Babysitter pay in Ohio
The median wage for childcare workers in Ohio's 12 metro areas runs from $12.79 an hour in Canton to $14.72 in Springfield, 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* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Springfield | $14.72 | $12.61–$17.23 | $17.00 |
| Youngstown | $14.67 | $12.96–$17.12 | $17.00 |
| Cleveland | $14.64 | $13.97–$18.38 | $17.00 |
| Columbus | $14.56 | $13.97–$18.47 | $16.50 |
| Cincinnati | $14.50 | $13.26–$17.23 | $16.50 |
| Akron | $14.49 | $13.51–$18.19 | $16.50 |
| Sandusky | $14.22 | $12.68–$17.42 | $16.50 |
| Dayton | $14.01 | $12.18–$15.55 | $16.00 |
| Toledo | $13.94 | $12.98–$16.23 | $16.00 |
| Lima | $13.84 | $11.38–$15.73 | $16.00 |
| Mansfield | $12.87 | $12.06–$14.30 | $15.00 |
| Canton | $12.79 | $11.31–$14.16 | $14.50 |
*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 Ohio
- Huntington, WV $12.19 median
- Weirton, WV $13.45 median
- Wheeling, WV $14.00 median
Outside the metro areas
| Area | Median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Southern Ohio | $14.03 | 260 |
| Eastern Ohio | $14.00 | 180 |
| North Northeastern Ohio nonmetropolitan area (noncontiguous) | $13.44 | 290 |
| West Northwestern Ohio | $13.23 | 420 |
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.