What to pay a babysitter in Washington, DC
Childcare workers in the Washington–Arlington–Alexandria metro area earned a median of $18.08 an hour in May 2025, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. That's more than in 90% of the 385 US metro areas BLS reports. It's the only metro area BLS reports for the District of Columbia. The metro area also takes in part of Virginia, Maryland and West Virginia.
Suggested babysitter rates in Washington
For one child, built on that local median:
| Kids | New or teen | Experienced | Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 child | $18.00 | $21.00 | $23.50 |
| 2 kids | $20.50 | $23.50 | $26.00 |
| 3 kids | $23.00 | $26.00 | $28.50 |
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 Washington
| Bottom 10% earn less than | $15.46 |
|---|---|
| Bottom quarter earn less than | $17.09 |
| Median | $18.08 |
| Top quarter earn more than | $21.44 |
| Top 10% earn more than | $24.14 |
| Average | $19.31 |
| Median for a year of full-time work | $37,610 |
| Childcare workers employed | 11,650 |
All of the District of Columbia →
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.