Babysitter pay in Texas
The median wage for childcare workers in Texas's 26 metro areas runs from $10.72 an hour in Brownsville to $14.96 in Dallas, 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* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dallas | $14.96 | $13.05–$16.65 | $17.00 |
| Midland | $14.43 | $12.12–$16.92 | $16.50 |
| Houston | $14.20 | $11.24–$17.00 | $16.50 |
| San Antonio | $14.15 | $11.33–$15.04 | $16.50 |
| Austin | $13.69 | $12.10–$16.82 | $15.50 |
| College Station | $13.10 | $11.10–$15.97 | $15.00 |
| Amarillo | $13.09 | $10.42–$13.65 | $15.00 |
| Corpus Christi | $13.08 | $10.65–$14.95 | $15.00 |
| Odessa | $13.08 | $11.27–$15.00 | $15.00 |
| Abilene | $12.89 | $10.57–$14.52 | $15.00 |
| San Angelo | $12.87 | $10.64–$13.98 | $15.00 |
| Waco | $12.87 | $10.77–$14.44 | $15.00 |
| Lubbock | $12.81 | $10.39–$13.79 | $14.50 |
| Sherman | $12.69 | $10.51–$13.16 | $14.50 |
| Tyler | $12.52 | $10.85–$13.58 | $14.50 |
| Killeen | $12.48 | $10.51–$13.47 | $14.50 |
| Texarkana | $11.87 | $10.86–$13.24 | $13.50 |
| Wichita Falls | $11.59 | $10.76–$13.36 | $13.50 |
| El Paso | $11.26 | $10.33–$12.98 | $13.00 |
| Longview | $11.25 | $10.58–$13.62 | $13.00 |
| Victoria | $11.19 | $10.67–$14.02 | $13.00 |
| Beaumont | $11.03 | $10.39–$13.58 | $12.50 |
| Eagle Pass | $10.81 | $10.23–$13.26 | $12.50 |
| Laredo | $10.74 | $9.76–$13.10 | $12.50 |
| McAllen | $10.73 | $9.78–$12.93 | $12.50 |
| Brownsville | $10.72 | $9.78–$13.12 | $12.50 |
*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 |
|---|---|---|
| Border Region of Texas | $13.35 | 180 |
| Hill Country Region of Texas | $11.38 | 380 |
| North Region of Texas | $11.00 | 530 |
| Northwestern Region of Texas | $10.84 | 240 |
| Eastern Region of Texas | $10.81 | 300 |
| Coastal Plains Region of Texas | $10.79 | 470 |
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.