Babysitter pay in Virginia
The median wage for childcare workers in Virginia's 9 metro areas runs from $13.98 an hour in Blacksburg to $16.41 in Charlottesville, 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* |
|---|---|---|---|
| Charlottesville | $16.41 | $14.31–$17.25 | $19.00 |
| Richmond | $16.14 | $14.14–$17.37 | $18.50 |
| Winchester | $15.43 | $13.75–$16.76 | $17.50 |
| Staunton | $14.80 | $13.71–$17.49 | $17.00 |
| Virginia Beach | $14.32 | $13.66–$16.94 | $16.50 |
| Harrisonburg | $14.28 | $13.71–$16.93 | $16.50 |
| Lynchburg | $14.19 | $13.45–$16.16 | $16.50 |
| Roanoke | $13.99 | $13.61–$14.79 | $16.00 |
| Blacksburg | $13.98 | $13.45–$16.40 | $16.00 |
*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 Virginia
- Kingsport, TN $13.55 median
- Washington, DC $18.08 median
Outside the metro areas
| Area | Median | Employed |
|---|---|---|
| Southside Virginia | $15.10 | 230 |
| Northwest Virginia | $14.77 | 220 |
| Northeast Virginia | $14.63 | 160 |
| Southwest Virginia | $14.29 | 190 |
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.