What to pay a babysitter in San Juan, PR
Childcare workers in the San Juan–Bayamon–Caguas metro area earned a median of $10.88 an hour in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That's more than in 7% of the 385 US metro areas BLS reports. It's the highest of Puerto Rico's 5 metro areas.
Suggested babysitter rates in San Juan
For one child, built on that local median:
| Kids | New or teen | Experienced | Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 child | $11.00 | $12.50 | $14.00 |
| 2 kids | $13.50 | $15.00 | $16.50 |
| 3 kids | $16.00 | $17.50 | $19.00 |
Work out a total in the calculator →
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 childcare work pays in San Juan
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $10.50 |
|---|---|
| Bottom quarter earn less than | $10.68 |
| Median | $10.88 |
| Top quarter earn more than | $11.08 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $13.80 |
| Average | $11.45 |
| Median for a year of full-time work | $22,630 |
| Childcare workers employed | 1,470 |
Childcare jobs are less common here than nationally: 2.13 in every 1,000 jobs, 0.64 times the national share. Pay is tightly bunched: nine in ten earn between $10.50 and $13.80.
Elsewhere in Puerto Rico
- Aguadilla, PR $10.69 median
- Arecibo, PR $10.61 median
- Mayaguez, PR $10.50 median
- Ponce, PR $10.50 median
Outside its metro areas, Puerto Rico's nonmetropolitan area pays $10.50. All of Puerto Rico →
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.