Babysitter pay in Pennsylvania
The median wage for childcare workers in Pennsylvania's 15 metro areas runs from $12.78 an hour in Johnstown to $16.60 in Philadelphia, 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* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philadelphia | $16.60 | $15.49–$17.75 | $19.00 |
| Allentown | $15.49 | $12.37–$17.00 | $18.00 |
| Lancaster | $14.72 | $12.89–$16.95 | $17.00 |
| Scranton | $14.72 | $13.25–$16.95 | $17.00 |
| York | $14.57 | $13.18–$17.51 | $17.00 |
| Harrisburg | $14.40 | $13.00–$16.75 | $16.50 |
| Pittsburgh | $14.35 | $11.78–$16.75 | $16.50 |
| Gettysburg | $14.25 | $12.79–$17.02 | $16.50 |
| Reading | $14.20 | $13.09–$16.71 | $16.50 |
| Lebanon | $13.71 | $13.17–$16.67 | $16.00 |
| Erie | $13.48 | $11.76–$15.97 | $15.50 |
| Altoona | $13.23 | $11.25–$14.33 | $15.00 |
| Williamsport | $13.20 | $11.82–$16.04 | $15.00 |
| Chambersburg | $12.99 | $11.89–$14.02 | $15.00 |
| Johnstown | $12.78 | $11.11–$14.01 | $14.50 |
*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 |
|---|---|---|
| Northeastern Pennsylvania | $14.27 | 470 |
| Northwestern Pennsylvania | $13.49 | 520 |
| Southwestern Pennsylvania | $13.44 | 320 |
| Central Pennsylvania | $13.41 | 440 |
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.