $14.01 | $13.75–$17.41 | $16.00 |
| Columbia | $13.98 | $13.75–$17.09 | $16.00 |
| Jefferson City | $13.75 | $13.75–$14.50 | $16.00 |
| Joplin | $13.75 | $13.75–$16.31 | $16.00 |
*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 |
|---|---|---|
| Southwest Missouri | $14.61 | 260 |
| North Missouri | $13.85 | 380 |
| Central Missouri | $13.75 | 600 |
| Southeast Missouri | $13.75 | 810 |
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.